Princeton softball team seizes conference lead

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on April 17, 2013 1:47 PM

• Print
• Email

PRINCETON -- Princeton has caught the confidence bug.

Rosewood hopes to get bitten soon.

The Bulldogs captured their eighth consecutive victory -- a 3-0 decision over their archrivals as first-half play concluded on the Carolina 1-A Conference softball scene Tuesday evening. Princeton (11-2 overall) seized sole possession of the league lead at 5-0.

"I was pleased with tonight," PHS head coach Terry Braswell said. "We had a little problem waiting on the ball, but we came around."

No kidding.

Rosewood right-hander Amanda Beckert held Princeton to a single hit through three innings. She worked the corners, changed speeds and posted two strikeouts.

"At first, we weren't patient (and) swinging out in front," Princeton right fielder Kasey Johnson said. "We changed our approach at the plate, started waiting back on the ball and then we started hitting it."

The Bulldogs' one-run advantage turned into a six-run cushion in the fourth inning. Haley Wood connected on a one-out single to center field and scored on Savanna Massengill's sharply-hit base knock to the same spot after Beckert hit Logan Pace.

Pace raced home on Hannah Woodward's sacrifice fly to left field. Johnson (2-for-3) plated Massengill with a double to left center field and scampered home on Charley Cox's second hit of the night.

Cox scored on Taylor Carroll's RBI single to center field.

Princeton led 6-0.

"I just told them to sit there and wait, we couldn't hit it out front ... bunt it to the infield," Braswell said. "We had to get some solid hits and that's what they did, finally."

The Eagles (8-6, 4-1 CC) had just three base runners and stranded two -- including one at third base -- during the first four innings. Bulldogs right-hander Tori Paul permitted a first-inning hit to Scout Anderson and fanned five Rosewood batters.

Rosewood avoided the shutout on Kayla Hardee's RBI single in the fifth. Charlotte Kornegay's RBI groundout and Hayley Mercer's RBI double accounted for the Eagles' two fifth-inning runs.

Paul yielded four hits and finished with eight strikeouts in a six-inning stint. Haley Wood notched the save with two innings of one-strikeout relief.

"We're looking at pretty pitches go by and swinging at junk," second-year RHS head coach Shay Campbell. "We've been that way for the past three games. We've not hit the ball well.

"I don't know if we've gotten complacent with what we're doing. We've got to find ways (to win)."

The United States flag in center field flew at half-mast and a moment of silence was observed before the game to honor those who either lost their lives or suffered injuries in the Boston explosions on Monday.