3A PLAYOFFS: Golden Falcon softball team returns to east regional finals

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on May 22, 2016 1:47 AM

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By JUSTIN HAYES

jhayes@newsargus.com

PIKEVILLE -- Next stop, east regional final.

Charles B. Aycock, whose express train labored through an Orange crush on Friday, found its direction late Saturday night and upended Lee County, 4-3, in fourth-round play of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 3-A softball playoffs.

The victory -- a hard-fought, risk-reward version of small ball -- moved the Lady Golden Falcons to 27-1 on the spring and booked a ticket to the east regional championship series against Topsail.

Taylor Waddell started in the circle for Aycock, and found life rocky in the opening frame. After issuing first base to Lee County shortstop Jacie Arrington, the righty surrendered consecutive RBI hits to Tessa Wilson and senior Morgan Pedley.

Lee County 2, Aycock 0.

The off-putting start discouraged but didn't sidetrack Waddell, who settled nicely in the second and third innings. Over that span, the junior induced five groundouts and a can of corn to right fielder Connor Vinson.

In total, Waddell filed three innings of work, allowing two runs on four hits and just one walk -- exactly the performance skipper Lavon Matthews wanted.

"She did a fine job," he said. "There's nothing you can do about base hits. After a while, they'll find a hole. You just have to let your defense work for you."

Her foil, meanwhile, was doing her own work.

Lee County starter Whitney Stanford was sensational early, controlling the strike zone ladder and retiring the first six batters she faced. Through two innings, the junior was on cruise control.

Then the third inning happened.

With runners on first and second, Aycock's Mookie Powell stepped into the box to face Stanford. The instant classic at-bat ended with Powell slicing an RBI single to right-center field, scoring both Cassandra Lassiter and Connor Vinson.

After three innings, the game was tied at two runs apiece.

Allie Phillips relieved Waddell after a troublesome start to the fourth and inherited a Lee County rally in-the-making. The senior responded with poise, however, exiting the jam by inducing a fielder's choice and tossing two strikeouts.

It was the opening salvo of a gutsy performance by the lefty, who earned the win in four innings of heart-stopping work. The senior allowed one run on one hit, fanned seven and walked three Yellow Jacket batters.

The effort was a must-have for Matthews' troops.

"She just wants the ball in big games," he said with a smile.

Powell did the rest of Aycock's heavy lifting, slamming an RBI double to left-center field in the sixth inning to plate Mackenzie Wheeler. The speedster took third on a Lee County throw to the plate, and scored a batter later on a wild pitch by Stanford.

Armed with a 4-2 lead, Phillips assumed the circle and salted the Yellow Jackets with three strikeouts over the final two innings. Despite a late run on a passed ball, Lee County never seriously threatened again.

The game ended in similar fashion to Friday night's affair, with Hannah Vinson controlling a routine fly ball under the lights in shallow center field.

Two hits. Four runs. A date next week with a familiar foe.

Call it a masterpiece of the minute.

"When we get on base, we're going to be aggressive," Matthews said. "And it paid off tonight -- we scored some runs that we took chances on."