C.B. Aycock softball eliminates South Johnston, again

By Allen Etzler
Published in Sports on May 20, 2015 1:48 PM

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aetzler@newsargus.com

PIKEVILLE -- A video had been making the rounds at Charles B. Aycock High School this week.

It was a video of the final out recorded in the third game of the eastern regional championship series between Aycock and South Johnston a year ago -- meant to serve as motivation for the Golden Falcons on Tuesday evening.

"We knew they were going to want revenge," CBA shortstop Madison Walton said. "We had to come out and bring our 'AP' game. We have this joke we don't call it our 'A' game, it's our 'AP' game. It's one step higher."

Aycock knocked off the Trojans, 2-1, and reached semifinal-round play of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 3-A softball playoffs. The Golden Falcons (14-8 overall) face the winner of today's Topsail-Triton game.

The Golden Falcons' bats were hot early and made it look like the game might be a short one. Walton drove an RBI double to right center in the first inning to plate Keeley Fulghum.

Then in the second inning, Allison Shingleton and Cassandra Lassiter hit back-to-back hard line drives. Lassiter's shot squeezed under the glove of South Johnston right fielder Alex Woodall and allowed Shingleton to score from first.

But after plating a run in each of the first two innings, Aycock wasn't able to get on the board again. Hard-hit balls consistently went right into the Trojans' gloves.

"We hit the ball well all night, usually when we're hitting the ball hard it finds spots for us," Charles B. Aycock coach Emily Burke said. "Tonight we didn't find the spots we usually do after the first two innings, but we were still hitting the ball hard which is good."

Junior Allie Phillips pitched a complete game and gave up two hits and one unearned run. She walked one and struck out two. She didn't overpower hitters, but instead threw her offspeed pitches to force fly balls that her defense consistently fielded. She retired eight of the last 12 batters on fly balls.

The one-run margin left tensions high and each fly ball moved fans closer and closer to the edge of their seats, wondering if the next one would sail over the fence or into the glove of the speedy Golden Falcons' outfield.

"When you're calling pitches that spin upward you kind of expect the fly balls to happen, so you're not that nervous as a coach," Burke said. "We've got a really fast outfield that has done a great job all year and they've made those plays like they did tonight."

Phillips faced trouble in the second inning, though, when South Johnston loaded the bases as Phillips struggled to find the zone.

"We just had to work on her follow through when it gets hot like this the ball can kind of slip out easier, so we had to get her following through on her pitches," Burke said.

From there, Phillips pitched four of the next five innings in three-up-three-down fashion.

There didn't seem to be any relief -- from fans, coaches or players -- until the final out was made -- a groundout to Walton.

"No video, though," Walton laughed.