Saints softball completes regular-season sweep of EW

By Brandon Davis
Published in Sports on May 5, 2016 1:46 PM

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bdavis@newsargus.com

DUDLEY -- It's been a while.

Southern Wayne met with its old rival Eastern Wayne after almost a month of no contact -- and the Warriors surprised the Saints with their progress and new game plan.

"They are much improved from the last time we played them for sure," said Saints head softball coach James Edmundson, whose team held off the pesky Warriors, 12-7, in an Eastern Carolina 3-A/4-A Conference thriller at home on Wednesday evening.

"They (Eastern Wayne) actually flipped the script on us, and they were playing small ball. We chose not to, but they definitely upped their game a little bit. I was impressed with them."

Southern Wayne demolished the Warriors, 13-0, in their previous meeting.

But Eastern Wayne shocked the Saints in the seventh inning with short hits and bunts and scored three runs. Unfortunately for the Warriors, Southern Wayne pitcher Mackenzie Bryan closed out any chances of a comeback.

"Dawn (Anderson) was doing fine, cruising right along," said Edmundson, who chose to replace his starting pitcher at the top of the sixth inning. "But I just threw a monkey wrench to see if we could shake them (Warriors) up a little bit. It kind of worked out."

Anderson held Eastern Wayne scoreless for two innings until Emily Newsome hit the ball to first base, bringing home Elizabeth Sutton, but Newsome collided with Saints second baseman Mary Kornegay. Kornegay eventually left the game after a hit to her face at first base.

Kornegay's team still led the Warriors, 4-1, at the top of the third.

SW freshman Kelly Dail stole home, freshman Caroline Summerlin crossed the plate and senior Rachel Grady scored, lifting the Saints to a 7-1, potential mercy-rule ending game for Eastern Wayne.

Southern Wayne scored two more runs and held off the Warriors for two more innings, but everything changed in the sixth inning.

Bryan stood on the mound and fired two strikeouts in the first half of the inning.

Eastern Wayne pitcher Emily Uzzell continued to struggle on the mound, allowing three more runs by the Saints.

Then came the short hits.

Warriors Chloe Smith tapped the ball in the infield and brought home Chelsea Wynn. Naomi Williams nicked the ball and sent home Uzzell, and Sutton bunted the ball to roll in Smith.

Eastern Wayne trailed the Saints, 12-7, but Bryan's second strikeout in the bottom of the seventh gave the Warriors their third out.

"I think we played well. I think we had a bad inning (seventh)," Eastern Wayne head coach Jackie Lewis said. "If it had not been for that inning, I think it would have been a lot closer. I really think we would have been on top because I think we gave up four or five runs in the inning.

"Not taking anything from Southern Wayne by no means because they hit the ball tonight, and they had some great hits. I am pleased with the way they (Warriors) didn't give up and kept fighting."

Weather permitting, Eastern Wayne (2-12 overall, 1-9 ECC) plays host to perennial powerhouse Charles B. Aycock today at 6 p.m.