Spartans win series, derail Golden Falcons' title hopes

By Allen Etzler
Published in Sports on June 7, 2014 11:08 PM

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aetzler@newsargus.com

RALEIGH -- Over aggressive during their first two at-bats, the Sun Valley softball team quickly realized it had to be patient at the plate Saturday afternoon.

Charles B. Aycock pitchers Allie Phillips and Meredith Burroughs combined to walk 14 batters and its state-title hopes were derailed with a 6-4 loss to the Spartans in the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A championship.

Sun Valley swept the series 2-0.

"We just didn't throw enough strikes to win," CBA head coach Emily Burke said. "When you let people get on base who don't earn it, it makes it tough to win. Today we did that, but if we could have just made the pitches when we needed we might have been able to get out of it."

Brittany Pickett, named the tournament's MVP, batted 3-for-3 with two doubles and two RBI; and threw a complete game inside the pitcher's circle. Pickett (16-5) limited the Golden Falcons to seven hits and recorded five strikeouts, including a game-ending K against Keeley Fulghum, who represented the tying run in the seventh inning.

"She was definitely the best pitcher we've seen all year," CBA center fielder Cierra Harris said. "I don't think she's (so) good we should have lost two games, but she's still is a good pitcher."

Harris doubled and scored a run.

The Golden Falcons (21-5 overall) broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the second inning. Katie Gay and Allison Shingleton reached base on consecutive base hits. Abbie Walton got aboard on a throwing error by Pickett.

Connor Vinson connected on a bunt single and Meredith Burroughs (2-for-3) pushed across a run with a sacrifice fly to left field.

CBA's lead slipped away as its pitchers lost control. Phillips walked the first two batters of the third inning, and the Spartans (26-5) scored their first run on an RBI single.

Sun Valley loaded the bases in the fourth on two walks and a base hit with one out. Burroughs had replaced Phillips after the first walk and Courtney Layton hit a grounder to third that bounced away from Fulghum, who stretched out to stop the ball.

Two runs scored.

Burroughs walked in a run in the fifth, but Aycock got two runs back on Fulghum's RBI fielder's choice and Maddie Walton's RBI infield single.

Then Pickett drove in the insurance run in the seventh inning.

Burroughs, Gay, Harris and Haley Rose all played their last games in Aycock uniforms. Six starters, including Mackenzie Wheeler, are expected to return next season.

Her eyes filled with tears, Wheeler hugged Burke and nicely summed up the future for the Golden Falcon program.

"Three more years," she said.

"You got it," Burke replied.