Rebel Nation showed up at Dail Stadium on the NC State campus to support the Lady Rebels in game two of the 2023 N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1A state softball playoffs Saturday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin’s softball team watches Union Academy Charter School players receive their medals in the post-game ceremony Saturday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin’s Addy Higginbotham places a bunt down the third-base line, only to see it roll foul during first-inning action against Union Academy Charter School on Saturday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin senior Riley Hatch connects on a pitch during her first at-bat in game two of the 2023 N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1A softball championship series Saturday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin head coach Jaime Kylis consoles senior Kasey Jones during the post-game awards ceremony Saturday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin’s softball team poses with its runner-up trophy after falling 7-4 to Union Academy Charter School in the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1A championship series. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin teammates celebrate with Reece Outlaw (7) after she hit a three-run bomb in the third inning against Union Academy Charter School. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin’s Addy Higginbotham heads off the field after assisting teammate Riley Hatch on an inning-ending putout Saturday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin senior Kasey Jones is out at second base as Union Academy Charter School sophomore shortstop Addison Laney tries to complete the double play at first base Saturday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
From left, North Duplin senior Adaisha Bernal, Riley Hatch, Kasey Jones and head coach Jaime Kylis accept the runner-up trophy at the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1A championships played at NC State. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Riley Hatch, right, is consoled by North Duplin teammate Addy Higginbotham after Saturday afternoon’s loss to Union Academy Charter School. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin first baseman Kasey Jones stretches to retire Union Academy Charter School pitcher Gracie Hollingsworth during first-inning play Saturday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin’s Sarah Thomas Tucker snares a fly ball in shallow left field during play against Union Academy Charter School Saturday afternoon. In the background is teammate Reece Outlaw. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin freshman right-hander Ady Spence fires a pitch toward the plate against Union Academy Charter School on Saturday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
State runner-up trophy in hand, North Dupin senior Kasey Jones walks to the awards table to receive her silver medal Saturday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin freshman Melany Sanchez gets a hand on the bag during a pickoff play at second base Saturday afternoon. Sanchez was called out, but the umpires reversed their decision Saturday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin head softball coach Jaime Kylis talks with center fielder Reece Outlaw, who nearly robbed Union Academy Charter School of a home run Saturday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin right fielder Marissa Bernal and catcher Lilly Fulghum chat while they head to the dugout Saturday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
RALEIGH — Two significant injuries led to a revamped North Duplin softball lineup that left everything on the diamond Saturday afternoon.
Head coach Jaime Kylis couldn’t have been more proud.
The Rebels held an early advantage, but Union Academy Charter School stormed from behind to claim a 7-4 win and the 2023 N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1A state softball championship.
“We’ve kind of escaped injuries,” Kylis said. “But our mentality today was just to come in, have a good time, fight and just enjoy each other. We knew that regardless of what happened, this would be our last day.
“We all had such a great time today. I’m super tickled. I’m super proud how they came together and they got rid of the mentality that we walked away with last [Friday] night.”
Right fielder Iala Overton suffered a season-ending injury after running into the wall in the fifth inning of game one. Catcher Kasey Jones encountered shoulder trouble.
Though the batting order for game two stayed mostly intact, Kylis’ lineup card had players in different positions. She marveled at their determination, fight, effort and battle for every pitch against the Cardinals.
Jones took over at first base.
Reece Outlaw moved to center field and freshman Marissa Bernal patrolled right field. Addy Higginbotham took over for Outlaw at shortstop. Riley Hatch moved from third to second base. M’chelle Jaco played the hot corner.
Lilly Fulghum settled in behind the plate and delivered signals to Ady Spence. The freshman right-hander attacked every batter she faced during her complete-game effort.
“Let’s talk about Ady Spence,” gushed an energetic Kylis. “She had limited games … did throw some games this year. But, to come on this stage at this moment, that’s huge for her. That’s confidence [she’ll gain] against these kind of hitters.”
Spence held Union Academy scoreless through two innings.
Higginbotham, Hatch, Overton and Jones backed her up with stellar defensive plays.
Outlaw delivered the first big blow in the third inning.
The junior crushed a three-run bomb over the center-field fence to put North Duplin ahead 3-0.
“Big jack, yeah,” Kylis grinned.
Union Academy climbed to within 1, at 2-3, in the bottom half.
A nip-and-tuck affair ensued until the Cardinals, the No. 11 seed from the west, moved in front 4-3 in the fifth.
Gracie Hollingsworth almost had to dial 9-1-1 and report a robbery by Outlaw. As the fly ball sailed toward the center-field fence, Outlaw jumped and appeared to have denied Hollingsworth the home run.
It didn’t happen.
The two-run bomb pushed the Cardinals ahead, 4-3.
“I thought she had it, I did,” Kylis said. “She hit the fence and I thought she’s going to rob that team and it wasn’t in her glove. She is that game-changing impact player on both sides of the ball in life … leadership.”
Named the championship’s Most Outstanding Player, senior Gabriella Gama connected on an RBI double after Hollingsworth’s shot.
North Duplin stayed within striking distance in the sixth.
The Cardinals (26-4 overall) pushed two runs across in the bottom of the inning and the Rebels never recovered.
“We were in a one-run ballgame for a long time, so I was really, really super happy with that,” Kylis said.
The Rebels ended the year 23-5.
Hatch, Jones, Adaisha Bernal and Dana Santibinez played their final game.
During the post-game ceremony, Higginbotham hugged Hatch, whose tear-stained face displayed her emotions.
“We came together, had some complications with our team with people getting hurt,” Hatch said. “We came together and proved that we could do it. We just came up short in the end.
“[The season] has been amazing. We’ve accomplished more things than most people have accomplished at our school. It’s been great.”
An ACL injury sidelined Bernal.
She became an assistant coach on the bench and relayed play calls from Kylis. Bernal relished her teammates’ ability to handle adversity when the roster became depleted.
“It was painful to watch, but I had to cheer them on from the bench,” Bernal said. “We had to put our heart and soul on this field [today] … give everything we had . I really wish I could have been out there.
“It’s just a blessing to be here. We made it to states and we may have come in second, but we’re still the eastern champion, so either way we won and I’m very proud of our team.”
