'Truly remarkable': South Brunswick softball advances to first regional final in 16 years

It was only a matter of time before the South Brunswick softball team showed just how elite it is.

After shedding years of losing records two seasons ago, the Cougars dazzled behind star pitcher and UNC Charlotte commit Kina Davis last spring. But when the postseason came, South Brunswick was done after just two rounds.

"We put in a lot of work, a lot of unseen work, on this field," Davis said after South Brunswick's fourth-round playoff win Friday. "This team has put in so much work this year, so it means a lot."

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For the first time since 2007, South Brunswick is heading for an NCHSAA regional championship. The No. 5-seeded Cougars (23-4) defeated the No. 16-seeded Havelock Rams 2-1 in Friday's state playoff quarterfinal.

"After the last couple of seasons, we would get to the second round (of the postseason), and we would kind of hit a wall," Cougars coach James Pierce said. "It's just about the girls buying in and believing it, because we've got the talent."

Davis, who leads the area with 282 strikeouts this spring, threw 17 strikeouts as the Cougars took an early 1-0 lead.

"It means a whole lot," Davis said of reaching regionals. "We are closer and stronger than we've ever been, and it's showing on and off the field."

Havelock didn't go without a fight, battling back as sophomore Salease George homered to left field in the top of the seventh inning.

South Brunswick's Tyianna Cummings, who scored both of the team's runs, doubled in the bottom of the seventh before reaching home on an error to win the game. Officials briefly discussed potential interference on the play but ultimately gave the Cougars the run.

"I was about to cry," Cummings said of her game-winning run. "My emotions were everywhere. I had to calm them down and let them go."

South Brunswick will host the winner of No. 6-seeded South Central vs. No. 7-seeded Dixon in the NCHSAA 3A softball regional. Regionals are a best-of-three series, with the higher seed receiving two home games.

"To go from where we were at four years ago, winning two ball games, to now playing in the East Regional, it's truly remarkable," Pierce said. "Our motto is you've got to be all in because if you're not all in, you're all out, and they're buying into that."

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: 'Truly remarkable': South Brunswick softball advances to first regional final in 16 years