3A SOFTBALL: Pre-playoff meeting strengthens CBA

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on June 2, 2016 1:48 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

PIKEVILLE -- They gathered together in the infield.

As the sun danced in and out of the clouds and a soft breeze gently blew, the Charles B. Aycock softball team sat down in a circle to "air" out some grievances.

This was the pivotal point of its season.

There was no tomorrow.

A team stacked with talent at every position and loaded with quality bats at every spot in the hitting order needed to rid itself of that meddlesome green-eyed monster -- jealously. The gossip among the players had to end.

Breaks needed to be reserved for jokes and laughter.

"If you put 14 girls together, you're going to have issues," Golden Falcons senior catcher Abbie Walton said. "Allison (Shingleton) really led that for us and made a list of things that she thought we needed to talk about. We spoke our mind freely.

"We have an agreement that if something is not going a players way, there's no need to look down on them, but do something better to improve them. By the end of that practice, I think we were closer than we've ever been."

The focus returned.

Seeded No. 1 in the eastern half of the 32-team N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A playoff draw, the Golden Falcons wore a visible target on their backs. They couldn't afford any turmoil within the ranks, especially with county rival Southern Wayne -- a potentially dangerous team -- listed as their opening-round opponent.

Aycock breezed past the Saints in mercy-rule fashion.

The Golden Falcons (28-2 overall) continued to protect their nest with tedious decisions over Triton, Hillsborough Orange and Lee County. They lost to Topsail in Game 1 of the eastern regional championship series, but bounced back with consecutive victories and punched their ticket to the state finals for the third time since 2012.

Walton and her teammates face reigning state champ Enka in a best-of-three series beginning Friday at UNC Greensboro Softball Stadium. First pitch is 8 p.m. Game two is Saturday at 2 p.m. and an "if" game is slated for either 5 or 8 p.m.

Admission is $8.

"The key (to winning state)? Playing our game, doing what we've done all year," Walton said. "We don't need to change anything. (It's) not playing for yourself, but play for the person in the lineup behind you. (For) some of us, it's the last time we'll ever play in an Aycock uniform. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

"We have a lot of confidence in each other."

Much of that confidence has come on the defensive side.

Aycock's trio of pitchers -- Allie Phillips, Taylor Waddell and Shingleton -- have combined to post a sparkling 1.63 earned run average (ERA). They've combined for 11 shutouts, two no-hitters (both by Waddell) and a perfect game (by Phillips).

A left-hander, Phillips possesses speed and the ability to work the ball in and out, and up and down the strike zone. Waddell brings the same strategy and has played with ice water in her veins during the postseason.

The little-known Shingleton doesn't overpower opposing hitters. Instead, a wicked change-up has allowed her to produce a 10-0 worksheet inside the circle.

Aycock's defense has committed just 38 errors in 197 innings of work.

"I think throughout the season we've become nothing but stronger...very blessed with the talent that we have," said junior first baseman Mackenzie Wheeler. "We've all grown up together learning to the play the game. We trust (Coach LaVon Matthews) and we know that obviously we would not be here without him, either.

"He knows all of us individually and knows the potential that we each have."

The Golden Falcons have manufactured a .401 team batting average and logged a single-season, school-record 114 stolen bases this spring. Connor Vinson and Mookie Powell, who bat first and second in the lineup, respectively, have combined for 55 steals.

Just one of three players to start in all 31 games this season, Vinson is hitting .526 at the plate. Overall, eight CBA hitters have posted a batting average of .400 or higher.

"After that little meeting, we came together," said Powell, who has played for four different coaches during her softball career. "We knew we really needed each other to win (and that it's) time to buckle down and be serious. I feel like we're the best team."

No issue there.