Carolina 1A softball champ Princeton slips past Rosewood

By Staff Reports
Published in Sports on May 8, 2014 1:48 PM

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Princeton polished off a perfect season on the Carolina 1-A Conference softball scene with a 9-8 victory over archrival Rosewood on Wednesday evening.

The Bulldogs (15-4 overall, 12-0 CC) will host the No. 4 representative from the Coastal 10 Conference in opening-round action of the N.C. High School Athletic Association playoffs, which begin May 14.

The Eagles' postseason seed remains undetermined, and will depend on the outcome of today's regular-season finale between North Duplin and Spring Creek. Rosewood (11-5) compiled an 8-4 worksheet in league play and faces the possibility of finishing in a three-way tie.

If that occurs, the teams will draw for playoff seeding.

Should the Rebels emerge victorious, they would lock up the No. 2 seed and a home playoff game since they claimed a regular-season sweep of the Eagles. Rosewood and Spring Creek would secure the Nos. 3 and 4 seeds, respectively.

"I hope the odds play in our favor," third-year RHS head coach Shay Campbell said. "We will wait anxiously and be ready to play come the next game."

Princeton ruined Rosewood's senior night celebration with a 15-hit attack that included three-hit performances from two of its seniors -- Tori Paul and Savanna Massengill. Each drove in a run for the Bulldogs, who finished unbeaten in conference play for the second consecutive season.

Carson Braswell, Logan Pace and Charley Cox provided two hits apiece. Kelsey Peedin (RBI), Hailey Wood (RBI) and Taylor Carroll (RBI) each contributed one hit.

Wood started inside the pitcher's circle and surrendered three runs (all unearned) on four hits. Paul yielded five runs (four earned) on four hits and logged five strikeouts in three innings of relief.

The teams combined for eight errors.

"We must put an end to the errors," Campbell said. "We have not had an error-free game all season. We may have been in better shape had we held the errors to two for this game. You cannot beat a team like Princeton with that many errors.

"I felt we played hard, but we did not play as smart as we should have and the players tried to force some plays, and it came back to bite us."

One of three Rosewood seniors, University of Mount Olive signee Anna Ingram doubled twice and scored three runs in a 3-for-4 performance. Juniors Callie Thornton and Jordan DuBose each contributed two hits.

Alicia Burns, who has signed with N.C. Wesleyan, and Hayley Mercer each played their final regular-season home game.