Rivals clash: Golden Falcons shutout archrival

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on April 1, 2009 1:46 PM

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DUDLEY -- Cynthia Burroughs had a debut to remember in her first-ever start in the highly-competitive Charles B. Aycock-Southern Wayne softball rivalry.

The Golden Falcons' right-hander wiggled out of early-inning trouble and permitted two hits in a 2-0 victory over the Saints on Tuesday afternoon. Burroughs claimed her fifth mound win in six decisions this season and Aycock remained unbeaten (5-0) Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference play.

"I could tell she didn't have as much zip on her fastball as she's been having, but she hit her spots, changed speeds ... if you can do that, you can beat just about anybody," said Aycock head coach Brad Matthews.

Burroughs logged eight strikeouts and threw 17 first-pitch strikes to 25 batters she faced in the seven-inning contest. The Saints batted just 2-for-23 on the day and went hitless in five at-bats with runners in scoring position.

Southern Wayne (7-2 overall, 2-1 ECC) used a walk, wild pitch, passed ball and infield error to put runners at second and third base in the second inning. But Aycock third baseman Rachel Jordan turned a rally-killing double play.

With Morgan Davis at third, freshman catcher Madison Davis lined out to Jordan. Morgan leaned too far off third and Jordan tagged the bag for the second out.

Burroughs ended the inning with a strikeout.

"The double play did break our back," said Saints head coach Michael Wiggs. "As a runner, I know what she was doing. She froze on the line drive, made a step in the wrong direction and after that you can't recover."

Burroughs allowed base runners in the third and fourth innings, but avoided any significant damage. She concluded the third inning with a strikeout and coaxed an inning-ending flyout in the fourth.

"We let them off the hook in the second, third and fourth inning," said Wiggs. "When you let quality teams like Aycock off the hook, sooner or later it's going to bite you. We've been fortunate to be 3-0 in one-run games, but sooner or later you don't get all those breaks.

"We wasted three innings where we should have scored some runs."

Aycock (11-1) got all the offense it needed in the fourth inning.

Torie Benton laced a lead-off double into right center field and scored on Anna Sullivan's base knock to left field. Jordan followed with an RBI triple down the right-field line to make it 2-0.

Saints right-hander Lauren Darden (6-2) stopped the rally with a strikeout and flyout.

Burroughs, meanwhile, returned to the mound more relaxed.

"I was nervous (early) because we weren't hitting the ball and I was worried about it on the mound," said Burroughs. "Those insurance runs helped my confidence because I throw better when we've got some runs.

"I relaxed and started throwing. My curveball and change-up was working pretty good."

Burroughs threw 90 pitches, including 58 strikes.

Five Golden Falcon starters posted one hit apiece -- Brooke Bell, Benton, Sullivan, Jordan and Cara Frederick. Darden fanned 10 Aycock batters in a complete-game effort.