03/28/2024
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West Bladen grad Abbey Walters and East Bladen grad Lexi Dawson faced off on the college softball field Wednesday as Walter’s UNC-Pembroke team hosted Dawson’s St. Andrews’ squad.

Abbey Walters
Abbey Walters

Walters slammed 4 doubles and batted 5-9 in the double-header with 3 runs batted in, 3 runs scored and 3 stolen bases as her Lady Braves swept the twinbill by scores of 9-3 and 7-4.

The Bladenboro native also picked up her first save as a Lady Brave in the nightcap pitching the final 3 innings and allowing 4 hits, 3 runs – 2 earned – and a walk.

Dawson hammered 2 doubles and finished 3-6 at the plate with 2 runs scored and an RBI.

Lexi_Dawson
Lexi Dawson

The freshman first baseman walked in the first inning and scored the second of three St. Andrews runs in the inning on Jenny Castanon’s single. Dawson walloped a double to left-centerfield in the second but was stranded at third base.

Walters knocked in Jamie Johnson with a single to centerfield in the Lady Brave half of the second as UNC-Pembroke took a 4-3 lead.

In the Lady Brave fifth, Walters smacked a single to rightfield that drove in Jessie Mangum. The junior rightfielder stole second base and darted home on Taylor Gephart’s single.

Dawson laced a single to left-centerfield with 2 out in the St. Andrews sixth inning.

In the nightcap Walters ripped a one-out double to left field in the bottom of the first inning and dashed home on Savannah Melvin’s single for a 1-0 Lady Brave lead.

Dawson drilled a double to right-centerfield in the top of the third inning that scored Nikki Santiago with the tying run.

Walters beat out an infield hit in the Lady Braves 4-run fourth inning that drove in Lexie Coxe, then stole second base as Jamie Johnson stole home to put UNC-P up 5-1.

After working a 1-2-3 fifth, Walters walked Dawson leading off the sixth inning. The Garland native moved up on a wild pitch and sprinted home on Kori Ballard’s single to trim the margin to 6-2.

Walters hammered a double to left-centerfield in the Lady Brave half of the sixth and scored on an error for a 7-2 lead.

Dawson’s 3 hits raised her batting average to .273 and her slugging percentage to .409. Both of those stats are third best on the Lady Knight team.

Walters continues to lead the Lady Braves in batting average (.441), hits (26), doubles (10) and slugging percentage (.610). She is second in rbi’s with 13 and has scored 10 runs and stolen 8 bases.

UNC-Pembroke, now 8-7-1, opens Peach Belt Conference play today (Friday) at Lander with a double-header that begins at 2 p.m.

St. Andrews is idle until Tuesday when they host a double-header against Chowan beginning at 1 p.m.

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