Sadie Cecil had her game face on as she stepped up to bat for the second time on Monday night.
In possibly her final home game, Cecil’s Orange Panthers were down 3-1 to Person in the Central Conference Tournament quarterfinals.
Her brother, Luke, decided to have a little fun at her expense. Right over the loud speakers, he announce his sister as “Now batting, the Prom Queen, Sadie Cecil.” It was a title Cecil earned during the prom on Saturday night.
Cecil didn’t even crack a smile and roped a single to left field moments later.
“I’ll probably kill him when I get home,” Sadie said afterwards.
Cecil’s mood improved after she drove in the game-tying run in the fourth inning, then added an insurance tally in the sixth as the Lady Panthers defeated Person 6-3 to advance on Monday night in Hillsborough. Cecil scored three runs as Orange fought back from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Rockets for the third time this season.
Freshman Malynne Roemmich threw a complete game four-hitter to earn the win. She allowed only two baserunners after the second inning.
Person’s Madison Snead looped a two-run double that landed just beyond first base down the right field line, scoring Riley Morris and Kenzley Horne to put the Rockets ahead 3-1.
Orange steadily chipped away at its deficit.
After Cecil’s single in the third, Allie Carden belted a two-out triple that rolled to the centerfield fence. The following inning, Addison Guentensberger led off with a double that floated over the head of right fielder Macey Bowes. With two out, junior Hayleigh Hammond dropped a flawless bunt down the third baseline for a single. Cecil laced an RBI single to score Guentensberger to tie the game, but Hammond was thrown out at third by Person left fielder Isabel Castillo.
Allie Carden drew a two-out walk in the sixth. Evelyn George replaced Carden as a courtesy runner. Rhiley Crabtree dropped a single that landed in front of Castillo, who was injured on the play, allowing George to take an extra base. Guentensberger lined a sharp grounder that eluded the shortstop, scoring George to put Orange ahead 4-3.
Orange junior Katie Carden lined a two-run single for insurance in the sixth to score Hammond and Cecil.
Orange will travel to Cedar Ridge on Tuesday night in the semifinals.
Cedar Ridge 19, Walter Williams 1 (3 innings)
There were plenty of milestones for 2nd-seeded Cedar Ridge in an easy victory over Williams in the Central Conference Tournament quarterfinals on Monday night.
Senior Kimber Shambley hit two home runs against the Bulldogs. Shambley earned her 100th career RBI. Shambley delivered her initial dinger in the first inning right after Reagan Remaly laced an RBI single to left field to score Mia Best. Shambley knocked in Remaly again in the second inning with a home run over the right field fence in the second inning.
Shambley is drawing closer to the school record for career RBIs, which is held by Takia Nichols. From 2018-2022, Nichols hit 109 RBIs. Her sophomore season was abbreviated to four games because of the pandemic. Nichols’ junior year contained a limited schedule of 14 games, where she still hit 38 RBIs. She now plays at North Carolina Central.
Cedar Ridge senior pitcher Charlotte Lowry earned her 300th career strikeouts. She faced five batters and struck out four of them. Best closed out the game, retiring the final five batters.
Lowry hit two doubles and finished 3-for-3 with three runs scored. Brittaini Goddard also hit a home run, a two-run blast.
Madeline Galindo-Woodring had an RBI single.
Tuesday’s game will be the third of the season between the Red Wolves and the Lady Panthers. In the other semifinal, Western Alamance will travel to top-seeded Eastern Alamance.