Bears earn ECC softball split against Saints

By Brandon Davis
Published in Sports on April 17, 2016 1:47 AM

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DUDLEY -- Three and a half weeks.

Doesn't seem like a long time.

But that's how long Southern Wayne head softball coach James Edmundson believes his team has to adjust without clean-up hitter Rebecca Coor before conference playoffs.

A sophomore, Coor sustained a broken leg in a road win at county rival Eastern Wayne a week ago. Her bat and speed were missed in a 12-4 loss to Eastern Carolina 3-A/4-A Conference foe New Bern on Friday evening.

SW won the previous meeting, 6-5.

Edmundson said the Bears showed up to dominate.

"They're (Bears) a really good team," he said. "Until the first game this year, we hadn't ever beat them. They're a really good team, they hit the ball really well. We made a few errors early in the game, and they got a little momentum.

"We got base runners on. Our girls have been able to get the bunts down in the scoring position, but tonight, for whatever reason, we weren't able to get the big hits."

Edmundson contributed the lack of big hits to Coor sitting in the dugout, with crutches resting beside her. However, her teammates fought during each inning -- even after the first.

The Bears picked up four runs at the top of the first inning, leaving fans wondering if a mercy rule would go into effect.

The Saints marched back in the bottom of the third inning when freshman Dawn Anderson hit the ball to right field and brought in freshman Carley Moore and senior Kelsey Hayes.

Southern Wayne trailed, 5-2.

New Bern wouldn't go away.

Freshman Alexis Monroe hit a line drive to first base and sent home junior Samantha Smith. Senior Leigh Ann Hollar connected on a hit, which scored senior Lauren Lane and Monroe, and pushed New Bern's lead to 8-2.

The Bears collected four more runs in the fifth inning, but the Saints never backed down. Freshman Mackenzie Bryan socked the ball out to center field and brought in Anderson for the Southern Wayne's third run of the game.

Anderson, who pitched seven innings, stepped into a battle with New Bern's Monroe at the top of the sixth inning. The Bears had two outs with the bases loaded. Facing a 3-2 count, Monroe fouled off several pitches before Anderson got the strikeout.

Amber Pfennig scored the Saints' final run on a Bryan single.

"We miss Rebecca's hitting," Edmundson said. "Several times, we have runners on first, second, third when she would have been due up, but again, we hit the ball okay."

The Saints (5-8 overall, 2-2 ECC) travel to Charles B. Aycock on Tuesday.