Burke: Golden Falcons need to stick to gameplan in state finals

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on June 5, 2014 1:48 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

PIKEVILLE -- Listen to Emily Jordan talk and it's almost like you're watch a scene from the blockbuster movie "Hoosiers" when Gene Hackman's basketball team enters Hinkle Fieldhouse on the Butler University campus.

Hackman brings out a tape measure and the dimensions are called out while the players marvel at the size of the building. Their coach reminds them that nothing has changed, except for the dynamic of playing a big game on a big stage.

Well, in Charles B. Aycock's case, the ball is smaller and yellow. The bags are 60 feet apart and the pitcher's circle is 43 feet from home plate. Burke doesn't expect those parameters to change when the Golden Falcons step onto the softball diamond against Sun Valley at Walnut Creek on Friday evening.

First pitch is 7 p.m. in the best-of-three series that will determine the 2014 N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A state champion. Game two is Saturday at 11 a.m. and an "if" game will follow at 2 p.m.

Burke does anticipate some nerves.

"It's still a simple game like it was the first game of the season (but) it's a huge stage (now)," Burke said. "The biggest thing I took from being on a stage like this is that you cannot play like it's a different ballgame ... you still have to be confident in what you know. You can't go in there and psych yourself out mentally.

"That's the worst possible thing you can do."

The Golden Falcons (21-3 overall) are making their second appearance in the championship series in the past three years, and fourth trip to the state title game overall. The Spartans (24-5) claimed the 3-A crown in 1997.

The two foes are mirror images.

Sun Valley has two solid pitchers -- a right-hander and a left-hander. It also has a power hitter who belted three home runs during the western regional championship series against Enka.

Aycock will counter with a southpaw of its own -- sophomore Allie Phillips. She has fashioned a 1.68 earned run average inside the circle and posted 63 strikeouts in 91 2/3 innings.

Opposing teams are hitting just .168 against Phillips.

"I'm going to try to be focused, think about what I need to be doing and know that the defense is going to do their job behind me," said Phillips, who will face a Sun Valley lineup that's loaded with hitters at the top.

"I definitely have to get ahead in the count."

The Golden Falcons have done a solid job of exposing the opposition's weaknesses throughout the season. They average 10-plus runs a game, bat .399 as a team and have struck out just 56 times in 829 total plate appearances.

Burroughs has swatted nine home runs, drawn 43 walks and shares the team lead in RBI (31) with Keeley Fulghum. The N.C. State signee is hitting at a .543 clip and has an on-base percentage of .737.

Fulghum leads Aycock with 41 hits and is second on the team in extra-base knocks with 12. Senior Katie Gay and Fulghum each have four home runs on the season.

"We have bonded really well this year," Fulghum said. "When we come out here (on the field), we play as a team. We don't play individually, we play together. I'm not really surprised (at our success) because we've worked really hard to get where we are throughout practice and throughout games.

"We always learn from our mistakes."

Some uncharacteristic miscues popped up during the South Johnston series. But the Golden Falcons persevered and find themselves facing another team that has consistently put the ball in play.

CBA has committed just 30 errors in 485 total chances thus far.

"A lot of these girls have not been at this stage, so they're going to be nervous and it's my job to calm those nerves," Burke said. "(But) any team, at this point in the game, you're going to have to bring whatever you've got full force ... meet them head-to-head."

And hopefully pull off a story-book ending like Hackman's Hickory Huskers who never cracked under pressure.