The Orange softball team was able to match the Falls Lake offense, but they couldn’t match their power.
Senior Kennedy Teasley hit two home runs, including a two-run blast in the third inning that put Falls Lake ahead for good as the Firebirds defeated Orange 7-4 on Monday night at Orange Softball Field.
It was a disappointing return from Spring Break for Orange, who defeated Person 4-2 in Roxboro on March 24. The Panthers outhit the Firebirds 11-9, led by Senior Carson Bradsher and freshman Katie Carden each picking up three singles.
With an important conference game against Eastern Alamance slated for Tuesday, Orange coach Rachel Peel opted to limit starter Caden Robinson to three innings. Falls Lake catcher Ashbee Standridge lined a single to right field with one out in the third inning. Madison Primm followed with a double that got past a diving Serenity McPherson, who got up limping and eventually left the game. Strandridge came in to score and tied the game. Teasley followed with a home run that landed just before the scoreboard in left field.
Orange, who scored in the opening inning when McPherson slid in safely on a double steal with Bradsher, struck back with two in the third to tie the game. McPherson reached on a single to centerfield. Robinson slammed a fastball off the left field wall to bring in McPherson. After Delaney Shaffer concluded an 11-pitch at-bat with a walk, Carden lined a single up the middle to score Robinson and tie the game.
Brianne Foster entered the game as Orange pitcher in the fourth. Reagan Yancey, the 9th-batter in the Firebirds order, blooped a two-out single to right field that appeared harmless at the time. That changed when Standridge sent a double off the centerfield wall, bringing in Yancey. Primm launched a double off the fence in right field for another RBI, scoring Strandrige and increasing the Firebird lead to 6-3.
Bradsher had two leadoff singles in the latter innings. In the fifth, she legged out an infield single. She reached third after a groundout by Delaney Shaffer. Carden lined a comebacker to pitcher Jolie Sensenig, who couldn’t throw Carden out. Bradsher never stopped running and slid into home plate safely.
Teasley canceled out that run with her second home run, a solo blast to centerfield aided by the wind that was blowing out toward the wall all night.
Teasley threw the final two innings to earn the save.
Orange (6-3) will travel to Eastern Alamance tonight.
Men’s Tennis: Williams 5, Orange 4
In Burlington, the Orange men’s tennis team’s dual match against Walter Williams came down to doubles before the Bulldogs secured a victory.
Orange’s Nathan Pavalonis won at #3 singles in the only match of the night that went three sets. Pavalonis defeated Andrew Brasington 6-4, 0-6, 10-2.
Orange senior Brendon Kassler and freshman Quincy Stanley also won their singles matches to even the dual match 3-3 going into the three doubles matches.
Kassler and Stanley won the only doubles match for Orange, prevailing 8-3. Orange is now 5-5 overall, 1-4 in the CCC.
Men’s Golf: The second CCC dual meet of the season was held at Occoneechee Golf Course in Hillsborugh on Monday afternoon. Walter Williams came in first as a team with a collective score of 154.
Cedar Ridge finished third as a team with 172 strokes. Brad Monschein and Dylan Frochling each shot an 88 over 18-holes. Frochling had a 40 on the front nine. Ward Mann, Rowarn Baker, Eric Swanson and Bryson Koehler also competed for Cedar Ridge.
Orange finished fourth in the team standings. Senior Thomas Loch was the top finisher for Orange with an 83, including a 40 on the front nine. Cooper Zinn carded an 87. Josh Roberts had an 89. Connor McMurtry, R.J.Roemmich and Logan Scarantino also competed for the Panthers.
Christos Katsoudas of Walter Williams was the top individual finisher with a 75.