3A SOFTBALL: Pirates ambush Golden Falcons in top 7th

By Justin Hayes
Published in Sports on May 25, 2016 1:46 PM

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PIKEVILLE -- Backs against the wall.

Gut-check time. Win or go home.

Charles B. Aycock (27-2 overall) must endure such hackneyed phrases after absorbing the losing end of a heart-wrenching, 9-7 decision Tuesday night to Topsail High in the N.C. High School Athletic Association 3-A eastern regional championship softball series.

The best-of-three affair shifts to Hampstead tonight for game two.

Aycock played small ball early, swiping three bags in a fitful opening frame. Junior speedster Connor Vinson scored on a single to left by Mookie Powell, who later crossed on a sacrifice fly from Madison Walton.

In a blink, Aycock led a dazed Topsail outfit, 2-0.

Things would get downright strange from there.

With a runner on and two out in the second, Phillips settled in against Topsail catcher Christine McLean. The sophomore laced a grounder to Walton, whose fielding error laid the groundwork for a Topsail outburst.

The Pirates' Kayla Boyles followed with an RBI double down the left-field chalk, plating McLean. Another Aycock error -- this time at first base -- coupled with a two-RBI rocket by Alyssa Randall flipped matters entirely, providing Topsail a swift 5-2 advantage.

As they returned to the dugout, it was the Golden Falcons who looked the part of a stunned prizefighter.

"Our defense tonight," coach Lavon Matthews said, "when you get two errors in one inning... you're probably not going to survive that."

Both pitchers found a rhythm through the middle frames, and until Elder was interrupted by Allison Shingleton's see-you-later solo shot in the fourth, the junior's work was tidy.

"They were up in the box on the rise ball," said Topsail skipper James Abston. "We pitched her inside, and she took it."

The blast, part of a 3-for-4 performance at the plate for Shingleton, trimmed the Topsail advantage to just a deuce. It also confirmed what she saw from the Pirates' defense during her first-inning plate appearance.

"I looked at the infield and outfield," Shingleton said. "The shortstop and center fielder would move (part of a shift), so I picked up on that."

Phillips surrendered another run in the fifth inning on a sac bunt by Elder, making the score 6-3 and setting the stage for a wild Aycock sixth that would seemingly put the game on ice.

The Golden Falcons began with base runners in the form of Walton and Shingleton, who reached on a crisp single to right center field. Cassandra Lassiter then followed with an RBI double, as did Abbie Walton, who would later scored courtesy of first baseman Mackenzie Wheeler.

Aycock led, 7-6.

Topsail rallied, however, again on the strength of more uncharacteristic play by the hosts.

The Pirates (26-3 overall) turned a walk, a hit batsman and a fourth Aycock fielding error into an endless, hard-to-watch seventh inning. Boyles again figured prominently in the outburst, capping the Pirates' three-run plunder with a two-RBI shot to right-center field.

UNCW recruit Elder preserved the 9-7 advantage in a brisk seventh inning. The complete-game spin was an uneven outing for the junior, who allowed seven runs on 12 hits inside the circle.

Ditto for Phillips, who appeared animated and frustrated throughout. The lefty endured her first loss since April 14, allowing nine runs on 11 hits while striking out five.

So, let the stock speak ring -- it's applicable.

"When we won the state championship in 2012, we lost the first game," recalled Matthews. "We came back and won two in a row."

"We'll see how we fight back."

First pitch is tonight at 6 p.m.