C.B. Aycock downs Beddingfield

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on May 1, 2008 2:55 PM

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WILSON -- Part of the Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference regular-season softball championship will reside in Pikeville for another season.

Charles B. Aycock made sure of it Wednesday evening.

The reigning ECC regular-season and tournament champions, the Golden Falcons hammered Wilson Beddingfield 8-2 and presented first-year head coach Brad Matthews his first-ever conference title. C.B. Aycock (17-4 overall, 8-2 ECC) can clinch the crown outright if the Bruins upset Southern Wayne today in Dudley.

Two weeks ago, the Golden Falcons seemed destined for an uncharacteristic runner-up finish after consecutive losses to the Saints and dangerous Wilson Hunt.

"I think people kind of counted us out, but my girls turned it around and had a lot of enthusiasm the last couple of games," said Matthews. "We made some big plays defensively. And I really think we're playing with a lot of confidence right now."

Cara Frederick delivered the big blow against the Bruins, a bases-loaded shot in the third inning. Aycock plated four runs in the uprising and didn't wilt under pressure when Beddingfield (7-7, 4-5) trimmed the deficit in half in the fourth.

The Bruins loaded the bases against senior hurler Emily Jordan, who calmly posted back-to-back strikeouts to end the threat. The left-hander, who has signed with Division III Methodist College, held Beddingfield scoreless after the fourth inning and logged a four-hitter in the scorebook.

Jordan (13-2) posted eight strikeouts, three walks and permitted two unearned runs.

"Emily has been throwing the ball really well for us lately," said Matthews. "Defensively, I'm a little concerned with those three errors we had tonight. We've got to make the plays and those errors on routine balls could hurt, and cause you to lose the game."

The Golden Falcons' Amber Baker slammed a two-RBI triple in the fifth as part of a three-run outburst. Aycock added a single run in the sixth.

Frederick, Leigh Smith (RBI double) and Brittany Ford cranked out two hits apiece. Baker, Torie Benton (double) and Stevie Savage (double) each provided one hit.

"We swung the bat pretty good and were a little more patient at the plate than the first time we played them," said Matthews.