Softball -- Lady Falcons rally to win at Kinston

By Gabe Whisnant
Published in Sports on March 21, 2004 2:00 AM

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KINSTON -- The streak continues.

Dating back to last season, Charles B. Aycock's softball team ran its winning streak to 16 games in the Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Confer-ence after a 2-1 comeback win at Kinston on Friday afternoon.

Junior pitcher Jenny Jackson is also picking up right where she left off last season as the right-hander struck out 15 and yielded just two hits in the complete game win. Jackson (5-0) struck out at least two batters in six of her innings of work and her only run allowed was unearned.

The Lady Golden Falcons were held scoreless for the first five innings by Kinston starter Carla Davis and trailed 1-0 before posting a crucial sixth-inning rally.

Meredith Wilkerson started the sixth with a one-out infield single, followed by a base hit up the middle by Kandace Burroughs, who finished with two hits. Jackson helped her cause with a single to left, loading the bases for April Vick.

Vick responded with a fielder's choice grounder to third -- scoring Wilkerson on a close play at the plate. Jennifer Williamson knocked in the eventual game-winning run with a sacrifice fly to centerfield.

Aycock coach David West was proud of how his team put together the rally on the road.

"Sometimes you have to manufacture some runs ... get a hit, get a walk, steal," Aycock coach David West said. "You've got to be able to be patiently aggressive. If you are going to be a good team, you've got to learn what to do when you trail.

"These girls don't quit, and they don't back down."

Jackson went on to finish the game against the top and middle of the Viking order in picking up the win.

Kinston's five-through-nine hitters struck out 11 times total and put the ball in play just once.

The Vikings struck for their first and only run in the fourth inning as Kim Dixon ledoff with a triple to right-centerfield. Jackson then retired clean-up hitter Bailey Harrill looking before an errant pick-off throw from the catcher allowed Dixon to race home.

Kinston's only other hit came from Danielle Bryant, who smacked a two-out single to right.

Aycock's Brittani Edgerton had her team's only two hits in the first three innings and moved into scoring position twice but was unable to score.

Davis benefitted from a solid. errorless defensive effort behind her, especially on the left side. Kinston leftfielder Ashkea Hines turned in a diving grab on a sinking line drive off of the bat of April Vick to start the second.

"We hit the ball, but they took a lot of good hits away from us," West said. "You've got to give that left side of their defense credit."

The Falcons continue ECC play at home on Tuesday against West Craven.

C.B. Aycock 000 002 0 -- 2 6 1

Kinston 000 100 0 -- 1 2 0

Leading hitters -- C.B. Aycock -- Brittani Edgerton 2-4; Kandace Burroughs 2-3, run. Kinston -- Kim Dixon 1-3, 3B, run.

IP H R ER BB SO

C.B. Aycock

JJackson (W, 5-0) 7 2 1 0 2 15

Kinston

Davis (L, 4-2) 7 6 2 2 0 3