CBA forces deciding game 3 in eastern 3A softball regional

By Allen Etzler
Published in Sports on May 29, 2014 1:48 PM

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aetzler@newsargus.com

FOUR OAKS -- For the second straight evening, the Charles B. Aycock softball team held a two-run lead as South Johnston came to bat in its half of the fifth inning.

The first time around didn't go so well. The Golden Falcons surrendered four runs in the inning.

CBA didn't repeat the past Wednesday evening.

"We told each other they were not going to score another run," senior center fielder Cierra Harris said. "We were going to take control and step on their throats."

The Golden Falcons stayed true to their words as no South Johnston runner crossed the plate again. Aycock won 4-2 and forced a decisive game three to determine the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A eastern regional champion.

First pitch is 7 p.m. Friday in Pikeville.

The Trojans got out to a 2-0 lead by scoring a run in each of the first two innings. CBA's Allie Phillips pitched out a jam and stranded two runners in each inning. Though she only had one strikeout in the game, she did not allow a hit the rest of the evening.

After South Johnston's Lauren Higgins threw a complete game Tuesday, the Trojans elected not to go with her in the circle again and pitched Dinalee Spell.

Unfamiliar with Spell, the Golden Falcons had just one base runner -- lead-off hitter Meredith Burroughs -- during the first two innings.

But in the third inning, the Trojans had some rare defensive miscues and the Golden Falcons capitalized. Connor Vinson and Abbie Walton each had a hit and Burroughs reached on an error by the shortstop Krista Collins, who had played terrific defense until that point.

Keeley Fulghum drove in a run on another error by Collins. Madison Walton was hit by a pitch with bases loaded for the second run.

Burke thought if the Golden Falcons kept putting the ball in play, the mistakes might come.

"This (field) is a pretty bouncy ground and we're used to that at home," Burke said. "We said if we put it on the ground and give them chances to make errors, it'll happen."

Higgins took the mound in the fifth with two Aycock runners on base and Madison Walton, who had three hits in Tuesday's loss, at the plate. Walton connected on an RBI single to right center, which scored the go-ahead run.

Allison Shingleton drove in the insurance run with a fielder's choice.

C.B. Aycock attempted to score again in the seventh when Harris came to bat with the bases loaded. She slapped the ball down the left-field line for what would have been a bases-clearing three-RBI triple.

But after she slid into third base the umpire ruled Harris, a slap hitter by trade, stepped out of the box before she made contact. Harris was out and the inning ended.

"I put all 105 pounds of me into that hit," Harris said. "It's going to go somewhere. Oh well. It felt good."

CBA closed the door in the seventh.