Saints defeat Cougars on softball diamond

By Justin Hayes
Published in Sports on March 9, 2016 1:48 PM

• Print
• Email

jhayes@newsargus.com

Well, that escalated quickly.

The phrase, now a well-worn bit of internet culture, was appropriate yesterday afternoon as Southern Wayne cranked out 15 base hits in a relentless, 13-3 mercy rule conquest of Goldsboro High School's softball team Tuesday afternoon.

The Saints (2-1 overall), who finished the affair in five innings, were simply following a directive from their head coach, James Edmundson.

"I'm an anti-first pitch taker," Edmundson said. "If it's there, take it. Don't fall behind in the count."

His lineup, which entered the game batting .453, started in a hurry. A three-run first inning - which featured seven hits - was followed by two more in the second. The five-run advantage provided ample support for ace Mackenzie Bryan.

She would not need much.

The freshman righty, who fanned six Goldsboro batters, worked inside the circle with efficiency and poise all afternoon. She only encountered difficulty during a three-run effort by the Cougars in their half of the fourth inning.

During that stretch, Bryan walked two and allowed two runs.

"We wanted to move her (Bryan) in and out, up and down," said Southern pitching coach Ray Brannon. "And there was a little control issue in the fourth -- but I wanted to see her work her way through it."

Mission accomplished.

Following a passed ball in the fifth -- which scored Goldsboro's final run -- Bryan forced silence upon the Cougars with two strikeouts and a series of shallow fly balls to close the afternoon.

Goldsboro was led at the plate by Dakota Jones, Matti Rose Lyon and Marcy Taylor -- all of whom registered hits for the Cougars.

Although Edmundson was pleased with his team's effort, his eyes weren't long for the road ahead. For his team, there are miles yet to travel.

"We won only two games last year," he said. "So to already have two... there's a little monkey off our back. We have to continue to grow."

Southern Wayne entertains North Johnston today. Goldsboro (0-3) has three weeks before a March 21 road affair at Hobbton.