RALEIGH, N.C. – The Orange Panthers captured the school’s first fast-pitch softball state championship with a 4-1 win in game two, sweeping the series over Piedmont.
Orange jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opening inning as Mia Davidson drew a leadoff walk and Abigail Hamlett singled. The pair came around on Jaden Hurdle’s RBI single.
Davidson later scored again in the seventh as she was walked with two outs following a Hayley Funk single. Funk and Davidson scored on Hamlett’s two-out double, pushing the Orange advantage to 4-1.
Piedmont’s lone run came in the third inning as Kyrah Phelix had a leadoff single. She advanced on Kristen DelBene’s two-out single before Gracie Gibson singled sending Phelix across the plate to cut the Orange lead to 2-1.
For the second in as many outings, Kristina Givins was outstanding in the circle for Orange. Givins scattered six hits with only a single run. She struck out one, walking only two.
Davidson was named the series M.V.P. drawing three walks on the day in game two. She homered in the sixth inning of game one to give Orange a 3-2 victory.
