NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION STATE SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
CLASS 1-A, GAME ONE: ROBERSONVILLE SOUTH CREEK 4, WEST WILKES 3
RALEIGH— South Creek rallied for a run in the bottom of the seventh inning to nip West Wilkes 4-3 Friday night in the first game of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 1-A softball championship series at Walnut Creek Softball Complex.
Both teams scored three in their half of the fourth to set the stage for the Cougars’ rally. Brittany Webb and Tori Pelt, a pair of freshmen, had key hits in the seventh to help the South Creek cause.
Pelt, Caroline James and Reina Mondragon had two hits each for the winners, although they were outhit by West Wilkes 9-7.
Taylor Lynn Moore was the winning pitcher while Emily Visnic was charged with the loss.
South Creek won its seventh straight and is now 24-4 on the season, while West Wilkes, making its first trip ever to the NCHSAA softball championships, slipped to 27-5.
Game two in the best of three series is set for Saturday at 11 am, with a third game if necessary Saturday afternoon.
CLASS 2-A, GAME ONE:
WEST STANLY 8, SOUTH GRANVILLE 5
RALEIGH—Savannah Blalock pitched a complete game and also had two hits to help West Stanly to an 8-5 decision over South Granville on Friday night in the first game of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 2-A softball championship series at Walnut Creek Softball Complex.
South Granville had taken a 3-0 lead in the third on run-scoring hits by Megan Bowes and Erin Boone, but West erupted for four runs in the fourth and four in the fifth to take command.
McKenzie Barbee had a two-out double in the fourth to plate two runs for West Stanly and Brennan Broadaway delivered a two-out single in the fifth that scored two more.
Broadaway, Macey Webb and Blalock each had two hits for the winners in a 12-hit attack as the Colts improved their record to 27-4.
Savannah Tilley, Hunter Mundy and Bowes each had a pair of hits for South Granville, now 24-2 as the Vikings had an 18-game winning streak snapped. Mundy also had a pair of outfield assists to end two different innings.
Game two in the best of three series is set for Saturday at 11 am, with a third game if necessary Saturday afternoon.
CLASS 3-A, GAME ONE:
CONCORD JAY ROBINSON 4, GREENVILLE D. H. CONLEY 2 (8 INNINGS)
RALEIGH— Concord Jay Robinson came from behind with a run in the seventh and two more in the eighth to take a 4-2 extra-inning victory over Greenville D.H. Conley on Friday night in the first game of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 3-A softball championship series at Walnut Creek Softball Complex.
Robinson trailed 2-1 entering the seventh, but got a run to tie and then two in the eighth to record its 29th victory against just two losses. The Bulldogs managed only three hits off losing pitcher Rachel Weidner, who fanned 15.
Sophomore pitcher Keleigh Romine threw all eight innings for Jay Robinson, fanning four and yielding three hits. Tori Zavodny, who entered the finals batting .465, had a hit and scored twice for the Bulldogs.
There were seven errors in the game, four by Conley. The Vikings, who won the 2011 NCHSAA state championship, fell to 22-6 overall.
Game two in the best of three series is set for Saturday at 11 am, with a third game if necessary Saturday afternoon.
CLASS 4-A, GAME ONE:
ALEXANDER CENTRAL 10, WAKE FOREST-ROLESVILLE 5
RALEIGH— Alexander Central blew open a close game with four runs in the seventh to capture a 10-5 victory over Wake Forest-Rolesville on Friday night in the first game of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 4-A softball championship series at Walnut Creek Softball Complex.
Alexander junior Mia Blochaviak, who entered the finals batting a sizzling .526, went three for four for the winners and scored twice.
The victorious Cougars got three runs in the second and two in the fourth to take command 6-1, only to see Wake Forest-Rolesville come up with four in its half of the fourth inning to cut the margin to 6-5. Then Alexander put it away.
Wake Forest-Rolesville hurt itself with five errors on the night.
Kiana Millsaps, who pitched into the fifth, was credited with the victory while Brittany Dahle got the loss. Dahle also led WF-R with two hits in two trips and also walked.
Alexander Central improved its record to 32-1, the best mark among any of the eight teams competing in the NCHSAA softball championshps. The Cougars are in their sixth trip to Walnut Creek since 1996. Wake Forest-Rolesville dropped to 20-4.
Game two in the best of three series is set for Saturday at 11 am, with a third game if necessary Saturday afternoon.
