GAME THREE

LACKEY TOSSES TWO HITTER AS WEST WILKES WINS SERIES

                RALEIGH—Courtney Lackey of West Wilkes fired a two-hitter to lead the Blackhawks to a 4-1 victory over Robersonville South Creek in the third and decisive game Saturday afternoon in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 1-A softball championship series at Walnut Creek Softball Complex.

       Lackey struck out seven in getting her second victory of the day and earned championship Most Valuable Player honors.  She had fanned eight and given up just four hits earlier in the day as West Wilkes evened the series with an 11-1 decision.

       Lakyn Rutledge and Kaitlyn Pierce each had two hits for the Blackhawks, who got two runs in the first and single runs in the third and fourth in the decisive game.  South Creek’s only run was a homer by Kimberly Mobley in the fifth.

       South Creek, which had won the opener Friday night 4-3, finished 24-6 on the season, while West Wilkes, making its first trip ever to the NCHSAA softball championships, wound up 29-5.

GAME TWO

WEST WILKES EVENS 1-A SOFTBALL SERIES WITH BIG 11-1 VICTORY OVER SOUTH CREEK

       RALEIGH— West Wilkes exploded for six runs in the bottom of the fifth and rolled over Robersonville South Creek 11-1 on Saturday in the second game of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 1-A softball championship series at Walnut Creek Softball Complex.

       The game was halted in the sixth due to the 10-run rule.

       That evened the series at a game apiece, as South Creek scored a run in the seventh on Friday night to take a 4-3 victory in the opener. The decisive game is 2 pm this afternoon.

       West Wilkes led 4-0 after two, South Creek got one back in the third, and then the Blackhawks blew it open.

       Courtney Lackey went the distance in the circle for West Wilkes, fanning eight and allowing just four hits while getting two hits at the plate herself. Kaitlyn Pierce and freshman Caitlyn Shepherd had two hits apiece.

       Taylor Lynn Moore, the winning pitcher in game one, took the loss.

       South Creek is now 24-5 on the season, while West Wilkes, making its first trip ever to the NCHSAA softball championships, is 28-5.