NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
STATE 4-A SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP–DAY TWO
NORTH DAVIDSON STAYS UNBEATEN, WINS STATE 4-A CROWN
RALEIGH–North Davidson completed a perfect 32-0 season with a 7-2 triumph over Asheville T.C. Roberson in the championship game of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 4-A softball championships at Walnut Creek Softball Complex on Saturday.
North exploded for six runs in the second inning to take charge, keyed by a two-run triple by Robyn Stanek, to earn the state title for veteran coach Mike Lambros. North Davidson was the state runner-up in both 2008 and ’09.
Roberson cut the 7-0 margin to 7-2 on run-scoring hits in the fourth by Jordan Critcher and Ashley Green, but that was as close as the Rams could come. Marie Mauhar was charged with the loss as T.C. Roberson ended the year at 27-4 overall.
Pitcher Hannah Alexander, who pitched the first five innings for North, was the winning pitcher and was named the state championship Most Valuable Player. She had no-hit Roberson on Friday in a five-inning 10-0 game in the opener, and then the Lady Black Knights had rallied to beat Harnett Central 7-3 later in the evening with Tess Swing earning the victory.
T.C. Roberson got to the title game with a 4-2 victory over Harnett Central in a morning elimination game. Mary Katherine Pegram limited Harnett Central to just one hit and Karley Yeager’s two-run triple in the three-run fourth was the key blow.
Harnett Central ended the year with a record of 23-7.
The Raleigh Sports Consortium and the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau are among the host city sponsors for the championships.
NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
STATE 3-A SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP–DAY TWO
SOUTHWESTERN RANDOLPH BEATS CREST FOR CHAMPIONSHIP
RALEIGH– Pitcher Julia Calicutt limited Shelby Crest to four hits as Southwestern Randolph earned a 6-1 victory in the championship game of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 3-A softball championships on Saturday at Walnut Creek Softball Complex.
Southwestern Randolph, which finished 25-4, won the NCHSAA state title for the third time in the last four years. With Calicutt getting both pitching wins, Southwestern scored early and held on to win twice Friday night, scoring five in the first inning of its 5-1 opening win over South Johnston and then scoring three in the first two frames and holding off East Rowan 3-2. Calicutt was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
The victorious Lady Cougars trailed 1-0 after three innings but tallied a run in the fourth, three in the fifth and two in the sixth, several times taking advantage of Crest errors.
Bailey Smith was the losing pitcher as Crest’s season ended at 25-3.
Crest qualified for the championship game with a 7-4 Saturday morning victory over East Rowan, ending East’s season at 25-3. Smith was the winning pitcher while Chelsea White got the loss.
Dakota Keller led the way for the winners with two hits in three trips, including two RBI and two runs scored. Sydney Poole had two hits and drove in two runs for East Rowan.
The Raleigh Sports Consortium and the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau are among the host city sponsors for the championships.
NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
STATE 2-A SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS—DAY TWO
EASTERN RANDOLPH STORMS BACK TO BEAT CENTRAL DAVIDSON TWICE
RALEIGH – Eastern Randolph completed a tremendous Saturday comeback as the Wildcats beat Central Davidson, denying it a fourth consecutive state championship, with a 9-2 victory in the final game in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 2-A softball championships at Walnut Creek Softball Complex.
Eastern had to win three games coming out of the losers’ bracket Saturday and blew open the decisive game with a six-run fifth inning. The Wildcats also took advantage of eight Central Davidson errors.
Pitcher Jessica Gordan, who got two victories on Saturday including the final game, was voted the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
Kayla Saliga led Eastern’s 12-hit attack with three hits in four trips to the plate while Kaitlyn Scheuering and Elliott had two hits each. The Wildcats completed a 31-3 campaign while Central Davidson finished 26-6.
The decisive game was forced when Eastern nipped Central Davidson 2-1 in the first championship encounter, as Dallas Heaton picked up the pitching victory and hit the game-winning home run in the sixth inning to break a 1-1 tie.
Katie Lohr had two this for Central. Carley Tysinger was the losing pitcher.
Eastern Randolph advanced to the title game with a 2-0 victory over South Lenoir in the morning loser’s bracket final. Gordan limited South Lenoir to three hits, two by Lorri Cole. Eastern broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the sixth when Kaily Hill’s base hit scored two. Jana Cheek had two of Eastern Randolph’s five hits.
South Lenoir finished with a 19-6 record.
Central won its opener 5-0 over Boonville Starmount on Friday night behind a 14-strikeout performance by Tysinger, and then defeated Eastern Randolph 5-4, rallying from a 4-0 deficit to advance to the championship game.
The Raleigh Sports Consortium and the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau are among the host city sponsors for the championships.
NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
STATE 1-A SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP–DAY TWO
EAST SURRY WINS THIRD STRAIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP IN 1-A BEHIND SHELTON
RALEIGH–East Surry senior pitcher Hayley Shelton fired a 5-0 two-hit shutout against Swain on Saturday to lift her team to the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 1-A softball championship at Walnut Creek Softball Complex.
Shelton was named the Most Valuable Player of the state 1-A championships for the third consecutive year. She struck out seven and didn’t walk a batter in the title game, and she pitched two shutouts on Friday night, beating Swain County 1-0 in her first game and then blanking Midway 2-0. Shelton fanned 11 and allowed only one hit against Swain and then scattered six hits and fanned seven in her second game on Friday.
Shelton was perfect through five innings on Saturday before Brittany Shuler singled in the sixth.
East Surry (27-6) put it away with three runs in the bottom of the sixth off losing pitcher Shelby Parker as Swain finished with a 24-6 record.
Swain squeaked by Midway 3-2 in a Saturday morning elimination game as winning pitcher Parker struck out nine and limited Midway to two hits, both by Karson Barnes.
Midway ended its season at 21-8 overall.
The Raleigh Sports Consortium and the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau are among the host city sponsors for the championships.
