CREEDMOOR – Sophomore Chaleigh Currin pitched a 3-hitter and slugged a 2-run home run to lead South Granville to an 8-1 victory over East Bladen Tuesday night in the opening round of the NCHSAA Class 2-A Softball Playoffs.
Currin struck out 6 and walked 6 in the complete game victory. One out after Georgia Preddy legged out a bunt single in the Lady Viking 1st inning, Currin yanked her 2-run homer down the left field line. Senior Candace Strombeck followed with a solo homer to center field for a 3-0 South lead.
Abigail Shaeffer led off the 2nd inning with a single, and sophomore Maddie Wilkins laid down a bunt single. Preddy’s double to center field scored both runners and pushed the lead to 5-0.
Strombeck singled to start the South 3rd inning. Kylin Dean reached on the Lady Vikings’ 3rd bunt single of the game, and an error scored both runners and pushed the lead to 7-0.
Preddy doubled again in the Lady Viking 6th inning, and Currin drove her in with a single.
Senior Karli Priest beat out an infield hit in the Lady Eagle 7th inning and moved up on a wild pitch. Senior Laura Davisson knocked in Priest with a single to right-center field.
East Bladen loaded the bases in the 3rd inning on consecutive walks to sophomore Mollie Tolar, senior AnnaGrey Heustess and Priest, but a strikeout, an interference call and a groundout ended the inning.
With 2-out in the Lady Eagle 4th, sophomore Gabriella Bray smacked a single to right, Tolar reached base on an error and Heustess walked, but a groundout ended the inning.
Bray, Priest and Davisson finished with 1 hit each for East. Priest started and pitched 3 innings allowing 7 runs – 5 earned – on 8 hits while striking out 2. Davisson worked 3 innings in relief and allowed a run on 3 hits and a walk while striking out 2.
Preddy batted 3-for-3 with 2 doubles, 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored to lead South at the plate. Currin was 2-for-4 with a homer and 3 RBIs. Strombeck finished 2-for-4 with the home run. Dean batted 2-for-3 with the run scored.
The Lady Eagles finished their season with a 12-11 record. South Granville improved to 16-5 and will host SouthWest Edgecombe in the 2nd round.
East Bladen 000 000 1 — 1- 3-1
South Granville 322 001 x — 8-11-1
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