Orange Softball

Featuring Marlee Rakouskas, Jaden Hurdle, Rachel Tilley and Ian Johnson.

In this edition of Thanksgiving wishes, we hear from Orange’s Cooper Porter, Grace Andrews and Taylor Montague, along with Cedar Ridge’s Anaya Carter.

“She shall strip her sleeves and show her scars and say these wounds I had. And the good story shall be told from mother to her daughter, for what shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we sisters. For she who sheds her blood with me today shall be my sister.” –From Henry V by William Shakespeare. (The gender language was changed for the purpose of this story)

Overcoming life’s obstacles is the best the human spirit can offer. It’s something Jaden Hurdle has become all too familiar with in her young life.

On Tuesday night, Hurdle sat down at a table inside the Orange High Library flanked by her mother Angie, whom Jaden calls her “personal cheerleader” and “best friend.” Angie isn’t hard to find in the summer. She’s the one sitting in the bleachers wearing a “proud to be her mother” tank top to her daughter’s games.

To Jaden’s left was her father, Ron, whom she called “her hero” that devoted endless hours of practice in their backyard batting cage.

Surrounding them was dozens of longtime friends, family and supporters from the Caldwell community, and throughout Orange County.

Hurdle formally signed with Patrick Henry Community College to play softball in Martinsville, VA, roughly 90 minutes from her home.

Trips to Virginia is second nature for the Hurdle family. Ron drove Jaden to Danville, twice a week, just so she could practice with her travel team through the last five years.

“Patrick Henry is getting a person of the highest character,” said Orange assistant principal Will Okun. “Jaden is somebody who treats people just how they want to be treated. She represents the best of what Orange High is and we’re excited to see what happens next.”

Some people, including Orange Coach Henry Horn, know Jaden only as “J.J.” It was a name that her aunt, Janice Hall, called her as an adolescent. Not even Janice can remember why she called her that to begin with, but it stuck. 

“I want to thank my mom for being my personal cheerleader and being at every one of my games that she could come to,” Hurdle said. “She always had my favorite sacks at every tournament and made sure we had everything we needed.”

As the laughs blended in with the tears during the ceremony, there was no mistaking how much Jaden has overcome to reach the next phase of her life.

Over the course of four years, she’s tore her ACL twice, undergoing surgery again last summer. Hurdle started as a freshman first baseman for the 2017 state championship team, the only female squad to win a state title in Orange history.

She’s a three-time All-Big 8 Conference performer with a career batting average of .437. At Stanford Middle School, Hurdle was the team MVP twice. She was even the Orange “Ag Queen.” 

Of course, in a perfect world, this wouldn’t have been the first time that Jaden would have been an instrumental part of a college signing ceremony. 

But it isn’t a perfect world. 

Her sister, Kacie, was a pitcher for Orange softball who was tragically killed in December 2012. As a tribute, she wears Kacie’s #14.

“She is the face of what adversity is and what it means to be resilient in life,” said Orange assistant coach Amber Palmer, who tried but failed to hold back tears at the podium. “There is no one more deserving of getting this experience than Jayden Hurdle.” 

Because of her most recent surgery, Hurdle’s chances of playing again at Orange are up in the air. Her classmate, Grace Andrews, may take her spot at first base when the season starts in March.

That doesn’t mean she’s done with Orange softball.

Horn plans to have Hurdle around to help Orange’s younger players. 

“It’s been an honor to coach you,” Horn said. “It’s going to be an honor to have you sit on a ball bucket beside me and prep you for college. We’re still going to let you swing a bat. Not in a game, but we’re going to prepare you for college because we owe that for you. You gave us so much more in return.”

Hurdle has a 3.9 grade point average. She is a member of the Link Crew, which supports freshmen starting out at Orange. She is also a member of the Future Farmers of America. 

At the end of her speech, Hurdle remembered her biggest inspiration. 

“I want to thank the coaches who gave me my opportunity to live my dream of being a college athlete and living the dream that my sister was never able to reach,” Hurdle said. “I played for her every time I stepped on the field and dedicate all my hard work to her.”

Orange softball senior Jaden Hurdle signed with Patrick Henry Community College in Martinsville, VA on Tuesday night in a ceremony inside Orange High Library. Hurdle is a three-time All-Big 8 Conference performer with a career batting average of .437. As a freshman, Hurdle started at first base for the 2017 3A State Championship team. In the run to the title, Hurdle belted a two-run homer in game one of the Eastern Regional Championship series against West Brunswick. Hurdle was also a two-time Most Valuable Player for the Stanford Chargers in middle school. Tuesday’s ceremony was attended by many of Jaden!s friends and family, including her mother Angie and her father Ron. Also on hand was Orange assistant principal Will Okun, Orange softball coach Henry Horn and assistants Tonya Daye and Amber Palmer. 

The postseason honors continue to roll in for Cedar Ridge and Orange softball.

The North Carolina Softball Coaches Association have named Cedar Ridge centerfielder Taylor Ruhl, 2nd baseman Tori Dalehite and shortstop Tionna Carter to the 3A All-State Team. In addition, Orange junior shortstop Maddie Bartlett and freshman catcher Lauren Jackson were also named to the All-State squad.

It’s the first time that Carter, Ruhl, Bartlett and Jackson have made the All-State squad. Dalehite was named the 2018 Big 8 Conference Hitter of the Year.

Two weeks ago, Carter, Ruhl, Bartlett, Jackson, and Dalehite were named to the 3A All-District team.

Ruhl was the Big 8 Player of the Year and the District 3 Player of the Year. Cedar Ridge won a school record 21 games and tied with Orange for the Big 8 Conference Championship. The two teams played a tiebreaker game for the top-seed for the state playoffs, which the Red Wolves won 8-3 at Orange Softball Field on May 2.

Ruhl’s emergence as a hitter paved the way for the Red Wolves to have its most successful season in school history. From the opening game of the season against Bartlett Yancey on February 28, she went 2-for-2 and scored three runs with 2 RBIs. Ruhl hit safely in 22 of Cedar Ridge’s 24 games. The only exceptions came in the season-ending loss to eventual 3A state champion Eastern Alamance and, of all teams, Southern Durham.

Ruhl had 21 hits and 18 RBIs in 2018. This season, she had 53 hits and 36 RBIs.

Carter had the game-winning hit against West Johnston, which scored Ruhl, in the opening round of the 3A state playoffs. She hit a career-high .549 with 50 hits and 41 RBIS to conclude her four-year career.

Despite suffering a broken hand at the end of the 2018 season in a playoff loss to West Brunswick, Dalehite continued to play three sports at Cedar Ridge during the 2018-19 academic year. This season, Dalehite hit .544 with 43 hits and 41 RBIs. In Cedar Ridge’s 6-3 win over West Carteret in the 2nd round of the 3A state playoffs, Dalehite laced a two-run double in the 3rd inning. She went 2-for-4 against the Patriots.

After Orange struggled to find a replacement for the incomparable Mia Davidson in 2018, Jackson stepped behind the plate in 2019 and quickly established herself. Jackson led Orange with a 439 batting average and 21 RBIs. She was second on the squad with 25 hits.

Bartlett, the daughter of Jeff and Tonya Bartlett, led Orange with 27 hits. In Orange’s 4-1 win over Jacksonville in the opening round of the 3A state playoffs, Bartlett went 2-for-4 with a solo homer. Bartlett, whose uncle Eddy coached Orange to the 3A State Championship in 2017, was named to the Big 8 All-Conference team for the first time ever.

Hannah Weigle of Northwood was the only other player from the Big 8 Conference to make the 3A All-State team.

For the second year in a row, Grey’s Creek Jaden Pone was named the 3A All-State Player of the Year. Eastern Alamance freshman MaKenna Raye Dark was named the 3A Pitcher of the Year after leading the Eagles to its first state championship in softball.

After leading the Cedar Ridge softball team in hitting this spring, Red Wolves centerfielder Taylor Ruhl has been named the 3A District 3 Player of the Year by the North Carolina Softball Coaches Association.

Orange County is considered within district 3, along with Edgecombe, Franklin, Granville, Durham, Halifax, Johnston, Nash, Person, Northhampton, Vance, Warren, Wake and Wilson Counties.

Ruhl led Cedar Ridge with a .596 batting average as the Red Wolves tied Orange for the Big 8 Conference Championships. Cedar Ridge defeated the Lady Panthers in a special tiebreaker game to determine the #1 seed for the 3A State Playoffs on May 2. Cedar Ridge finished 21-3 overall, reaching the third round of the 3A State Playoffs for the second year in a row.

Ruhl also led the team with 53 hits and tied for the team lead with three triples.

Joining Ruhl on the All-District 3 squad were four Cedar Ridge Red Wolves and five Orange Lady Panthers.

Tori Dalehite: The 2018 Big 8 Hitter of the Year made the All-Big 8 Conference team for the second year in a row. Dalehite led Cedar Ridge with 41 RBIs in 2019 with a .544 batting average and a team-high 17 doubles. She committed to UNC Greensboro last winter.

Tionna Carter: A fourth-year varsity shortstop, Carter had the game-winning hit in the opening round of the 3A state playoff victory over West Johnston on May 7. Carter hit a career-high. 549 (149 points above her previous high) with 50 hits and and 41 RBIs. She played in all 24 of the Red Wolves games.

Takia Nichols: One of three freshmen from Hillsborough to make the All-District team. Nichols led Cedar Ridge with eight home runs, including a monster blast to left field in the 2nd round of the state playoffs against West Carteret on May 10. Nichols started at 3rd base from the season-opener against Bartlett Yancey. She hit .509 with 36 RBIs.

Kara Wagoner: A senior 1st baseman, Wagoner hit .408 with 31 hits, 31 RBIs and 13 doubles. Wagoner committed to play at Montreat last winter. She had a career-hight 35 runs scored. Leaves Cedar Ridge with a career .406 batting average and 23 career doubles. A honor role student and president of the Cedar Ridge Future Farmers of America.

The five players from Orange High included two freshmen, as well as two players who won a state championship in 2017.

Olivia Ruff: Ruff, the only senior from Orange to make the All-District team, hit .389 this season. She had career-highs in hits (21) and RBIs (16). Ruff went 3-for-3 against East Chapel Hill on May 1, which ensured the Lady Panthers a share of the Big 8 Championship for the third time in four years.

Jayden Hurdle: A starter at first base since her freshman season, Hurdle overcame a torn ACL last summer to hit .385 in 2019. Hurdle led Orange with 22 RBIs. Went 4-for 4 with two home runs against East Chapel Hill on March 12 in a 12-0 victory, the Lady Panthers first win of the year. Also earned two pitching wins this season.

Maddie Bartlett: A junior shortstop, Bartlett hit .409. She led the team with 27 hits and eight doubles. Went 2-for-4 with two runs scored in Orange’s win over Jacksonville in the opening round of the 3A state playoffs in Hillsborough. Had ten multi-hit games this season. Daughter of former Orange player Tonya Bartlett.

Lauren Jackson: Led the team with a .439 batting average in her freshman season. Provided the most dramatic moment of the season for Orange with a game-winning single in the 8th inning to drive in Bartlett and defeat Northwood 7-6. The Panthers were down to its last out, trailing 6-5 in the 7th inning before Emma Puckett drove in Ruff. Also led the team with five home runs.

Gracie Walker: The other end of Orange’s all-freshman battery, Walker became the established pitcher as the season stretched on. Walker finished 8-5 with 82 strikeouts and a 2.90 ERA. Her biggest win of the season came against Cedar Ridge, where he gave up five hits and four runs in a complete game win, which led Orange to tie the Red Wolves for 1st place in the Big 8.

For the first time since winning the 3A State Championship in 2017, the Orange softball team won a state playoff game on Tuesday night. Freshman catcher Lauren Jackson homered in the 5th inning as the Lady Panthers defeated Jacksonville 4-1. Shortstop Maddie Bartlett added a solo homer in the 6th. 1st baseman Jaden Hurdle ripped an RBI triple in the 1st inning to score Bartlett, who led off the frame with a bunt single. Orange will travel to Greenville on Friday night to face top-seeded D.H. Conley. We’ll broadcast that game here on Hillsboroughsports.com.

For the third time in four years, the Orange softball team has clinched a share of the Big 8 Championship. On Wednesday night, Orange defeated East Chapel Hill 13-3 to finish the conference season 13-1, tied with crosstown rival Cedar Ridge for 1st place. It was also senior night for Olivia Ruff and Hayley Funk. Ruff, a starter at 3rd base since winning the 2017 3A State Championship, went 3-for-3 in her final regular season game at Orange Softball Field. Funk scored a run as Orange scored eight runs in the 2nd inning to complete a season sweep of East. Now, Orange will focus on a special one-game playoff against Cedar Ridge, which will determine the top seed from the Big 8 Conference for the 3A State Tournament, which starts next week. Orange and Cedar Ridge will play on Thursday night at 6 o’clock at Orange. You can hear the game here on Hillsboroughsports.com starting at 5:55.