The Charlotte County Darlings all-star team was eliminated from the 2019 Dixie Softball Darlings State Tournament on Sunday with an 0-2 record, but the girls made it clear across both games that they have growing abilities.

“The girls played well,” Charlotte Darlings Manager Billy Barton said after Sunday’s game. “We’ve come a long way.”

His team opened its run in the Charlotte Court House-hosted tourney Saturday with a narrow 17-15 loss to the Emporia all-star squad.

Barton said while his girls did well, they were playing against teams with more game-time experience since five of the seven squads in the tourney won district tournaments to qualify. Charlotte automatically reached states as the host team.

On Sunday, Charlotte lost 16-5 to the Amelia All-Stars in a game that Barton said was closer than the scoreboard indicated.

Barton said he will remember his team “as a group that was resilient. They stuck with it, and they got a lot better.”