MARION — Still in its infant stages, the Wayne County Post 11 junior and senior Legion softball teams returned home with some long-awaited hardware — state championships in their respective 2023 Perfect Game Heroes League (former American Legion) tournaments.
Neither team tasted defeat.
The Juniors knocked off McDowell County (11-4), Burke County (11-1), South Wake (14-0) and South Wake (8-2). Mallory Reed emerged as the winning pitcher twice inside the circle and Wayne County logged a team batting average of .425.
Competing in a five-team field, the Seniors steamrolled McDowell County (13-3) and Cabarrus County (11-4) in bracket play. Bri Verme threw a sterling complete game inside the circle during Wayne County’s 1-0 triumph over Cabarrus County in the final.
“Both teams played really well in their respective tournaments and we’re really proud to be a part of Wayne County and eastern North Carolina softball,” said WC Post 11 head TJ Smothers. “There certainly are some gifted girls in our area, and that makes mine and [brother] Troy’s job a lot easier when they are talented, want to be here to play and get better.”
Juniors
Hayley Bedford, AJ Verme and Sarah Hess powered the offense with a combined 10 extra-base hits, including field-clearing [home run] blasts from Bedford and Verme. Bedford and Verme filed six RBI apiece in the scorebook.
Kodee Jensen provided a team-high eight RBI.
Bedford batted a team-best .615, followed by Verme (.545), Sarah Hess (.500), Mallory Reed (.462), Hannah Lee (.385) and Hallie Fowler (.375). Jensen and Emily Williams each hit .364.
Reed, a rising sophomore at Eastern Wayne, notched 25 strikeouts and allowed just five hits in 10 innings of work on the mound. Riley Sutton hurled five innings of shutout ball.
Bedford did not allow a run inside the circle.
Jensen worked two innings of relief.
“We played really well all weekend, hit it extremely well and had timely hits,” Smothers said. “We hit .425 as a team and with our pitching staff, good things are going to happen when we hit like that. Our pitching staff was great.”
Wayne County ended the year 16-2.
Seniors
Verme and Elon University commit Anna Drew from Cabarrus County engaged in a pitcher’s duel in the title tilt.
Verme delivered Wayne County’s lone run on a first-inning sacrifice fly. A rising sophomore at the University of Mount Olive, Verme scattered four hits, issued one walk and retired nine Cabarrus batters on strikeouts.
“A classic,” Smothers said. “Bri was lights out, as she has been her whole career for me. It was a good way to end her season and career as she ages out next year. She has been my [work] horse for three years.”
McKenzie Millard, Rylee Williams and Sam Taylor concluded the game with one hit apiece.
Taylor batted 3-for-5 with three RBI, while Summer Nelsen (two RBI) crushed a home run against McDowell County. Millard, Verme (RBI), Williams (RBI), Maddy Sutton and Brittney Butts each posted two hits.
UMO signee Laci Best and Kaci Johnson each had one hit.
Verme toed the rubber and yielded three runs (two earned) on seven hits and four walks. She collected 13 strikeouts.
In the first meeting against Cabarrus County, Millard and Sutton (RBI) pounded out three hits apiece. A UMO signee, Millard stole two bases and finished the tournament with six steals.
Taylor (three RBI), Best (two RBI) and Verme (RBI) each recorded two hits. Nelsen (RBI), Williams (RBI) and Butts each had one hit.
Nelsen earned the mound win. She struck out seven, walked one and allowed 11 hits in a complete-game effort.
“Defensively, we played really well — committed one error in three games and made a lot of routine plays that you need to make in a tournament like this with such good teams,” Smothers said. “We’re very proud of our girls, both junior and senior [teams], as it takes a commitment to play summer ball when they could be doing other things.
“We’re very proud of all of our parents [junior and senior] who make the commitment to get the girls to all of our games, and made the trip out here. We are looking forward to next year to see if we can maybe make another run at some titles.”
Wayne County ended the season 12-0.
