THE BEAR(S) FACTS
Quick facts about Bunker Hill High’s softball team since the 1984 state playoffs (through the 2019 second round):
State playoff appearances: 15
Record: 11-15
Trips to the third round: 1984, lost 18-10 at Franklin; 2018, d. North Lincoln 6-3, d. W. Stanly 2-1; played Franklin for West 2A title – won 2-0 at Franklin, lost 8-4 at Franklin, lost 5-4 at Franklin.
Notes: The Bears are making their ninth straight postseason appearances (2011-2019) after missing the state playoffs for three straight seasons prior to that… After making the 1987 tournament field, the Bears did not get back to the postseason until 2004… Bunker Hill lost in the first round nine consecutive seasons before beating Black Mountain Owen in 2015 … The Bears have won seven of their last nine state playoff games.
SOURCE: HobbsDailyReport research and files
North Lincoln, West Lincoln win,
move to third round in 2A baseball
HobbsDailyReport.com
Bunker Hill High’s girls’ softball team is making another run at a state 2A title.
The Bears, seeded No. 22 in the West, stunned sixth-seeded Forbush 5-4 on Friday night on the road to reach the third round for the second straight season.
Bunker Hill (12-8), led by head coach Randy Joines, goes to No. 3 North Davidson (26-0) on Tuesday needing a win to keep alive a shot at playing in the West 2A title series again.
On Friday, Payton Bryant pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed three runs and three hits to gain a win and reliever Danielle Brooks picked up a save after throwing 2 2/3 innings, allowing five hits and one run.
Bunker Hill had a 4-0 lead through two innings before the Falcons (20-4) pulled within 4-3 with two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
The Bears scored one run in the top of the seventh for a 5-3 lead and Forbush scored one in the bottom of the inning.
Brooks’ two-out single scored Alexis McCrary in the second inning for a 1-0 lead for the Bears.
Lillie Pennington’s three-run home run over the fence in centerfield in the third inning – scoring Payton Bryant and Camryn Bryant – put Bunker Hill up 4-0.
In the top of the seventh inning, McCrary’s sacrifice fly scored Camryn Bryant for a 5-3 lead by the Bears.
Forbush had the tying run at third base when it lined into a double play at third base to end the game.
Draughn 1, North Lincoln 0
Senior Nataleigh Lail retired the last 11 batters as the 13th-seeded Wildcats (17-5) won on the road in a second round 2A game.
She allowed three hits, walked one and struck out four to collect her first career postseason victory.
Draughn goes to No. 5 Madison (22-1) on Tuesday for a third-round game.
North Lincoln, seeded No. 4, finished 20-3.
Cora Detter went 2-for-3 and scored the game’s only run in the first inning when she doubled and scored on a single by Kira Suttles.
Draughn, eliminated in the first round of the playoffs last season by Ledford, is in the postseason for the ninth year and for the fourth straight season.
The Wildcats are three rounds deep for the second time; they beat South Stokes two years ago in that round.
Madison beat Draughn 4-2 in nine innings at Madison in the second round in 2014 in the only previous postseason matchup between the two schools.
BASEBALL
North Lincoln 10, Wilkes Central 0, 5 inn.
The Knights, playing at home, ran their win streak to 15 games with their seventh shutout of the season.
Sophomore Seth Whitley threw five innings, giving up two hits, no runs, walking none and striking out four to gain a win.
The 15th-seeded Eagles finished 17-7 after winning eight of their last 10 games.
North Lincoln (20-4) faces No. 23 West Stokes (16-10) at North Lincoln in a third-round game that must be played by Tuesday.
Tuesday’s winner meets No. 11 North Davidson (20-8) or No. 3 West Wilkes (23-2) in the fourth round on Friday.
West Lincoln 7, Franklin 4
Seth Willis went 2-for-4 with a double and triple and drove in a run and threw a complete game, leading the Rebels to a second-round victory.
Willis worked seven innings, allowing four hits, four runs (two earned), walking one and striking out 11.
West Lincoln (19-7, seeded No. 13) will be at home for a third-round game against No. 28 Smoky Mountain (13-9) next. The game must be played by Tuesday.
Chris Moxley went 2-for-4 with an RBI, Chandler Carpenter was 2-for-4 and Dylan Smith drove in two runs for West Lincoln, and Dylan Burkey hit a home run.
Isaac Dewey drove in two runs for Franklin (19-5) and Nathan Saunders took the loss after pitching two innings. He gave up four hits, three runs (none earned) with no walks and no strikeouts.
If West Lincoln wins on Tuesday, it would play Friday against No. 8 Madison or No. 17 Oak Grove, site to be determined (at highest remaining seed).
Oak Grove (16-8) knocked off No. 1 seed East Rutherford 5-2 in the second round.
West Stokes 9, Maiden 6
West Stokes wiped out the visiting Blue Devils’ 3-1 lead with five runs in the fourth inning and added three more in the fifth in a second round 2A game.
The Wildcats (16-10) had 12 hits – including two each by Tyler Smith, Logan Griffith and Jacob Mabe – to advance.
Mabe and freshman Bert Berthrong each drove in three runs for West Stokes and Smith had two RBIs.
Freshman Mason Howell gained a win for the Wildcats, pitching four innings. He gave up seven hits, three runs (one earned), walked none and struck out five.
West Stokes, seeded No. 23, plays at No. 2 North Lincoln next, a game that must be played by Tuesday.
Maiden, seeded No. 26, finished 11-11 in a season that included playing its first nine games (6-3 record) on the road while repairs were being made to its home field.
The Blue Devils are 12-13 in the postseason since 1984 and haven’t gotten out of the second round since 1999, the year they won the state 1A title over Bladenboro.
GIRLS SOCCER
Fred T. Foard 3, East Lincoln 0
Abby Walker scored twice as the fifth-seeded Tigers (19-2-1) won at home in a second round 2A match.
Cameron Ekonomon added one goal and two assists for Foard while Abigail Matthews and Katherine Ellis each had an assist for the Tigers.
Foard had a 12-11 edge in shots and a 7-5 advantage on shots on goal.
The Tigers meet No. 4 South Point (14-1-0) at South Point in a third-round match on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
South Point 6, West Iredell 1
Senior Natalie Robinson scored twice, leading the fourth-seed Red Raiders (14-1-0) past the 13th-seeded Warriors in a second round 2A match.
South Point faces No. 5 Fred T. Foard in Belmont in the third round at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.
Watauga 3, Kings Mountain 1
The 13th-seeded Pioneers (17-4-0) got two goals from Lily Suyao, the first about 70 seconds into a second-round 3A match, and won to advance against fourth-seeded Kings Mountain.
Watauga will play at No. 5 Northern Guilford (18-1-1) in a third-round match that must be played by Wednesday.
Brelyn Sturgill had the go-ahead goal for Watauga and Suyao’s second goal came with 14 minutes, 55 seconds to play.
A.C. Reynolds 3, Hickory 0
The 11th-seeded Rockets (20-2-3) dealt the sixth-seeded and host Red Tornadoes their first shutout loss of the season in a second round 3A match.
Kennedy Holgate’s penalty kick put A.C. Reynolds up 1-0 and an own goal by Hickory made that 2-0.
Addie Porter’s goal put the Rockets ahead 3-0.
Hickory, led by 53 goals this season by Izzy Woods, had scored in every match this season coming in.
The Red Tornadoes finished 18-3-1.
A.C. Reynolds battles Asheville Roberson (20-4, No. 3 seed) in the third round, a match that must be played by Wednesday.
Lake Norman Charter 8, R-S Central 2
The Knights, seeded No. 2, scored five first-half goals and won a second round 2A match at home.
Lake Norman Charter (20-1-0) will be at home for a third- round match against No. 7 Central Academy (18-4) on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
— Information for the roundup includes reports by: Randy Joines, Bunker Hill softball head coach; John Markley, West Lincoln baseball head coach; Sophia Elliott, Fred T. Foard girls’ soccer.
