HobbsDailyReport.com
Resilient Bunker Hill High moved a win away from reaching the state 2A softball championship series on Tuesday, downing top-seeded and previously unbeaten Franklin 2-0 on the road to open a best-of-3 series for a West title.
The Bears (17-6), a No. 13 seed, need one more win to wrap up their first chance at a state softball title in school history.
Game 2 of the series is Thursday at 6 p.m. at Bunker Hill. A third game, if needed, would be played Saturday at 6 p.m. at Macon Middle School.
Franklin is 22-1.
The Bears broke a scoreless tie at the middle school with two runs in the sixth inning. Payton Goble singled, advanced on a fielder’s choice and scored on a double by Syndie Ammons. Ammons scored on a single by Lille Pennington.
Payton Bryant was sterling again on the mound for the Bears, giving up no runs and three hits.
The victory was ninth in a postseason softball game in school history for Bunker Hill, which had not previously advanced past the third round.
Head coach Randy Joines’ Bears have outscored five opponents 26-6.
The teams in the East 2A best-of-3 series are No. 5 Whiteville (24-3) and No. 2 North Johnston (27-1).
Alexander Central 5, Carson 4
Chesney Millsaps had two hits – one a home run– and drove in two runs and pitched a complete game, leading third-seeded Alexander Central past visiting No. 4 seed Carson to start the West 3A best-of-3 title series.
Game 2 pits the Cougars (25-5) at Carson (20-7) on Thursday at 6 p.m. If Carson wins to force a third game, it will be played Friday at 6 p.m. in Taylorsville.
The West champ meets No. 5 Cleveland (19-3) or No. 2 Western Alamance (24-3) for a state 3A title on June 1-2. Those two play Game 1 of a best-of-3 series on Wednesday at Western Alamance.
Carson outhit Alexander Central 11-9 – getting two each by Maci Cooper, Kary Hales, Kaitlyn Honeycutt and Jess Freeze – and Katie Jewell drove in two runs for Carson.
Millsaps and Gracie Rhoney each had two hits for the Cougars, who opened a 2-0 lead in the first inning. They were up 5-1 after a three-run bottom of the fifth inning.
Carson scored a run in the top of the sixth to get within 5-2 and scored twice in the seventh inning.
Millsaps (25-5) worked seven innings, giving up 11 hits, four runs (all earned) with three walks and one strikeout.
Ryle Stewart, Carson’s starting pitcher, took the loss. She pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing eight hits, five runs (four earned), walking two and striking out one.
Another victory will earn Alexander Central a spot in the state finals for the first time since 2014. The Cougars were state 4A champs that year after beating Cape Fear twice in Raleigh.
MORE COVERAGE: https://www.salisburypost.com/2018/05/23/prep-softball-carson-loses-first-game-of-regional-series/
South Caldwell 2, Mooresville 1 (Monday)
The second-seeded Spartans (26-2) rode a walk-off home run in the seventh inning to a fourth-round victory over visiting Mooresville (22-5) to reach the West 4A title series against top-seeded Richmond County (24-3).
Graclyn Green hit the game-winning home run for South Caldwell with one out after Ciara Hudson led off the inning with a walk to extend the Spartans’ win streak to 23 games.
Game 1 of a best-of-3 series with the Raiders is Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Rockingham. Game 2 is Thursday at 6 p.m. in Hudson and Game 3, if needed, is Saturday at 7 p.m. at Richmond County.
The East 4A finalists are No. 8 Fayetteville Britt (21-5) and No. 2 South Central (23-6), who start a best-of-3 series on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at South Central.
MORE COVERAGE: https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/sports/80808/richmond-hitting-on-all-cylinders-headed-into-Western-regional-finals
BASEBALL
Ledford 11, North Lincoln 4
No. 10 seed Ledford (27-3) won handily at top-seeded North Lincoln (25-3) to open a best-of-3 series for the West 2A baseball title, snapping the Knights’ win streak at 18 games.
Game 2 of the series is Thursday at 7 p.m. at Ledford.
The West winner faces No. 2 North Lenoir (20-5) or No. 1 Whiteville (25-1) on June 1-2 in a best-of-3 series for a state title.
North Lenoir visits Whiteville on Wednesday at 7 p.m. to open the East 2A championship series.
MORE COVERAGE: http://www.the-dispatch.com/sports/20180522/ledford-pounds-north-lincoln-11-4-in-game-1
Murphy 4, Lincoln Charter 1
Host Murphy (26-0, No. 2 seed) remained unbeaten with a Game 1 victory over the Eagles (21-5, No. 4 seed) in the West 1A best-of-3 series.
Game 2 is scheduled Thursday at 7 p.m. at Lincoln Charter.
The East final is No. 6 West Columbus against No. 4 Riverside, and Riverside (21-6) won the opening game 5-0 on Tuesday at Riverside.
GIRLS SOCCER
Lake Norman Charter 2, Salisbury 0
In a West 2A final in Salisbury that started 70 minutes later than scheduled because referees were late arriving, top-seed Lake Norman Charter (22-0-1) advanced to Saturday’s state title match.
The Knights will battle No. 2 First Flight (24-2-1) on Saturday in Raleigh at a time to be determined.
First Flight won the East 2A title by beating visiting Carrboro 4-0 on Tuesday night.
Olivia Haraldsson and Arabella Devoe scored goals for the Knights in their road victory with Ayden Yates and Alex Behnke adding one assist each and goalkeeper Kaela Rasenberger making two saves.
Lake Norman Charter’s Maddie Sims was injured in Tuesday match (ankle) and her playing status for Saturday is uncertain.
MORE COVERAGE: https://www.salisburypost.com/2018/05/22/salisbury-soccer-falls-short-in-western-final-2-0/