KENLY – North Johnston snapped a 3-3 tie with a pair of fourth-inning runs en route to a 6-3 victory over West Bladen Friday night in the second round of the NCHSAA Class 2A softball play-offs.
The Lady Knights led early, fell behind 3-1 then pulled even at 3-3, but North Johnston scored 2 in the fourth and pulled out the victory despite a triple play by West Bladen in the fifth inning.
“They were outstanding; the best team we have played all year,” said West Bladen Coach Joey Autry. “We kept battling back, but their line-up – 1 thru 9 – was very tough. It was a quality game against a quality opponent.”
Junior Laikyn Pait blasted a second-inning home run over the left-centerfield fence to give the Lady Knights an early 1-0 lead, but the Lady Panthers answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning.
Sophmore pitcher Lexi Godwin singled, and freshman Jordyn Scott knocked her in with a double. Kelly White reached base on an error, before senior shortstop Olivia Narron drove in both runners with a single that put North Johnston up 3-1.
West Bladen tied the game in the fourth as freshman Carley Dawson and junior catcher Alanna Ludlum belted singles. Pait reached base on an error as Carley Dawson scored, and pitcher Sophia Singletary’s fielder’s choice drove in sophmore Abby Dawson, the courtesy runner for Ludlum.
Back came the Lady Panthers in the bottom of the fourth, Scott slammed another double, and Olivia Narron knocked her in with a single. Taylor Narron’s single sent Olivia Narron to third base, and she scored on Jada Santiago’s sacrifice fly to put North ahead 5-3.
Singles by Emma Turner and Blayke Batten sandwiched around an error loaded the bases in the North Johnston fifth inning. However, junior centerfielder Logan Autry snagged a fly ball and fired home to Ludlum who sent a peg to thirdbaseman Carley Dawson who tagged out Turner. Dawson threw back to secondbaseman Kassidy Anderson to catch the runner off second for the third out and complete the triple play.
“I thought they were about to get away from us there with the bases loaded,” said Coach Autry. “That play was awesome. It kept us in the game.”
Two errors and another Santiago sacrifice fly produced the final Lady Panther run in the sixth inning.
Singletary, a junior, gave up 6 runs – 4 earned – on 9 hits and 2 walks. Godwin pitched a 3-hitter for North Johnston, struck out 4, hit one batter and walked two.
Pait crushed the solo homer, and Carley Dawson and Ludlum added one hit each. Carley Dawson and Abby Dawson scored one run each, and Singletary drove in a run.
Olivia Narron batted 3-4 with 3 runs batted in and 2 runs scored to lead the Lady Panther hitters. Scott was 2-3 with 2 doubles, 2 runs scored and one batted in. Santiago drove in 2 runs.
The Lady Knights finished their season with a 15-9 record but won 11 of their final 13 games. “We saw tremendous growth from these girls,” said Coach Autry. “They fought hard. They are one of the best teams that I have ever coached.”
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