Fulghum, Burroughs homer in east 3A semifinal win

By Allen Eztler
Published in Sports on May 25, 2014 9:40 AM

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aetzler@newsargus.com

PIKEVILLE -- On the rare occasion Charles B. Aycock senior first baseman Meredith Burroughs isn't hitting well, it's because she's pulling her head out during her swing.

That's when she finds her father, Nick, in the stands, who points to his nose to remind the North Carolina home-run record holder to keep her head on the ball.

Burroughs got that advice as she strolled to the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning with the Golden Falcons clinging to a one-run lead. West Brunswick pitcher Caroline Gore threw a pitch high and inside, and Burroughs drove it into the bullpen by the CBA baseball field.

The Golden Falcons tacked on another run and eventually defeated West Brunswick, 3-0, in eastern semifinal-round play of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 3-A softball playoffs Friday evening.

Aycock faces former Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference nemesis South Johnston in the best-of-three eastern championship series. Game one is Tuesday at 7 p.m. on the Golden Falcons' diamond.

"We made the adjustment to get (Burroughs) off the plate some so she could get extended on the inside pitch," Burke said. "At some point teams are going to have to pitch to her and tonight they had confidence in their pitcher to do it."

And rightfully so.

Gore was nearly unhittable on the mound and jammed Burroughs all night. During her first at-bat, Burroughs crushed a pitch farther than her home run ball, but it curled foul. Gore hit Burroughs on the next pitch.

One of Gore's few mistakes occurred in the second inning when she left a ball just high enough in the zone against Keeley Fulghum. The red-hot sophomore drove it over the left-center field fence, giving her four home runs -- including a grand slam -- in her last four games.

Fulghum, who said she didn't have the year at the plate she wanted to, is happy she's starting to get on track at the right time.

As good as Gore was, Aycock's Allie Phillips was better. The sophomore gave up three hits and struck out 10 batters in six innings.

"That's probably the best we've seen her pitch," Burroughs said. "She was so great tonight."

Until Friday, the Golden Falcons had beaten every postseason opponent by the mercy rule.

"It was kind of nerve-wrecking because we're not used to being in close games like that," Fulghum said. "But we came back and finished it out like we (should have)."