CLASS 1-A, GAME TWO
WHITEVILLE 6, NORTH STOKES 3 (SERIES TIED 1-1)
RALEIGH — Lauren Worley had two hits and was the winning pitcher on Saturday to lead Whiteville to a 6-3 win over North Stokes in game two of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 1-A softball championship series at Walnut Creek Softball Complex.
The win by the Wolfpack evened the series at a game apiece, Game three in the best of three series is set for Saturday afternoon at 2 pm.
Whiteville broke open a scoreless game with a six-run third to take command. Laura Thompson, Eden Brown and Sage McLelland also had two hits apiece for the winners, while Heather Nall was two for four for North Stokes.
Lindsay Brown was the losing pitcher.
North Stokes dropped to 27-4 while Whiteville is now 26-7. Both teams are seeking their first NCHSAA state softball championship.
On Friday night, North Stokes had won the opener 3-0, keyed by a two-run home run by Sabrina Dodson.
The Raleigh Sports Consortium and Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau serve as host city sponsors for the championship.
CLASS 2-A, GAME TWO
JORDAN-MATTHEWS 4, EAST RUTHERFORD 3 (SERIES TIED 1-1)
RALEIGH — Jordan-Matthews combined timely hitting and East Rutherford errors to take a 4-3 victory on Saturday in the second game of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 2-A softball championship series at Walnut Creek Softball Complex.
The win by the Jets evened the series at a game apiece, Game three in the best of three series is set for Saturday afternoon at 2 pm.
East Rutherford had taken a 3-0 lead in the top of the third, but the Jets took advantage of three Cavalier errors and a single by Holly Clark to score four times in the bottom half of the frame.
Kaitlin James had two hits for the winners while Savannah Davis, who was the losing pitcher, had three hits in four trips. Davis was the winning pitcher and had two hits in East Rutherford’s 2-1 win on Friday night.
Holly Clark was the winning pitcher.
Jordan-Matthews is now 24-5 overall while East is 26-4.
The Raleigh Sports Consortium and Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau serve as host city sponsors for the championship.
NCHSAA SOFTBALL CLASS 3-A
GAME TWO: SUN VALLEY 6, CHARLES B. AYCOCK 4
SUN VALLEY CLINCHES CHAMPIONSHIP WITH SWEEP OF CHARLES B. AYCOCK
RALEIGH — Sophomore Brittany Pickett was the winning pitcher and also had two hits, including a double, as Monroe Sun Valley completed a sweep of Pikeville Charles B. Aycock by a 6-4 count on Saturday in game two of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 3-A softball championship series at Walnut Creek Softball Complex.
Pickett, who was also the winning pitcher on Friday night as Sun Valley took a narrow 6-5 decision, was named the championship Most Valuable Player. She won her 16th game in the clinching contest and struck out five, while Allie Philips took the loss.
Aycock scored two runs on three hits in the second to open up a 2-0 lead, but the Spartans struck back with a run in the third and then three in the fourth to take the lead for good on the strength of just one hit and two of the Golden Falcons’ four errors on the day.
Meredith Burroughs hit safely twice in four trips for Aycock, which ended the year 21-5. The Golden Falcons have made eight trips in the last 15 years to Walnut Creek for state competition and won the state crown in 2012.
Sun Valley finished the year 26-5 and earned its first NCHSAA state softball championship since 1997.
CLASS 4-A, GAME TWO: ALEXANDER CENTRAL 18, CAPE FEAR 7 (ALEXANDER WINS SERIES 2-1)
ALEXANDER CENTRAL COMPLETES PERFECT 35-0 SEASON, WINS TITLE
RALEIGH — Bailey Sherrill had two hits and drove in three runs to help lead Alexander Central to a convincing 18-7 victory over Cape Fear on Saturday in the second game of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 4-A softball championship series at Walnut Creek Softball Complex.
The victory by the Cougars gave them a sweep of the series and completed a perfect 35-0 season. Sherrill, who had two hits on Friday night in Alexander Central’s 4-3 victory, was named the series Most Valuable Player.
Alexander has made seven trips to the championships since 1996 and has won four state titles in the last six years.
The game was close until the late innings, with Cape Fear leading 3-2 after two and then scoring twice in the fifth to cut the margin to 6-5 after the Cougars had scored four times in the third. But Alexander Central tallied five times in the sixth and then scored seven times in the seventh.
Tianna Batts hit safely four times for Alexander Central while Averi Miller had two hits and three runs batted in. Haley Cashwell and Kelli Freeman had three hits apiece for the Colts, who finished 26-3.
The Raleigh Sports Consortium and Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau serve as host city sponsors for the championship.