Top performers: Ashley baseball rallies to stun Pinecrest with walk-off playoff victory

Ashley basebal l doesn't know what giving up means.

The Screaming Eagles' outlook appeared bleak Friday night. Down two runs entering the bottom of the fifth inning, Ashley tied the game as Cane Mehling and Dylan Welch each sent a runner home.

The Screaming Eagles then battled until the bottom of the ninth before Quinn Bentley sealed the game with a walk-off single.

SCREAMING EAGLES Can Ashley baseball turn Mideastern Conference title into playoff success?

PLAYOFF BRACKETS Wilmington-area spring high school playoffs: Brackets and scores from NCHSAA postseason

"Our guys don't quit," Ashley coach Ben Stroehl said. "These guys have been through the wringer, so we're just jacked."

The win follows Ashley's 11-inning battle with Holly Springs Thursday night. The team won 2-1 in a similar walk-off fashion.

Top-seeded Ashley (24-3) advances to its first regional championship since the 2020 COVID year and fourth in program history. The team will host the winner of Cardinal Gibbons vs. Wake Forest in next week's NCHSAA 4A East Regional Championship.

The NCHSAA's baseball and softball regional championships use a best-of-three format, with the higher seed receiving two home games. Next week's regionals are scheduled for May 21-25.

Friday

Baseball

Quinn Bentley, Jr., Ashley : Bentley's ninth-inning walk off single secured the Screaming Eagles first regional championship since 2011.

Softball

Kina Davis, Jr., South Brunswick: Davis pitched 17 strikeouts as the Cougars held on to defeated Havelock 2-1 in the fourth round of the state playoffs.

Track and field

Cashmere James, Sr., New Hanover: James became the fastest 400-meter dasher in North Carolina high school history, earning a state title with a time of 46.20 in the NCHSAA 4A state championship. The senior also nabbed third place finishes in the 100 and 200 meter dashes.

Thursday

Softball

Kina Davis, Jr., South Brunswick: Davis threw 11 strikeouts in seven innings pitched and hit the game's only home run as the Cougars defeated Orange 4-0 in the third round of the NCHSAA 3A state playoffs.

Tuesday

Boys golf

Frank Averitt, Jr., New Hanover: Averitt shot 70 on Day 2 of the NCHSAA 4A state championship to give himself a two-day total score of 141 and tie for sixth place overall. New Hanover also finished as the state runner-up as a team.

Will Cherry, Soph., New Hanover : Cherry tied for 10th place as he shot 73 on Day 2, bringing his two-day total to 143.

David Quinones, Soph., Topsail : Quinones shot 144 throughout the two-day event, finishing tied for 13th place.

Maddux Cook, Jr., Hoggard : Cook shot 146 at the event and was the only other area golfer to place within the top 20.

Monday

Girls soccer

Ellis Kelly, Jr., Hoggard: Kelly scored seven goals and assisted on one more in the Vikings' 12-3 win over Jordan in the first round of the girls soccer state playoffs.

Avery Fisher, soph., Hoggard : Fischer scored a hat trick and dished out two assists in the win.

Boys golf

Will Cherry, Soph., New Hanover : Cherry finished eighth on Day 1 of the NCHSAA 4A boys golf state championship, shooting 70 (2-under-par) at Pinehurst No. 9.

Frank Averitt, Jr., New Hanover: Averitt shot 71, finishing Day 1 tied for ninth place.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Top performers: Ashley baseball rallies to stun Pinecrest with walk-off playoff victory