Orange Softball

Kayla Hodges: For the first time since they joined the Colonial Athletic Association in 2014, the Elon women’s soccer team won the CAA Tournament championship on Saturday. The Phoenix defeated UNC Wilmington 1-0 at Tiger Field on Towson, MD. Hodges earned the start on an Elon defensive back line that held the Seahawks to two shots on goal. In addition, Hodges was named 2nd-team All-Colonial Athletic Association for the season as a midfielder. Elon is 6-3 and will await their selection to the NCAA Women’s College Cup. The selection show will be Monday night. The tournament begins April 27.

Mia Davidson: Mia Davidson reached another milestone for the Mississippi State softball team over the weekend. During Sunday’s game at Missouri, Davidson reached 200 hits for her Bulldog career with a home run to left field. It was Davidson’s 63rd career home run, which leaves her four behind Rafael Palmerio on Mississippi State’s all-time home run list, baseball and softball. Missouri swept the three-game series against Mississippi State. On Sunday, the Tigers held on for a 6-5 win. Davidson went 1-for-2. In a doubleheader on Saturday, Missouri won the opener 5-2 and the nightcap 4-3. Davidson went 0-for-3 in each game. This season, Davidson is hitting .304 in 41 games. She has eleven home runs and 25 RBIs.

Montana Davidson: Montana started both games of Saturday’s doubleheader for Mississippi State at third base. She went 0-for-2 in both games. Mississippi State is 22-19 overall, 0-12 in the Southeastern Conference. The Bulldogs will host Jackson State in a doubleheader on Tuesday.

Tori Dalehite: The UNC Greensboro softball team swept a three-game series against Chattanooga at Frost Stadium in Tennessee. The Spartans swept a doubleheader on Saturday against the Mocs. In the opening game, Dalehite entered the game as a pinch runner and scored off a groundout by Maycin Brown to help the Spartans win 6-3. In the second game, Dalehite scored another run as a pinch runner. Dalehite touched the plate off a three-run homer from Kayleigh Willis. UNC Greensboro battled back from a 5-0 deficit to win 8-6 in nine innings. The Spartans are 21-14 overall, 6-3 in the Southern Conference.

Jaden Hurdle: Two former Orange High teammates found themselves on opposite sides on Saturday. Hurdle, a first baseman for Patrick Henry Community College, faced Catawba Valley Community College, led by former Lady Panther second baseman Grace Andrews in Martinsville, VA. Patrick Henry swept the doubleheader, capturing the opener 3-2 in eight innings, where Hurdle went 0-for-3. Patrick Henry edged the Red Hawks in the second game 7-6. Hurdle pitched the nightcap, earned the victory and added a two-run home run. She threw a complete game, allowing six runs off six hits. Hurdle struck out three to improve to 3-1.

On Sunday, Patrick Henry split a doubleheader with Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute. Caldwell won the opener 3-2. Hurdle went 1-for-3. The Patriots earned the split with a 10-9 walkoff win in the nightcap. Hurdle hit a two-run homer in the 2nd inning. She finished 2-for-3 with 2 RBIs. Hurdle also started the second game as pitcher and came away with a no decision. Hurdle threw four-and-one-thirds innings and surrendered eleven hits and eight runs with two walks. Patrick Henry won off a walkoff home run from Carley Gravely. In 26 games, Hurdle is hitting .385 with six home runs and 22 RBIs. Patrick Henry is 12-15 overall, 7-5 in Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association.

Grace Andrews: As for Andrews, she went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer for the Red Hawks in the opening game against Patrick Henry. In the second game, Andrews went 2-for-3 with another home run and a double. She scored twice. On Sunday, Catawba Valley swept a doubleheader against Surry Community College in Dobson. In the opening 3-1 win, Andrews went 1-for-2 with a run scored and two walks. The Red Hawks won the second game 6-5 in ten innings. Andrews went 2-for-5 with two runs scored. Currently, Andrews is fifth in Region X of the NJCAA with a .488 batting average. She is tied for 10th (along with Hurdle and several others) with six home runs. Andrews leads Catawba Valley and is 7th in Region X with 42 hits. Catawba Valley is now 17-9 overall, 8-6 in Region X.

Phillip Berger: Berger earned two wins in a three-game series for Division III William Peace over Methodist. On Saturday at the USA Baseball Complex in Cary, Berger came on in relief and threw the ninth inning. He set down the Monarchs in order with one strikeout. Peace got a walkoff single from Alec Seaton in the bottom of the ninth. Berger improved to 4-2. On Sunday, Berger made his regularly scheduled start and earned another win in the Pacers’ 7-5 win to open a doubleheader. Berger scattered four hits in six innings to improve to 5-2. He surrendered four runs, three earned with four walks and three strikeouts. Berger now leads Peace with five wins. He also has a 3.83 ERA. Peace is 18-13, 10-4 in the USA South Athletic Conference. The Pacers are two games behind North Carolina Wesleyan for first place in the USA South Athletic Conference East Division.

Olivia Ward: The Methodist women’s tennis team ended its season with an 8-1 win over Mary Baldwin on Sunday. Ward played #1 singles and defeated Alexis Seymore 6-0, 6-0. Last Thursday, Methodist defeated North Carolina Wesleyan 5-4 in Rocky Mount. Ward defeated Ana Aguilar 6-2, 6-2 at #6 singles. On April 9, Ward won again as Methodist defeated Averett 7-1. Ward, competing at #6 singles, won over Nakia Lee-Goodall 6-1, 6-1. Ward ended her freshman year at Methodist with a five-match winning streak. She ended the year 5-7 in singles, 1-1 in doubles.

In just her second varsity start, Orange 2nd baseman had the game-winning hit and the biggest defensive play in a classic game against Cedar Ridge on Friday night at Red Wolves Softball Stadium. After Cedar Ridge made an improbable comeback with seven runs in the 7th inning, Shaffer knocked in Mary Moss Wirt with a single to left field. Later in the inning, Shaffer scored off a single by Serenity McPherson. In the bottom of the ninth, Cedar Ridge had runners at first and second base with no one out, Shaffer caught a fading soft liner, then threw to first baseman Gracie Colley for a double play. The Lady Panthers maintained an undefeated record. They also had a regular season sweep of the Red Wolves for the first time since 2017. It was only the second win for Orange at Cedar Ridge since 2016. Orange, 8-0, will travel to Northwood on Tuesday.

Kayla Hodges: On Thursday afternoon, the Elon women’s soccer team surprised top-seeded Hofstra 1-0 in the semifinals of the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament in Towson, MD. Hodges, who was named the Colonial Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Week earlier this season, started for the Phoenix on defense. Claire Broderdop scored the game’s only goal in the 78th minute. It’s the first time that Elon ever defeated Hofstra. The Phoenix is now 5-3 and will face UNC Wilmington for the Colonial Athletic Association championship on Sunday afternoon.

Taylin Jean: The Division II Limestone women’s soccer team came to an end with a 1-0 loss to Queen’s University in the semifinals of the South Atlantic Conference Tournament last Thursday. Jean, a goalkeeper, didn’t play against the Royals. She earned the victory in net during Limestone’s final win of the season, a 2-1 win over Lincoln Memorial on April 5.

Jordan Rogers: The Division III William Peace women’s soccer team had its season end against Mary Baldwin on March 26. This season, Rogers started in all eight games for the Pacers. She played 443 minutes. Peace finished 3-5 overall, 2-4 in the USA South Athletic Conference.

Bailey Lucas: The Meredith volleyball team’s season came to an end on Wednesday in the semifinals of the USA Southeast Division Tournament. Averett defeated the Avenging Angels 3-1 on scores of 26-24, 21-25, 25-23, 25-20 inside the Grant Center in Danville, VA. Lucas ended her junior season by starting the final game of the season. She compiled 16 assists, 15 digs and one kill. Lucas led the team with 314 assists this year. She was fourth in the squad with 108 digs. Meredith ends the year 9-5.

Mia Davidson: The Mississippi State softball team won both of its midweek games this week. The Bulldogs defeated Samford 8-5 in Birmingham, AL on Tuesday. Davidson went 1-for-4 with an RBI single in the 7th inning. On Wednesday, Mississippi State edged Southern Miss 3-2 in eight innings at Nusz Park in Starkville, MS. Davidson went 1-for-3 with a single in the 1st inning, and eventually scored.

Montana Davidson: Montana hit an RBI single in the fourth inning for Mississippi State against Samford. In the third inning, Montana scored in the third inning off an RBI single by Fa Leilua. She finished 1-for-2 with an RBI against Samford. Against Southern Miss, Montana went 0-for-2 with a walk. Mississippi State is 22-16 and will travel to Missouri this weekend searching for its first Southeastern Conference win of the season.

Brandon Andrews: The former Cedar Ridge pitcher made his debut for Jacksonville State last month. In one-thirds of an inning, Andrews gave up three runs off two hits as the Gamecocks lost to Kennesaw State 12-10 at Stillwell Stadium in Kennesaw, GA on March 24. After two seasons and 37 relief appearances at Nicholls State, Andrews transferred to Jacksonville State last summer. He redshirted last season with Nicholls State. Jacksonville State is 16-15, 7-5 in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Gamecocks will travel to Eastern Kentucky this weekend.

Kate Burgess: Burgess, a former center for the Orange women’s basketball team and cross country runner, is now a member of the UNC rowing team. On March 27, UNC’s 1V4+ quad earned its first win of the season over UCF at Virginia’s South Fork River Reservoir in Charlottesville, VA. Burgess was in the 2V4 race, joined by freshman coxswain Isabelle McGimsey, along with Gigi Maroney, Nicole Van Liew and Claire Melgard. They finished the race in 8:10.9. UCF’s team finished in 8:05.7.

Jaylin Jones: The Division III Pfeiffer men’s lacrosse team defeated Greensboro College 18-8 at Lefko Field in Misenheimer on Wednesday. Jones, who played football and lacrosse at Orange, had two ground balls for the Falcons. Pfeiffer improved to 8-1 overall, 6-0 in the USA South Athletic Conference. Pfeiffer will face Methodist in Fayetteville on Saturday.

The Orange softball team has won the Big 8 Championship and it wasn’t close.

On Tuesday, the Lady Panthers rolled past Vance County 11-1 in five innings in Hillsborough to officially clinch the title.

But that’s only part of the story.

Among the ten players on Orange Coach Johnny Barefoot’s lineup card on Tuesday, there were two freshmen, four sophomores, and three juniors. The only senior was first baseman Gracie Colley, who was at first base and wasn’t even in the batting order.

The conference title may only be the beginning for a team that is still young in terms of class, but has grown wise through years of summer travel ball and success in various middle schools.

When the season started a month ago, no one was sure what to expect since it was a new chapter for Hillsborough softball. Cedar Ridge lost five seniors after the pandemic-shortened season in 2020. Orange lost six, including two starters from its 2017 3A State Championship team.

Lady Panthers Coach Henry Horn retired shortly after the season was canceled. Barefoot replaced Horn. It was his first high school head coaching job.

“A lot of people thought we were young with new coaches,” Barefoot said. “Some might have thought with a new staff, we wouldn’t do very well. But I knew what was here and I knew what was coming with me. I was praying that COVID wouldn’t shut us down because I knew we could put the chemistry together. I had it in the back of my mind that we were capable of winning this conference.”

Orange’s last outright Big 8 Championship team was the 2017 state title squad, but it was a different time. For one thing, the regular season race was a full-fledged 14-game season, not a 7-game campaign sawed in half because of a pandemic. In 2017, there were four seniors in the starting lineup, along with freshmen Jaden Hurdle and Grace Andrews. The Panthers of Eddie Davidson went 26-3, but lost a conference game to J.F. Webb. They held off Northwood 3-0 in Pittsboro.

It was a stronger league back then. Nonetheless, the 2021 Orange team (7-0, 6-0 in the Big 8 Conference) has dominated its league counterparts with all the suspense of a mid-1980s Super Bowl blowout.

They’ve won all seven games by at least ten runs. None of the contests have gone beyond five innings.

With the Big 8 Championship now in the bag, Orange finds itself in a unique position. They have four more games against league opponents that won’t count as conference games, starting with Friday’s trip to Cedar Ridge. To get a sense of what awaits Orange in the 3A State Playoffs, Barefoot has scheduled a nonconfernece game at Southern Alamance on April 28 to guard against letdown.

“I was talking to the girls about it after Tuesday night,” Barefoot said. “I told them we’re going to work hard and take the rest of this season to prepare. Anybody in our conference can come up and knock our feet out from under us. I told them that. We have got to keep practicing hard and playing hard.”

Against Vance County, Barefoot installed freshman Caden Robinson in the pitching circle, where she improved to 4-0. In her fourth complete game, Robinson struck out eight, and allowed four hits and one unearned run with zero walks.

Vance County’s Tymiah Wimbush scored the game’s opening run in the 1st inning after she reached on an error. Pitcher Blake Vick drove her in on a fielder’s choice groundout. The Vipers had only three singles the rest of the day.

Orange took the lead in the second inning with two runs. After a leadoff infield single by Mary Moss Wirt, Savannah Wynn reached on a fielder’s choice. Right fielder Gracie Walker hit a grounder up the middle that reached the fence to bring in Wynne. Designated player Kelsey Tackett, who finished 3-for-3 with two runs scored, drove in Walker with a double that reached the fence in left centerfield.

The Lady Panthers added two more runs in the third. After sophomore shortstop Carson Bradsher pushed a drag bunt to shortstop, Robinson walked. Catcher Lauren Jackson reached on a throwing error to score Bradsher and courtesy runner Courtney Watkins.

Tackett opened the fourth inning with an infield single, freshman Delaney Shaffer lined a double to left centerfield to bring in Tackett and increase Orange’s lead to 5-1. Bradsher legged out an infield single to shortstop to bring in Shaffer. After Robinson walked, Jackson lined a 1-1 fastball to right field to bring in two runs. Wirt, who moved to third base for this game, reached on an error, leading to Bree Harris, running in place of Jackson, scoring.

Orange ended the game with two more runs in the fifth to complete the run-rule victory. Tackett and Shaffer opened with singles. McPherson looped a 0-1 pitch to right field, bringing in Tackett. Bradsher plated Shaffer with a single to right field.

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is center fielder Serenity McPherson. Last week, Orange gained the inside track on taking the Big 8 Championship with a 13-3 win in five innings over Northern Durham on April 6. In that game, McPherson went 3-for-4 with a triple and a three-run homer that broke the game open. McPherson also threw out a runner at the plate from centerfield. On Wednesday, the Lady Panthers defeated East Chapel Hill 17-0 in three innings at Wildcat Softball Field. McPherson went 3-for-4 with a double. As a sophomore, McPherson is hitting .520. She’s second on the team with 13 hits. Even though she’s the lead off batter, she’s still second on the squad with 11 RBIs. She’s also tied for the team lead with two home runs. Orange has wrapped up the Big 8 Conference Championship. McPherson also won an Orange-Person Athletic Conference Championship in her eighth grade year at Stanford Middle School. Orange will travel to Cedar Ridge on Friday afternoon at 5:30. You can hear that game here on Hillsboroughsports.com.

Brittany Daley: The former Cedar Ridge soccer star started for the Greensboro College Pride against Pfeiffer on Saturday. The Pride defeated the Falcons 2-0 at Pride Field to win the USA South East Division Championship. Daley played the full 90 minutes as Greensboro ended its abbreviated spring season with a win. Daley started all eight games that Greensboro played this spring. She played the maximum 740 minutes as the Pride finished 6-1-1. Ordinarily, Greensboro would be preparing to play for the NCAA Division III Tournament, but the event was canceled this year. Daley will start her senior season with the Pride this fall when play hopefully returns to normal.

Kayla Hodges: The Elon Phoenix women’s soccer team defeated William & Mary 2-0 at the Dillard Complex in Williamsburg, VA on Saturday. With the win, Elon clinched a spot in the Colonial Athletic Association postseason tournament. Hodges started her seventh game of the season. The Phoenix is 4-3 overall, 3-1 in the CAA. Elon will face Hofstra, on Thursday in Towson, MD in the semifinals of the CAA Tournament.

Landon Riley: The Liberty baseball team completed a three-game sweep of Lipscomb at Worthington Field in Lynchburg, VA over the weekend. Riley appeared in two games and was used as a setup man instead of the closer role that had been customary so far this year. On Friday in the Flames 4-1 win, Riley faced one batter, who grounded into a double play. On Sunday in the Flames 5-4 win, Riley threw the eighth inning and allowed one hit. He retired the other three batters he faced. Liberty currently leads the Atlantic Sun Conference with a 7-1 record, one game ahead of Kennesaw State for first place.

Phillip Berger: The winningest pitcher in Cedar Ridge history earned his third win of the season for Division III William Peace on Friday. The Pacers defeated Mary Baldwin 14-2 in five innings in the second game of a doubleheader in Stauton, VA. Berger threw four innings. He struck out six and allowed two runs off four hits. Berger is 3-2 with a 3.83 ERA for the Pacers this season. The Pacers improved to 13-12.

Mia Davidson: After its weekend series against Tennessee was canceled, the Mississippi State softball team arranged a doubleheader against #1 Oklahoma and Louisiana Tech in Ruston, LA on Saturday. Against La. Tech, Davidson went 0-for-3. Mississippi State won 2-0 behind a no-hitter by pitcher Annie Willis. Against the Sooners, Davidson went 0-for-1 with a walk. Oklahoma won 9-0 in five innings.

Montana Davidson: Montana started at third base against Louisiana Tech and went 0-for-2 with a sacrifice bunt. Against Oklahoma, Montana went 0-for-1. Mississippi State is 20-16 and will travel to Samford on Tuesday.

Jalen Hurdle: On Saturday, the Patrick Henry Community College softball team split a doubleheader with Spartanburg Methodist. Hurdle threw a three-hit shutout in the second game as the Patriots won 11-0. Hurdle struck out three over five innings and allowed only one walk. She also went 1-for-3 with an RBI single. It was the second pitching win of Hurdle’s career. The Pioneers won the first game 11-6. Hurdle finished 2-for-4 with an RBI. Patrick Henry is now 10-14 overall, 4-4 in Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association.

Marvin Jones: The North Carolina Central track & field team competed in the Aggie Invitational at North Carolina A&T University in Greensboro on Saturday. Jones earned a fourth place finish in the high jump with a 2.05-meter jump. Hoova Taylor of Virginia State finished first with a jump of 2.10 meters.

Bailey Lucas: The Division III Meredith volleyball team ended the regular season with a doubleheader sweep of Mary Baldwin in the Physical Activity Center in Stauton, VA on Sunday. The Avenging Angels won the first match 3-1 on scores of 25-17, 17-25, 25-18 and 27-25. Lucas came off the bench in the first match and finished with 20 assists and seven digs. Meredith swept the final match on scores of 25-13, 25-21 and 25-11. Lucas had three kills, 15 assists and four digs. The Avenging Angels end the regular season 9-4 overall, 6-2 in the USA South Athletic Conference. Meredith now enters the USA South East Division Championship as the #3 seed. They will travel to face second-seeded Averett on Wednesday.

Taylin Jean: The former Cedar Ridge goalkeeper returned to action for Division II Limestone on Monday night. The Saints defeated Lincoln Memorial University 2-1 in Harrogate, TN. Jean earned the win after she played 98 minutes. It was her first win of the season. On April 1, Jean came on as a substitute for starter Katie Maher in a 1-0 loss to Queen’s University at Saints Field. Limestone is 5-2 overall, 4-2 in the South Atlantic Conference.

Brittany Daley: The Division III Greensboro College women’s soccer team defeated North Carolina Wesleyan 3-2 in the USA South Athletic Conference East Division Finals on Saturday. Daley played in her 41st career game for the Pride. Greensboro will face Pfeiffer for the USA South East Division Championship on Saturday.

Kayla Hodges: The Elon women’s soccer team defeated the College of Charleston 1-0 at Patriot’s Point Stadium in Mt. Pleasant, SC on Sunday. Hodges was one of six Elon players to play the entire match. The Phoenix is now 3-3 overall, 2-1 in the Colonial Athletic Conference. Elon will travel to William & Mary on Saturday.

Landon Riley: The Liberty baseball team defeated Wake Forest 8-4 on Wednesday at Worthington Field in Lynchburg, VA. Riley finished out the game with a scoreless ninth inning. He surrendered one hit and one walk. Liberty is now 4-1 against ACC teams. This was Riley 10th appearance in 2020. He still has not surrendered a run. In eleven innings, Riley has given up five hits and five walks with 12 strikeouts. Opponents are hitting .135 against him. The Flames are 18-8, 5-1 in the Atlantic Sun Conference. They will host Lipscomb for a three-game weekend series starting Friday.

Cooper Porter: The Pensacola State Junior College baseball team defeated Gulf Coast State College 4-3 on Wednesday night. Porter started in right field and finished 1-for-4 with a run scored. On Tuesday, Pensacola State defeated Gulf Coast 3-1 in Panama City, FL. Porter went 2-for-3 with a walk. In the last six games in which he’s played, Porter has had a base hit. (He sat out last weekend’s series against Northwest Florida State College) In 12 games, Porter has increased his average to .290. Pensacola State is 18-14, 8-3 in the Panhandle Conference.

Mia Davidson: The Mississippi State softball team rallied to defeat Central Arkansas 4-3 at Nusz Park in Starkville, MS on Wednesday. Davidson passed Will Clark in MSU baseball and softball history with her 62nd career home run in the fifth inning. Davidson needs only three more home runs to enter the SEC all-time top five. Davidson finished 2-for-4 with a double, putting her at 197 career hits. On Monday, Southeastern Louisiana defeated Mississippi State 6-4 in Hammond, LA. Davidson finished 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI against the Golden Lions.

Montana Davidson: Montana started at 3rd base for Mississippi State against Southeastern Louisiana and finished 0-for-3. She also started against Central Arkansas on Wednesday. Mississippi State’s weekend series against Tennessee has already been canceled because of COVID-19 protocols within the Volunteers program.

Jaden Hurdle: The Patrick Henry Community College softball team split a doubleheader against Pitt Community College in Winterville on Tuesday. Pitt captured the nightcap 5-3. In that game, Hurdle hit a solo homer for PHCC. She finished 2-for-3 with a double and the dinger. Hurdle also started in the Patriots’ 3-0 win over the Bruisers in the opener. She went 0-for-4. Hurdle is now hitting .390 with four home runs and 16 RBIs in 20 games. Patrick Henry is 9-13 overall, 4-4 in Region 10 of the National Junior College Athletic Association. This weekend, Patrick Henry will travel to Spartanburg Methodist for a Saturday doubleheader.

Bailey Lucas: The Division III Meredith College volleyball team swept Methodist in a senior day doubleheader at Weatherspoon Gym in Raleigh on Friday. Meredith took the first match 3-2 on scores of 20-25, 25-23, 26-24, 21-25 and 15-8. Lucas started and finished with two kills, 28 assists and seven digs. The Avenging Angels also won the second match 3-1 on scores of 22-25, 32-30, 25-15 and 25-20. In the final match, Lucas started and registered three kills, 24 assists and eight digs. Meredith is 7-4 overall, 4-2 in the USA South Athletic Conference. They wrap up the regular season with a trip to Mary Baldwin for a doubleheader on Sunday. Lucas leads the team with 263 assists. She is fourth on the squad with 82 digs.

Dylan Boyer: The #17 Queen’s University men’s lacrosse team lost to #20 Limestone 11-5 at Saints Field in Gaffney, S.C. on Wednesday night. Boyer, a freshman with the Royals, came in as a reserve and fired one shot. Queens is now 6-4 overall, 6-2 in the South Atlantic Conference.

At least Northern Durham can say they were the first team to lead against Orange this season. In a campaign that has quickly turned into a Panther domination, the fact that the Knights gave the Lady Panthers its first dose of adversity for 2021 has to count for something.

But even when early fortunes aren’t going Orange’s way, Johnny Barefoot’s Lady Panthers have proven that they’ll simply create their own luck when the situation warrants it.

When all was said and done Tuesday, Orange still hasn’t had a game go beyond five innings this year. And the Lady Panthers are all alone in first place.

With the Big 8 Championship likely on the line due to the league’s peculiar setup this season, the Orange softball team scored ten unearned runs to defeat Northern 13-3 in five innings at Orange Softball Field on Tuesday night. With the win, the Lady Panthers are one game ahead of Northern with two conference games remaining.

Sophomore centerfielder Serenity McPherson laced a three-run homer over the centerfield wall to cap a five-run 2nd inning for Orange, where the Lady Panthers got all of its offense with two outs. Senior third baseman Emma Puckett, who finished 3-for-3, started the rally with a fly ball to right field that fell between three Northern players.

Orange pitcher Gracie Walker improved to 3-0 on the season with a complete game six-hitter.

Orange and Northern came into the game tied for first place in the Big 8 Conference with identical 4-0 records. It was certainly the biggest game for the Lady Panthers since 2019, when they faced D.H. Conley in the second round of the 3A State Playoffs in Greenville. The kicker is that two years ago, the majority of Orange’s starting lineup was at Stanford Middle School.

“I knew what was at stake, but I kept it quiet from them,’ Barefoot said. “Now that we’ve won this one, we just need to beat Vance County and it will be a done deal.”

Still, the big game dynamic was new for some Lady Panthers. Against a Northern team that started five seniors, the nerves were apparent early. Catcher Abi Walker doubled down the right field line to open the game against Walker, who had to shield her eyes from the fading sun behind home plate to catch the signals from catcher Lauren Jackson. After Northern’s Macy Ellis walked, second baseman Aubrey Clayton connected on a long single that brought in Walker. Ellis later scored on a groundout by Kassidy Smith to push Northern’s lead to 2-0.

It was the first time this year that Orange trailed.

On the very first pitch of Orange’s initial at-bat, McPherson slapped a line drive down the left field line for a triple. Shortstop Carson Bradsher looped a shallow fly to left field that was caught by Northern’s Alana Holland, and McPherson scored on the tag-up.

After Northern’s two runs in the first, the sun had faded into the trees, and Walker allowed only five baserunners the rest of the game. She retired eleven of the next 13 Knights she faced.

It appeared Orange would go quietly in the second after their first two batters were retired. Then Puckett singled, and Walker reached on a dropped ball by a Northern infielder. Designated player Kelsey Tackett hit a fly ball to centerfielder, which was also dropped and led to Puckett coming in to tie the game. Then McPherson delivered the pivotal blow of the night, a three-run blast to centerfield that carried all the way down to the old football practice field, valuting Orange ahead 5-2.

Bradsher lined a 1-1 fastball to right field and flew around the bases, eventually getting caught in a rundown between third and home plate. Bradsher took advantage of a low throw on the subsequent rundown to slide into home plate safely and put Orange ahead 6-2.

Orange added three more runs in the third. Jackson reached on an error. After Savannah Wynne got an infield hit on a bunt, Emma Puckett got aboard off a fly ball to left field, bringing in courtesy runner Delaney Shaffer. Walker sent a ground ball to shortstop, where Ellis made a diving stop for the out, but also scored Wynne. Tackett grounded an RBI single to centerfield to bring Puckett home and push the Lady Panthers lead to 9-2.

After Jackson started the fourth by reaching on another error, junior second baseman Mary Moss Wirt lined a double over the centerfielder’s head to score Shaffer. Puckett stroked a 1-1 fastball to left field for her second RBI, scoring Wynne.

Bradsher scored the game’s final run in the fifth. After she singled up the middle, Caden Robinson lined a comebacker off the left leg of Smith in the circle. The ball ricocheted off Smith’s leg into foul ground along third base, and Bradsher raced around the bases to put Orange ahead 13-3 to complete another run-rule victory. Smith walked off the field without help.

Orange will travel to East Chapel Hill on Wednesday. Since only the first matchups between two teams count in the conference standings, this will be a nonconfernece game. Orange defeated East Chapel Hill 14-1 on March 16 in Hillsborough.

Orange has two more conference games remaining. The first is against Vance County next Tuesday and the other against Southern Durham on a date to be determined.