03/29/2024
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Photos by: Kenneth Armstrong

karmphoto.com

DUBLIN – Washington scored 6 runs in the final 3 innings to snap a 2-2 tie and claim an 8-3 victory over West Bladen in the second round of the NCHSAA Class 2A softball play-offs.

Both teams went down in order in the first inning. A 2-out error put Washington’s Sarah Lynch on base in the second, but Lady Knight senior catcher Alanna Ludlum threw her out on a steal attempt to end the inning.

Senior Laikyn Pait smashed a single off the right-centerfield fence in the second inning. An error on senior Sophia Singletary’s sacrifice bunt put two runners on base. After courtesy runner Abby Dawson stole second base, Washington freshman pitcher Abbigail Tucker worked out of the jam with a pair of strikeouts.

“That was huge,” said West Bladen Coach Joey Autry. “Second and third, one out, if we could have scored there, it would have changed our whole outlook for the game.”

Hailey Harris led off the fourth inning with a drive over the right-centerfield fence that was Washington’s first hit off of Singletary. Meghan Moore reached on an error, and after a pair of force-outs, Tucker sliced a double to left-centerfield that put the visitors up 2-0.

Ludlum walked to start the West Bladen fourth, and sophmore Carley Dawson drilled a line drive over the centerfield fence for a 2-run home run that tied the game 2-2.

Haley Witham drew a one-out walk in the Lady Pam Pack fifth. Meghan Horton appeared to be called out on a fouled bunt attempt with 2 strikes, but after a consultation with the base umpire, the attempt was ruled a slap.

Horton eventually advanced the runner to second with a slap, and Bailey dumped a single into centerfield that plated Witham with the go-ahead run.

Jada Lodge’s towering 2-out pop-up was dropped with 2 runners on base in the sixth and they both scored on the play for a 5-2 Washington lead.

Jordan Pierce walloped a 2-run homer over the leftfield fence to highlight a 3-run seventh for the Lady Pam Pack that padded the lead to 8-2.

Sophmore Conner Brisson ripped a single to centerfield to begin the West Bladen seventh. Two outs later senior Kassidy Anderson smacked a single to centerfield.

Senior Logan Autry beat out an infield hit to load the bases. Ludlum cracked a single to centerfield that scored Brisson, but the throw back in picked off a baserunner for the final out.

“I am really proud of this team,” continued Coach Autry. “They didn’t quit. They kept fighting. We played a really good team tonight.”

Singletary pitched a complete game for West Bladen allowing 7 hits and 2 walks, while striking out two. However four Lady Knight errors led to four unearned runs for Washington.

Tucker struck out nine in her complete-game 8-hitter for Washington.

Pait batted 2-3 to lead the Lady Knight hitters. Anderson finished 2-4 at the plate, and Carley Dawson slugged the 2-run homer. Ludlum cracked the run-scoring single and scored a run. Brisson singled and scored, and Autry had the other West Bladen hit.

Harris batted 2-3 with a home run and 3 runs batted in to lead Washington. Tucker finished 2-3 at the plate with a double, a run scored and a run batted in. Mary B. Dixon singled and scored 3 runs. Pierce also blasted a 2-run homer.

The Lady Knights completed their season with a 20-4 record. “This is a great group of girls as good as I have ever coached – both-on-and-off the field,” added Autry.

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