Errors plague C.B. Aycock

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on May 17, 2018 10:38 AM

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PIKEVILLE -- The error bug bit again.

This time it left a stinging mark.

D.H. Conley benefited from six errors and handed Charles B. Aycock a season-ending, 9-7 loss in the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A softball playoffs Tuesday evening.

The teams met for the fourth time this spring.

Golden Falcons coach LaVon Matthews didn't want to see the Vikings in the postseason. CBA and DHC tied for second in the Eastern Carolina 3-A/4-A Conference regular-season standings. Matthews' powder-blue dirt dobbers won the seeding game for the playoffs.

"I've always said it's tough playing one team four times in a season," Matthews said. "If you've got good teams like us in the same conference, you ought not to make them play four times.

"It should be a regional game. It looks like from what I'm seeing, a lot of 4-A teams are still in the playoffs after dropping down to 3-A in this last realignment. You have to give the kids a fair chance."

Conley scored in five of seven innings and capitalized on Aycock's miscues. Just three of the runs were earned.

The Golden Falcons put together a three-run, seventh-inning uprising, but couldn't complete the comeback on its home diamond.

Abbey Thomas swatted a second-inning, solo home run -- her third of the season and team's 24th overall.

Hannah Vinson and Cassandra Lassiter (three RBI) pounded out two hits apiece. Abigail Lancaster, Taylor Puetz, Hannah Carter and Makayla Williams each had one hit.

Lassiter endured the mound loss in her final prep game. She logged three strikeouts and walked five in a seven-inning performance.

Matthews said farewell to five seniors -- Hannah Vinson, Taylor Waddell, Lassiter, Carter and Georgia Parnell.

"It's going to be hard to fill those spots," Matthews said. "It think we went a lot further than a lot of people thought possible. We lost a lot from last year including three pitchers and expectations [of some folks] was not very high. I had confidence in them, knew we had a good team.

"We were in every single game we played this year except for one. I was pleased with the season. We gave it a good run."

CBA compiled an 18-7 worksheet.