NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

STATE 2-A SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS—DAY TWO

LEONARD LEADS CENTRAL DAVIDSON TO THIRD STRAIGHT STATE SOFTBALL CROWN

RALEIGH –Chelsea Leonard of Central Davidson was named the Most Valuable Player for the third consecutive year as she led her team to the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 2-A softball championship at Walnut Creek Softball Complex on Saturday night.

Leonard, who missed most of the season due to an injury and entered the state championships with just a 4-0 pitching mark, fired a one-hitter in the championship game and fanned 19 as Central blanked Richlands 1-0.

On Friday Leonard had pitched a pair of complete game shutouts, yielding only two hits and fanning a whopping 37, including a no-hitter against Richlands in which she fanned 19.

Central Davidson pushed the only run of the game across against Richlands hurler Mikayla Jarman in the bottom of the fifth. Kara Lohr singled, advanced to second on a walk to Nicole Perry, and then both runners moved up on a sacrifice bunt. Carly Tysinger then delivered a single to left to score Lohr with the game’s lone run.

Courtnie Whaley, the second batter in the game for Richlands, got an infield hit in the top of the first but she was the only Wildcat to hit safely.

Central Davidson finished the year with a 21-7 mark in winning its third consecutive state title. Richlands went 28-3 with two losses to Central in the state tournament.

Earlier on Saturday evening, Richlands advanced to the championship game with its second victory of the tournament over West Stokes, this time by 3-1. Richlands had beaten West 5-2 in a Friday game.

Jarman got the victory for Richlands, striking out four and scattering five hits, while Chancey Stone got the loss despite allowing just four hits.

West Stokes took a 1-0 lead in the first but Richlands tied it in the third and then scored two in the sixth. Taylor Cloninger had a pair of hits, including a solo home run, and drove in two of the three Richlands runs in the battle of a pair of Wildcat teams.

Brianna Bratcher had two hits in three at bats for West Stokes, which ended its season 22-8.

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

2009 STATE 2-A SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS

WALNUT CREEK SOFTBALL COMPLEX, RALEIGH

STATE SEMIFINALS

Richlands 5, West Stokes 2

Central Davidson 8, Black Mountain Charles D. Owen 0

WINNER’S BRACKET FINAL

Central Davidson 3, Richlands 0

ELIMINATION GAME

West Stokes 4, Charles D. Owen 3

LOSER’S BRACKET FINAL

Richlands 3, West Stokes 1

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Central Davidson 1, RIchlands 0