Person 4, Cedar Ridge 3: Whether its volleyball, basketball or softball, women’s sports have proven to be deep in the Central Carolina Conference since its inception in August.
The Cedar Ridge softball team is 1-6 in the CCC after losing to Person on Friday night, yet are still ranked #19 in the 3A East Softball Standings, according to MaxPreps. That’s mainly because Cedar Ridge has Eastern Alamance (#1 in 3A East), Person (#2), Western Alamance (#6) and Orange (#9) as conference rivals.
On Friday night, the Red Wolves nearly pulled off an upset against Person. Cedar Ridge and the Rockets were tied 3-3 at the end of five innings before the Rockets’ Kylie Gould knocked in Taryn Massey with an RBI groundout in the sixth inning for the game-winning run.
In the seventh inning, Person pitcher Lillie Davis set down the Red Wolves in order to ensure the Rockets’ 4-3 win. Person (11-1, 6-1 in the Central Carolina Conference) is in 2nd place in the CCC, one game behind Eastern Alamance.
Cedar Ridge senior Takia Nichols, who recently became the first player in school history to surpass 100 career RBIs, slammed a solo homer to centerfield in the first inning to put the Red Wolves into the early lead. Nichol’s classmate, Olivia Aitkin, followed with a double to right field, but she was stranded at second after Davis racked up consecutive strikeouts to end the inning.
Person tied the game in the bottom of the field inning after a leadoff double by Mariah McCowan, who moved to third base after a wild pitch. Delaney Glover singled on a hard grounder to third base to bring in McCowan.
The Rockets added two more runs in the second inning. Gould laced a one-out single to centerfield. After a wild pitch, Lindsey Melton plated Gould with a single to left field. Melton would steal second base, leading to McCowan sending a liner to centerfield to score Melton to put Person ahead 3-1.
Cedar Ridge chipped away to tie the game. Senior shortstop Ava Lowry launched a solo homer to left field in the top of the fourth inning. The Red Wolves went on to load the bases with two out in the inning when freshman Charlotte Lowry and junior Tori Carden both singled, then Caira Peach was hit by a pitch. Massey, Person’s shortstop, caught a pop-up to end the inning.
Nichols tied the game in the fifth after a leadoff single. Kimber Shambley grounded a two-out single up the middle into centerfield. With a 3-2 count, freshman Reagan Simmons hit a fly ball to right field that dropped for a hit, scoring Nichols.
The Red Wolves will travel to Harnett Central on Monday, then host Northwood on Tuesday and crosstown rival Orange on Friday.
Western Alamance 4, Orange 1: Western Alamance pitcher Taylor Apple, who has committed to play at East Carolina, struck out 15 batters as the Warriors improved to 9-4 overall, 6-2 in the CCC. The Warriors, just 48 hours removed from a win over defending 3A State Champion Southern Alamance, got a two-run homer from Julia Brunton, who finished 2-for-3.
Orange 10, Northwood 0 5 innings: On Wednesday night, Orange played its first game since the end of spring break with a 10-0 win over Northwood. The Lady Panthers got a home run from senior catcher Lauren Jackson, who has announced her commitment to Lenoir-Rhyne College. Jackson also had a double.
Sophomore Caden Robinson, who earned the win as pitcher, also had a home run and finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs. It was the first varsity start for freshman Sadie Cecil, who went 2-for-3 with an RBI single.
Senior Courtney Watkins, starting in left field, finished 2-for-3 with an RBI single.
Orange (6-4, 4-3) will continue a four-game road trip on Tuesday when they go to Burlington to face Williams. On Wednesday, the Panthers head up Highway 57 to face Person in Roxboro, then face Cedar Ridge at Red Wolves Softball Field on Friday night.