Southern Nash High School’s softball team is the lone Twin Counties squad remaining in the state playoffs after two rounds of play.
The Ladybirds improved to 22-0 on the season with a 2-1 victory over Eastern Alamance in the second round of the North Carolina 3A state playoffs on Friday night.
This is the first time since 2014 that Southern Nash has made it past the second round of the postseason, and the Ladybirds did it with their second consecutive one-run triumph.
Anna Dickinson got the start on the mound and went the distance for Southern Nash, scattering two hits with one walk and eight strikeouts.
The Ladybirds took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when freshman Aliyah Croll singled with two outs and stole second. During the steal attempt, the ball went into the outfield and past the centerfielder, allowing Croll to come around and score.
Southern extended its lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth when freshman Noel Dobbins doubled to lead off the inning. After a sacrifice bunt from Carlee Beckham, junior shortstop Kaylie Love came up with a clutch RBI single to increase the Ladybirds advantage.
Eastern scored in the top of the sixth to make it a 2-1 game and had runners on second and third with one out. Dickinson was able to pitch out of trouble by inducing flyouts to Love and Kelsey Jones to end the inning to keep the one-run edge intact.
Southern was set to play Dixon in the third round at 6 p.m. tonight at home.
OTHER RESULTS
BASEBALL
Bunn 4, Nash Central 3
Bunn scored three times in the top of the first inning and added a run in the second and weathered a Nash Central comeback to eliminate the Bulldogs (15-12) in the second round of the Class 2A state playoffs at home on Friday night.
Nash Central, the No. 24 seed, scored two runs in the fourth and one run in the fifth to get within a run but was not able to complete the rally.
Four players had hits for Nash Central: Tyler Bowen (two RBI), Colby Lewis, Braxton Sykes and Jon Ayden Horne (double). Landon Dillane added an RBI.
Holt went 5.1 innings and gave up five hits and four runs (three earned) with 11 strikeouts and five walks. Shea Whitley threw four pitches in two-thirds of an inning.
No. 8 seed Bunn improved to 17-7 and will play at No. 1 seed Greene Central in the third round.
Croatan 11, Northern Nash 1
No. 10 seed Northern Nash managed just two hits and scored its lone run in the top of the third inning as the Knights finished 17-7 overall following a second-round loss to the Cougars in the state 3A playoffs in Newport on Saturday night (postponed due to Friday rain).
No. 7 seed Croatan scored four runs in the first, two in the second, three in the third and single runs in the fourth and fifth, the latter ending the contest via the mercy rule.
Whiteville 7, SWE 4
SouthWest Edgecombe’s season came to an end at 14-8 overall as the No. 15 seed Cougars fell to No. 2 seed Whiteville in the second round of the state 2A playoffs on Friday night in Whiteville.
The Wolfpack held a 2-0 lead after three innings, but SWE tied it with two runs in the top of the fourth. Whiteville then scored a run in the bottom of the fourth and added four more in the sixth before giving up two runs to the Cougars in the top of the seventh inning.
Tyson Ayers (double, two RBI), Trent Nichols and Chase Taylor each had two hits for SouthWest Edgecombe. Connor Wolfe and Parker Gay also had hits, while Derrick Davis and Turner Cooke drove in runs.
Gay, Blayde Hinton and Jaelyn McLean combined to allowed eight hits and seven runs (three earned) with six walks and three strikeouts.
SOFTBALL
Midway 10 Nash Central 0
The Nash Central softball season ended with a second-round loss to Midway in the state 2A playoffs on Friday night in Dunn.
The No. 3 seed Raiders amassed 12 hits (including a double and a home run) and scored a run in the second inning, three more in the third and six in the fourth.
Winning pitcher Sarah Autry allowed just one hit, struck out five and walked two in five innings on the mound for Midway, who hosts No. 6 seed South Lenoir in the next round.
No. 24 seed Nash Central finished 14-7 overall.
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