1A Softball State Championship Game 2 Recap: Princeton rebounds in game two with an 8-1 win over North Stanly to force game 3

RALEIGH, N.C. – With their backs against the wall in game two, the Princeton Bulldogs came out swinging against North Stanly pounding out 11 hits and 8 runs on their way to an 8-1 victory over North Stanly forcing a decisive game three in the 1A Softball State Championship series.

The Bulldogs broke the ice in the third inning as Kelsey Peedin drew a one-out walk and Megan Bryant followed that up with a single. Brianna Myers rapped a double to the wall bringing both runners home and giving the Bulldogs a 2-0 that they would not relinquish.

Princeton followed the two runs in the third with three more in the fourth as Emily Ricks belted a home run, chasing North Stanly starting pitcher Sam Hogan from the game with one out in the fourth. With a 3-0 lead and a new pitcher in the game, Princeton went right back to work as Casey Mitchel singled before coming around to score on an RBI-single by Peedin. Peedin also scored when Bryant knocked her in with a single to lift the Bulldog advantage to 5-0.

Hailey Wood ripped a double with one out in the fifth and Beth Braswell followed it up with a double of her own to plate Wood and give the Bulldogs a 6-0 lead. Princeton tagged on two more runs in the top of the seventh with three straight base hits to lead off the inning. Taylor Carroll and Wood both scored making it 8-1 Princeton.

North Stanly’s lone run of the game came in the sixth inning as Weslyn Almond reached on an error to lead off the inning before Keri Faulkner lifted a sacrifice fly to center to give the Comets their only run of the game.