NCHSAA Class 1-A Softball – Game Three: Pate Leads North Duplin Past Hiwassee Dam In Game 3

GREENSBORO — Sophomore Rylee Pate had a couple of hits and pitched effectively in relief to lift North Duplin to a 7-3 triumph over Hiwassee Dam in the third and decisive game of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 1-A softball championship series at the UNCG Softball Stadium.

Pate was selected as the championship series Most Valuable Player.

Hiwassee Dam had won the opening game Friday night 7-0 behind a one-hit shutout by Haylie Shope. North Duplin evened the series earlier on Saturday when Haley Brogden pitched a two-hitter and had two hits in a 2-1 victory.

North Duplin jumped in front with four in the top of the first and the Rebels made it stand up. Soph Brooke Cottle helped the North cause with two hits in three trips and drove home three runs.

Morgan Helton paced the Hiwassee Dam attack with two hits and a pair of runs batted in.

Shope was the losing pitcher, yielding nine hits and striking out 11.

Both teams were in their initial appearance in an NCHSAA state softball championship. Hiwassee Dam finished 25-5 overall while North Duplin, a young team with only two juniors and the rest of the roster freshmen and sophomores, wound up 20-4-1.

NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION STATE SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
UNC Greensboro Softball Stadium
Class 1-A: Game Three

               1  2  3  4  5  6  7  R  H  E 
North Duplin   4  0  0  0  2  1  0  7  9  1
Hiwassee Dam   1  2  0  0  0  0  0  3  6  1

WP — Rylee Pate
LP — Hailey Shope