South Carolina Prime at the One Nation All Star Select | Myrtle Beach 2026
Sports Photography by Emma Lou Photo | One Nation Slowpitch Softball | Grand Park, Myrtle Beach SC
I got to spend the weekend of February 20-22 at Grand Park in Myrtle Beach shooting the One Nation All Star Select tournament, and one of the teams I covered was South Carolina Prime, a Ladies D squad coached by Ashley O'Hearn.
Their weekend was a lot of things. Frustrating at times, exciting for sure, and honestly one of the better stories I watched play out over three days.
Here is how it went.
Friday: A Big Win and a Tough Spot
SC Prime opened the tournament the way you want to. They beat W. Ome 20-3 and looked great doing it.
Then came the Indiana game.
They played that one with only 9 players. In slowpitch softball, you field 10. That means an automatic out in the lineup every single time it comes around. It is a hole you are basically digging out of all game long, and Indiana took advantage. Final score 17-6.
It is a tough loss, but the context matters. They were not outplayed because they were the worse team. They were shorthanded and grinding through it anyway. That says something about a group.
Saturday: That Ohio Game Though
This is the one.
SC Prime came back Saturday with a full roster and they walked it off against Ohio, 16-15.
One run. After playing shorthanded the night before and absorbing that loss, they showed up the next morning, got their tenth player, and found a way to win the one that mattered most. That is the kind of game that is hard to explain unless you were there watching it.
They followed that up with another win against South Out, 13-11. Two wins on Saturday, back to back, after the Friday they had. That is a resilient group.
Sunday: Michigan and NC
Sunday was a tough draw. Michigan won 23-13 and NC took it 20-7. Both teams were rolling and SC Prime ran out of tournament.
They finished 3-3 on the weekend, but the record does not tell the whole story.
What I Love About Photographing Slowpitch
Tournaments like this are why I got into sports photography. You have teams from all over the country, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, North Carolina, all showing up to the same complex and competing all weekend long. The energy is different from a regular tournament.
And the in-between moments are just as good as the action shots. The dugout conversations, the between-inning laughs, the way your teammate looks at you after an in the park homerun. That is the stuff I am always watching for.
SC Prime gave me a lot of great moments to capture over the weekend and I loved getting to document their story.
Want Tournament Coverage for Your Team?
I travel to cover slowpitch softball tournaments throughout the year, including One Nation, USSSA, and BSC events. If your team is looking for photo and video coverage at an upcoming tournament, I would love to connect before your next event.
Emma Lou Photo is a Cincinnati-based sports photography company covering tournaments, media days, and athletic events. Follow along on Instagram at @emmalousportsphoto.