Spartans get key hit in sixth inning

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on June 7, 2014 11:08 PM

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RALEIGH -- A three-run, first-inning outburst sent the jam-packed Charles B. Aycock stands into a frenzy Friday evening.

That enthusiasm soon turned to anguish.

Sun Valley answered with a five-run uprising of its own in the same inning, and held on for a 6-5 victory in Game 1 of the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A softball championship series at Walnut Creek.

"That right there was a close ballgame given the things that didn't go our way (and) the things that did go our way," CBA head coach Emily Burke said. "We don't make any errors and it's a completely different ballgame."

Just one of two defensive miscues proved costly.

An overthrow on a base hit to right field helped the Spartans (25-5 overall) grab a 5-3 lead during the opening inning. The western regional champions also profited from two bases-loaded walks and a hit batsman issued by starting pitcher Allie Phillips.

Phillips settled down after the first and held Sun Valley scoreless until Courtney Dean drilled a game-deciding, RBI triple to deep right field in the bottom of the sixth. It was Sun Valley's lone hit with a runner in scoring position in 11 chances.

"I don't know if that was jitters," Burke said of Phillips. "I think she was struggling a little bit with her control in that first inning."

Aycock (21-4) collected six hits against Sun Valley left-hander Brittany Pickett, who threw a complete game. Keeley Fulghum batted 3-for-3 with three RBI and Allison Shingleton provided two hits.

Senior Cierra Harris legged out a first-inning bunt.

The Golden Falcons pulled within 5-4 on Fulghum's RBI single in the second. An infield error allowed Aycock to forge a 5-5 tie in the third.

"I thought we came out and made them make mistakes, we ran well and had a little base-running error that cost us ... still not sure what happened with the call at third," Burke said.

Shingleton started the Aycock fifth with a single up the middle. Abbie Walton sacrificed her to second, but Shingleton over ran the bag and got hung up between shortstop and third base.

The Spartans chased down Shingleton who slid into third and wrapped her arm around the bag. The home plate umpire called Shingleton out on the play.

Burke argued the call to no avail.

Aycock went quietly in the sixth and put runners aboard in the seventh. But Pickett induced a fielder's choice groundout and game-ending strikeout to put the Spartans in the driver's seat in the best-of-three series.

The Golden Falcons stranded nine runners and batted 2 for 9 with those players in scoring position.

"Two good-hitting ball teams really, and, two good ball teams from the mound," Burke said. "They didn't hit us as well as the runs show. We made some overthrows that really cost us ... something we worked on all week, but if you don't execute it on the field unfortunately those things can hurt you."