Southern Wayne’s team huddles before taking the field against county and Quad County 3A rival Charles B. Aycock on Tuesday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne head coach Andy Sullivan, kneeling, reminds his players to stay energized and fight after Charles B. Aycock took a 5-3 lead in the top half of the third inning Tuesday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne pitcher Reagan Stribble takes a water break while her teammates bat during the second inning Tuesday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
DUDLEY — A crazy, hair-raising third inning turned the tide between county and Quad County 3A softball rivals Southern Wayne and Charles B. Aycock on Tuesday afternoon.
The Golden Falcons erased a three-run lead and turned a double play defensively which propelled them to a 14-4 victory.
“Don’t worry about what they do, let’s do what we do and play our game,” first-year SW head coach Andy Sullivan told his team in the pre-game huddle. “We’ve got a good arm on the mound, let’s play defense behind her. If something doesn’t go your way, keep your head up and move on.”
The Saints did.
Catcher Avery Jennette laid out to catch a bunt pop-up and threw to first baseman Jocelin Aguilar to double up lead-off batter McKenzie Millard at first base. Starting pitcher Reagan Stribble induced signee Laci Best into an inning-ending pop-up.
Miller and Best have signed with the University of Mount Olive.
Ashleigh Gardner started the Golden Falcon second with a single that dropped into shallow center field. She stood on base as Stribble recorded a strikeout, got a fielder’s choice groundout and Jennette made another stellar play behind the plate.
Meanwhile, the Saints built a 3-0 lead during the first two innings.
Gracie Hinson smashed a two-strike RBI double into the power alley to score Stribble in the first. Morgan Brimberry knocked in Hinson with a double to left field.
Jocelyn Bond executed a sacrifice bunt to plate Aguilar, who drew a lead-off walk in the second inning.
“They came out dead today, just were not focused and Southern Wayne was,” said CBA head coach LaVon Matthews said of his team. “They came out swinging the bat, scored a few runs to start off with and we [were] sort of nonchalant. I don’t like that attitude.
“That can you get you in trouble and it did. We got behind.”
Aycock caught fire offensively in the third.
With two outs and two runners on base, Best smacked a two-RBI triple down the third-base line. Gardner knotted the game at 3-3 with an RBI triple.
The Golden Falcons tacked on two more runs and led 5-3.
Sullivan pulled his team together in front of the dugout after the inning ended. He reminded them to stay focused, energized and continue to fight.
Laura Summerlin singled off the pitcher’s glove and beat the throw to first. With one out, Mckenzie Strickland drilled a two-strike single between shortstop and third base.
Brimberry singled to left.
Sullivan waved Summerlin around from second and she got caught between third and home. Four different CBA players attempted to tag Sullivan, who got called out for stepping outside the baseline.
At the same time, Strickland got hung up between third and short. She was eventually tagged out to end the inning.
“Sucked the wind out of us,” Sullivan said. “I told the girls when we went down to the [post-game] huddle that tonight falls on me. Instead of being calm, I tried to get a few runs back too quickly.
“I made a mistake, took the blame for it.”
Aycock (8-4 overall, 5-2 QCC) continued to swing the bat, especially Best. The University of Mount Olive signee swatted multiple-RBI home runs in the sixth and seventh innings. She finished the day 4-for-5 with an eye-popping nine RBI. She unofficially tied for third all-time with four other players for most RBI a single game, according to the N.C. High School Athletic Association record book.
Stribble allowed 19 hits during her 88-pitch outing.
Brimberry emerged as the Saints’ offensive leader with four hits and an RBI. Stribble batted 3-for-4. Hinson and Strickland each supplied two hits. Summerlin, Kylie Barwick and Aguilar logged one hit apiece.
“We preached all week about fighting and fighting, and our girls fought until the very last out,” said Sullivan, whose team dropped to 6-7 and 4-3 against league opposition. “I think Thursday they will show back up [at CBA] and be ready to go.”
The rematch in Pikeville starts at 6 p.m.
