Orange Softball

What is delayed cannot be denied.

From the day she led the Orange softball team to the 2017 3A State Softball Championship, power has been the theme of Mia Davidson’s career. She still owns the all-time North Carolina record with 53 home runs.

When she started her career at Mississippi State in 2018, Davidson homered on her first day as a college player, an 8-0 win again Omaha at Nusz Park in Starkville. It was her second game as a Bulldog.

Through a pandemic, a head coaching change and an injury to her most prized teammate (her older sister), last week Davidson cemented her name in the Southeastern Conference record book for years to come. She hit her 70th career home run against Southern Illinois on February 18, breaking the all-time SEC record previously held by Lauren Haeger of Florida.

Davidson needed 214 games to break the record. Haeger achieved 70 home runs over the course of 261 games.

“It’s a great achievement,” Davidson, clearly emotional, said after the doubleheader during the Bulldog Classic. “I’m going to cry, oh my goodness. just being here for five years and doing something, especially in one of the best conferences in the country. It’s something amazing. It’s nice. It felt amazing. I was jumping around the bases the whole time.”

Davidson’s 70th dinger was a solo blast in the sixth inning that drew the Bulldogs to within one run of the Salukis, who held on to beat MSU 4-3. Later in the day, Mississippi State defeated Central Arkansas 11-3. In that game, Davidson had a two-run homer in the 2nd inning. It was an emotional moment for an emotional player that has aimed to make the Mississippi State program a better one as she prepares to end her softball career this summer.
“It was nice,” Davidson said. “They (her teammates) all came and gave me a hug. I think some of us starting crying together. It was an amazing feeling. I think just having a strong team and family especially with having my sister there. It was really nice.”

In 2018, Davidson was named the SEC Freshman of the Year after leading the conference with 18 home runs, but it wasn’t an easy transition from Hillsborough. Her older sister, Montana, was sidelined with a knee injury and was forced to take a medical redshirt.

Montana Davidson, who graduated from Orange in 2016, returned the following season, where she and Mia played at Duke Softball Stadium against the college team they grew up rooting for. The year away from Montana wasn’t just a period to recover from a painful injury. It robbed her of precious time to play alongside her sister that neither one of them could get back.

“It was indescribable,” Montana said after an extra innings win over Duke in 2019. “It hit me pretty hard when I couldn’t even travel (with the team due to being hurt).”

While Montana was out, she guided Mia through her first year away from Hillsborough.

“She was pretty much everything for me,” Mia said in 2019. “She would listen when I vented. She would tell me when to calm down and stuff. It was a different experience when she was there.”

Over this past weekend, Mia continued her torrent pace for her senior season. During five games in the Alex Wlcox Memorial at Nusz Park, Davidson hit five home runs. She went 7-for-13 while being walked five times. This season, Davidson has eight homers and 17 RBIs. She is now one RBI away from tying the school record.

On Friday alone, Davidson had four home runs over the course of two games. Against Longwood and Belmont, Davidson went 5-for-6 with eight RBIs. She reached base safely in seven of her eight plate appearances. The only time she was retired all day came when she struck out after her contact lens fell out on the previous pitch.

Against the Lancers, Davidson had a career-high six RBIs while going 4-for-4, including a grand slam. The six RBIs was the third-most in a single-game in school history. The grand slam was the third of her career.

In Sunday’s win over South Alabama, Davidson launched a solo blast to centerfield as the Bulldogs prevailed 5-0.

Mississippi State is 9-7 overall and will continue the season against Mississippi Valley State on Wednesday.

Grace Andrews: The Catawba Valley Community College softball team finally got its season going over the weekend. The Red Hawks swept doubleheaders on consecutive days against the Montreat junior varsity and Pitt Community College. Andrews picked up where she left off last season. Against Montreat on February 16, she went 3-for-3 with three RBIs and two doubles. The Red Hawks won the opener 6-3. In the nightcap, CVCC won 12-0 in five innings. Andrews, who started at third base, went 1-for-3 with an RBI.

On Saturday, the Red Hawks swept a doubleheader from Pitt Community College. In the opener, which CVCC won 2-1, Andrews went 2-for-3 with an RBI double. In the second game, Andrews went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI as the Red Hawks prevailed 9-4. Andrews came away from the first eight games of the season as the leading hitter on the team with a .615 batting average.

Jaden Hurdle: The Patrick & Henry Community College softball team had back-to-back doubleheaders over the weekend. On Saturday, Georgia Military College swept the Patriots on scores of 6-1 and 6-3 in Milledgeville, GA. In the opening game, Hurdle went 0-for-3. She started as pitcher and went six innings with one strikeouts. She surrendered six runs (three earned) off six hits. In the nightcap, Hurdle went 1-for-3.

The following day, Gordon State College swept the Patriots in Barnesville, GA. Hurdle homered in the opening game against the Highlanders, who won 12-7. In the second game, Hurdle went 3-for-4 an RBI. Hurdle also finished the game in the circle throwing the last four innings. She struck out seven.

Braden Homsey: For the second time this year, Homsey won an individual tournament for the Division III Ferrum Wrestling team. Homsey captured the 197-pound championship at the Southeast Wrestling Conference championship on February 5 in Danville, VA. Homsey dominated Averett’s William Baldwin in the championship match, winning via technical fall 21-4. In the opening round, Homsey defeated Cache Holmes of Southern Virginia via pinfall in 2:11. Homsey had a major decision over Max Steele of Greensboro College 15-4 in the semifinals. On Friday, Ferrum won a senior day dual match over Shenandoah 34-10 at Swartz Gym in Ferrum, VA. Homsey pinned Troy Gibson in 2:15. The Panthers are 6-6.

Jamar Davis: Davis finished in first place in the high jump for the N.C. State men’s indoor track & field team in the Virginia Tech Challenge in Blacksburg, VA on Friday. Davis won the long jump with a leap of 7.55 meters, beating eleven other athletes. It was the end of the regular season for the Wolfpack. The Atlantic Coast Conference championships are set to start Thursday in Blacksburg, VA. Davis has qualified for the long jump.

Connor Crabtree: The Richmond men’s basketball team fell to VCU 77-57 in Richmond, VA on Friday night. Crabtree came off the bench to play two minutes.

Jaylin Jones: The Division III Pfeiffer men’s lacrosse team opened its season against Birmingham Southern at Lefko Field in Misenheimer on Thursday. Birmingham Southern defeated the Falcons 14-7. Jaylin Jones scored a goal for Pfeiffer. He also has two ground balls and created two turnovers. Pfeiffer will travel to Lees-McRae on Wednesday.

Phillip Berger: Berger was the opening day starter for the Division III William Peace baseball team. Brevard defeated the Pacers 7-3 on February 5 at the USA Baseball Complex in Cary. Berger had a no decision after he threw two innings. He surrendered one run off one hit with three walks and a strikeout. On Saturday, Berger threw four innings as the Pacers defeated Mitchell College 7-5 at Durham Athletic Park. Berger struck out six in another no decision. He gave up three runs off six hits. William Peace is 2-3 after taking the weekend series from the Mariners.

Will Walker: Pitt Community College defeated the Barton junior varsity squad 8-7 last Wednesday. Walker started at first base for Pitt and went 1-for-4 with a double. The Bulldogs are 5-1.

Photo by Angie Carden Hurdle

Jaden Hurdle: The Patrick Henry Community College softball team went 3-1 in its opening doubleheaders of the season last weekend. On Friday, the Lady Patriots mauled USC Union in a doubleheader by scores of 14-2 and 21-8. Hurdle had a huge game in the opener, going 4-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scores. She also had two triples and a double. On top of that, Hurdle earned the win as pitcher, throwing six innings. She struck out five in six innings. Hurdle surrendered two runs off five hits. In the second game, Hurdle hit her first home run of the season. She went 2-for-3 with four runs scored and two RBIs. On Sunday, Spartanburg Methodist defeated Patrick Henry 11-3 in Spartanburg, SC. Hurdle went 1-for-3 . She also took the loss as a starting pitcher. She threw five innings. The Lady Patriots defeated Spartanburg Methodist 10-1 in the nightcap of the doubleheader. Hurdle hit two home runs, including a two-run shot. She finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored.

Mia Davidson: The Mississippi State softball team opened the season by going 1-3 in the Mark Campbell Invitational in Irvine, California last weekend. Mia Davidson hit the 70th home run of her career in the Bulldogs’ 5-3 loss to Loyola Marymount at Smith Field in Los Angeles on Sunday. She is now one shy of the Southeastern Conference record, held by Florida’s Lauren Haeger. Davidson’s 2-run homer in the 7th was her only hit of the day against the Lions. Mississippi State started the weekend by beating Loyola Marymount 4-2 at Bill Barber Park in Irvine, AC on Friday. Davidson went 2-for-2 against the Lions and scored the first Mississippi State run of the season off a home run by Matalasi Faapito. Later on Friday, #1 Oklahoma defeated Mississippi State 9-0 in five innings. Davidson went 1-for-2 with a double, one of only two hits for the Bulldogs. It was the 22nd straight game where Davidson reached base, a school record. On Saturday, #3 UCLA shutout Mississippi State 8-0. Davidson went 0-for-3.

Montana Davidson: Montana started at third base for Mississippi State in the opener against Loyola Marymount and went 0-for-3. She entered the Oklahoma game as a reserve and finished at first base. On Sunday, Davidson was a pinch hitter in the loss to Loyola Marymount and went 0-for-1.

Tori Dalehite: The former Cedar Ridge 2nd baseman made the first start of her college career during the Felsberg Invitational at Florida International University in Miami. The Spartans went 1-3 during the three-day event. On Friday, Florida International held off UNCG 4-3. Dalehite entered the game as a pinch runner and scored a run off a 2-run homer by Makenna Matthijs in the seventh inning that put the Spartans within a run. On Saturday morning, UNCG edged Maryland 6-5. Dalehite entered the game in the second inning as a pinch hitter in place of Anna White. She spent the rest of the day at first base and went 0-for-4. Later on Saturday, Maryland knocked off the Spartans 5-3. Dalehite made her first official start at first base. She also drove in her first college run off a sacrifice fly to centerfield in the sixth inning, which evened the game 2-2. Dalehite went 0-for-2.

Maddie Bartlett: The Wake Tech Community College softball team started its season against the William Peace Junior Varsity squad on Sunday. Peace defeated the Eagles 9-2 in the opening game of the doubleheader. Maddie Bartlett started as leadoff batter for the Eagles, playing shortstop. She went 2-for-3 with a double and two stolen bases. Bartlett scored the Pacers first run. In the second game of the doubleheader, Peace completed a sweep with a 14-5 win. Bartlett went 2-for-3 with a run scored and two doubles. Bartlett scored in the first inning off a double by Jesse Dillon.

Kara Tackett: A former Orange Lady Panther, Tackett also started both games for Wake Tech against William Peace JV. In the opening game, Tackett went 1-for-2 with a triple and a run scored. Tackett plated Bartlett in the first inning for the Eagles’ first run of the season. In the nightcap, Tackett went 0-for-1. She also entered the circle and threw the final two innings. Tackett didn’t allow a hit and gave up only two hits, striking out four with one walk.

Will Walker: The Pitt Community College baseball team defeated the Mount Oliver junior varsity squad 8-7 in the season opener on February 2. Walker entered the game as a pinch hitter and went 0-for-2 with a run scored. On February 9, Pitt hammered the Barton College junior varsity team 19-0. Walker entered the game as a pinch-hitter and went 0-for-2. He finished the game at first base.

While lacrosse season starts for some schools last week, the spring sports season will get underway in earnest today. Baseball will officially start for most Division I schools next week, but here are the Hillsborough products who will start their spring season this weekend:

Mia Davidson: The all-time leading home run hitter in Mississippi State history, baseball or softball, Davidson will kick off her final season with the Bulldogs on Friday in the Mark Campbell Invitational. Mississippi State will face Loyola Marymount, then face #1 Oklahoma at Bill Barber Park in Irving, California. On Saturday, the Bulldogs will take on #4 UCLA, then end the weekend with another game against Loyola Marymount. This is the 40th Mississippi State softball team. To commemorate the anniversary, Mississippi State released its 40 greatest players in team history. Davidson was named to the all-time team. Davidson, the catcher for Orange’s 2017 3A State Championship team, was named an All-American in 2019. A two-time All-Southeastern Conference selection, Davidson holds the school record with 69 career home runs. She needs just two more to tie the SEC career record. In 2019, Davidson hit 26 home runs. Davidson holds the Mississippi State record for most NCAA Tournament games played (19).

Montana Davidson: Mia’s older sister was a third baseman at Orange. She enters her final season at Mississippi State after playing 58 games in 2021, starting 57 at third base. Last season, Montana hit .257. She was fifth on the team with 23 runs scored and 21 RBIs. Montana was a three-time All-State selection at Orange playing for her father, Eddie Davidson.

Tori Dalehite: The UNC Greensboro softball team begins its season in the Feisberg Invitational at Florida International in Miami, FL. On Friday, the Spartans face #18 Tennessee, then will take on Florida International later in the day. The Spartans will also battle Maryland on Saturday. Dalehite was the 2018 Big 8 Conference Hitter of the Year for Cedar Ridge. She won two Big 8 Conference championships with the Red Wolves, including the first title in program history in 2018. Dalehite, a sophomore, played in 12 games last season. She had one at-bat and mainly played as a pinch runner.

Jaden Hurdle: Hurdle will start her second and final year at Patrick Henry Community College on Friday afternoon against USC Union. Last week, Hurdle announced she would compete her college career at Catawba College.

Grace Andrews: The Catawba Valley Community College softball team was supposed to start play last weekend, but a series against East Georgia State College and Patrick Henry Community College was rained out. This weekend’s series at the Highland Recreation Center in Hickory has also been canceled because of COVID precautions. Last season, Andrews hit eight home runs for the Red Hawks. She led the team with 41 RBIs as CVCC finished 23-13-1.

Kara Tackett: A freshman at Wake Tech, Tackett was the extra hitter for the Orange softball team last season. Tackett hit .462 with five doubles last season for a Lady Panthers team that won the Big 8 Championship in 2021. The Lady Panthers went undefeated in the regular season.

Madison Bartlett: Another former Orange player now a freshman at Wake Tech. Bartlett was a shortstop in 2020 who had her senior season was limited to four games because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Bartlett was a starter for Orange’s 2019 team that tied Cedar Ridge for the Big 8 Regular Season championship. In 25 games as a varsity player at Orange, Bartlett hit .367 with 29 hits, 19 RBIs and eight doubles. Wake Tech will open against the Willam Peace University junior varsity squad in a doubleheader on Friday in Raleigh.

Jaden Hurdle: After her freshman season at Patrick Henry Community College in Martinsville, VA, Hurdle has announced that she will play softball at Division II Catawba College in Salisbury in 2023. Hurdle was supposed to start her final season at PHCC this weekend, but a series of games in Hickory was canceled due to inclement weather. The Patriots were supposed to face Catawba Valley Community College, which includes Hurdle’s former teammate Grace Andrews. Hurdle and Andrews shared the same side of the infield (Hurdle at 1st base, Andrews at 2nd base) for the Lady Panthers’ 2017 3A State Championship team. In her first season at PHCC, Hurdle hit .328 with ten home runs and 32 RBIs. She was tied for the team lead in home runs. Hurdle also had 17 pitching appearances, going 4-3 with a 4.61 ERA with 40 strikeouts and 17 walks. PHCC will officially start its season against the USC-Union on Friday. At Orange, Hurdle was a part of two Big 8 Conference Championship teams.

Will Walker: Former Orange High first baseman Will Walker started his first game as the Pitt Community College Bulldogs defeated the Mount Olive junior varsity squad 8-7 on Wednesday night at the Minges-Overton Baseball Park in Greenville. Walker started as the designated hitter and went 0-for-2 with a walk. He scored in the 4th inning off a bases-loaded walk drawn by Houston Koon. Pitt return to action against the Barton junior varsity on Wednesday. Walker graduated last summer. He was a first baseman and designated hitter for the Panthers under head coach Jason Knapp.

Dylan Boyer: The Division II Queen’s University men’s lacrosse team rolled past Lees-McRae 21-5 at Dickson Field in Charlotte on Friday. Boyer played for the Royals to start his sophomore season. Queens will travel to Savannah, GA to face Lynn University next Saturday.

Connor Crabtree: The Richmond Spiders men’s basketball team defeated St. Bonaventure 71-61 at the Robins Center on Friday. Crabtree, who didn’t play in the Spiders’ previous two games, came off the bench to play two minutes. The Spiders are 15-8 overall, 6-4 in the Atlantic 10. This week, the Spiders will host George Mason on Monday, then face the Patriots in Fairfax, VA on Wednesday.

Joey McMullin: The Sandhills Community College men’s basketball team has won eleven in a row. On Wednesday, the Flyers defeated Wren College 125-67 in Pinehurst. McMullin led the Flyers with 22 points, one of eight Flyers in double figures. McMullin shot 9-of-10 from the field, including both of his attempts from 3-point range. McMullin added six assists and four rebounds. On Saturday, the Flyers held off Oxford College of Emory University 87-82. McMullin started and scored nine points. He added four rebounds, four steals and two assists. On Tuesday, the Flyers defeated Hosanna Bible College 93-83. Once again, McMullin led the Flyers with 27 points, shooting 12-of-19 from the field. McMullin added six rebounds and a blocked shot. Last Sunday, the Flyers defeated Oxford College of Emory University 109-82 in Oxford, GA. McMullin had ten points, eight rebounds and two assets. Sandhills is 18-6, 6-0 in Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association.

Marvin Jones: Former Cedar Ridge Red Wolf Marvin Jones earned a victory for the North Carolina Central indoor track and field on Saturday. In the Liberty Open in Lynchburg, VA, Jones won the high jump with a leap of 2.06 meters. It was the second meet in a row that Jones has won. Next week, Jones will compete in the Champion College Team Challenge in Winston-Salem. He has already qualified for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Championships in Virginia Beach, VA, starting February 21.

On Wednesday afternoon at Orange softball field, Lady Panthers Mary Moss Wirt formally signed with Elon. On hand for the ceremony were many of Wirt’s teammates, along with her father Todd and mother Kelly. Last season, Wirt played three different positions for an Orange team that had an undefeated run through the Big 8 Conference. Wirt played second base, shortstop and third base as she hit .457 with three home runs and 14 RBIs. She was named to the All-Big 8 Conference team as the Lady Panthers completed its first undefeated regular season in school history. The selection of Elon is only fitting for Wirt. Her father was a first and third baseman for the Elon baseball team. Wirt plans to play catcher with the Phoenix. During her time at Orange, Wirt played her freshman season with the women’s basketball team, where she was part of a squad that reached the 3A State Tournament in 2018. Among the highlights in her freshman year came when she knocked down a game-winning 3-pointer with :02 seconds remaining, off an assist from her friend Aaliyah Harris, to win at Chapel Hill. Wirt and her teammates will return to the softball field this March in the new Central Carolina Conference against longtime powers Western Alamance, Eastern Alamance and Cedar Ridge.

Photo by Shannon Bradsher

It would be accurate to say that Appalachian State softball has recruited Carson Bradsher for several years.

It’s also fair to say that Bradsher has been recruiting Appalachian State for just as long.

Her first journey to Boone came when she was 12 years old, still with dreams about playing college softball. However, she had just been diagnosed with type one diabetes, which left her with doubts.

Janice Savage, who was the Appalachian State Softball coach at that point, invited Carson to Boone to tell her about one of her own players, who was also a type one diabetic, to prove that her dream wasn’t dead before she started high school.

During the trip, she sat down with her family at the Sunrise Grill along Highway 105 over some chocolate chip pancakes.

From that point forward, Bradsher was hooked.

It was the first of 15 visits she’s taken to Boone. Ten of those trips were with Carolina Elite, her travel team with coach Rick Webster. The rest have been simply to enjoy the pure pleasure of the high country, where her mother Shannon and father Wayne share a trailer with family friends in Banner Elk for vacations.

“Last year, I went for my 16th birthday just to go,” Bradsher said. “We ate at the Daniel Boone Village because I really like that place. Then we walked downtown with Kinsley and Kadence and got our nails done.”

There was another college offer from South Carolina Upstate. Elon, where Bradsher’s teammate Mary Moss Wirt will play next year, also showed interest. But if there was ever a tipping point, it came two weeks ago when Bradsher soaked in an Appalachian experience unlike any other. She watched from the student section at Kidd Brewer Stadium, along with the rest of the softball team, as the Mountaineers’ football squad defeated #14 Coastal Carolina off a 24-yard field goal by Chandler Staton as time expired, setting off a raucous celebration that started when thousands of students rushed the field and carried on well into the following morning.

The next day, Bradsher committed to Appalachian.

“I just liked the atmosphere,” Bradsher said. “When I put that (Appalachian) uniform on, it was like a dream come true. Since I was 12, I wanted to go there. I loved Elon and USC Upstate, but I’ve wanted to be in Boone. I felt relieved because I worked so hard for this.”

Last spring as a sophomore, in her first full season at Orange, Bradsher was named to the North Carolina Softball Coaches Association All-State team. She also earned All-Big 8 Conference honors after she led the Lady Panthers in seven offensive categories.

She hit .700 in a regular season shortened to eight games by the pandemic. Bradsher also led the team in hits (28), runs scored (24), RBIs (20), doubles (7), triples (4) and stolen bases (16). The Lady Panthers finished 8-0, the first undefeated regular season in school history en route to the Big 8 Championship.

In 2020, Bradsher played four games as a freshman before the season suddenly ended because of the pandemic.

Playing at Orange has been a family tradition in the Bradsher family. Shannon was a member of the last slow-pitch softball team that Orange ever fielded, coached by Dave Murr. One of Shanon’s teammates was Constance Poteat, who went on to play basketball at N.C. State under Kay Yow.

While her father, Wayne, never participated in sports at Orange, he has been instrumental in developing Carson with constant weekend trips throughout the country for travel ball. Wayne is currently an assistant coach for Orange, alongside head coach Johnny Barefoot.

“Everyone always told me I could be a college softball player, but you always have that doubt in your mind,” Bradsher said. “I just kept working hard and I always went to Appalachian camps and stuff. They’d always kind of hint at me that they were interested, but they weren’t allowed to come out and say it. So I think the hints from them and other softball coaches helped me.”

At Appalachian, Bradsher will play under Shelly Hoerner, who is in her fourth season in Boone. She was previously the head coach at Georgia Tech.

“They’re the best,” Bradsher said of the coaching staff. “I never met anyone like them. They’re very family oriented. Coach Hoerner is like a mother figure. Coach Show (Shane Showalter, the hitting coach) is like a father figure. They’re really close and they’re all really close to their players. But they also push you so that’s exactly what I needed.”

Bradsher’s commitment to Appalachian comes during a sudden growth surge for the Sun Belt Conference, where the Mountaineers have played since 2014. Over the past week, the Sun Belt has added Southern Mississippi, Old Dominion and Marshall from Conference USA. They’re all expected to officially join their new league in 2023, just in time for Bradsher’s freshman year. Since almost all college sports conference realignment occurs because of football, it’s expected that James Madison will start the process of leaving the Colonial Athletic Association to join the Sun Belt following this week’s Virginia gubernatorial election. The Dukes will probably be the latest team from Virginia to move from the Football Championship Subdivision to the Football Bowl Subdivision.

By the time she arrives to Boone in the fall of 2023, Bradsher will likely play conference games against a James Madison squad that became the darlings of America after a stunning run during the Women’s College World Series last summer, highlighted by pitcher Oddici Alexander.

“The Sun Belt is also competitive in softball,” Bradsher said. “That’s just going to make it tougher.”

They’re also changes back home for Bradsher. Orange’s new league, the Central Carolina Conference, will include 2019 3A State Champion Eastern Alamance and perennial power Western Alamance. There’s also 2019 Big 8 Champion Cedar Ridge, which will return the league’s Player of the Year, Takia Nichols, who has committed to play at North Carolina Central. Bradsher grew up playing on travel teams with and against several players who will soon be conference rivals. Her final two years at Orange will not lack for intensity or competition.

Orange lost third baseman Emma Puckett and first baseman Gracie Colley at the end of last season, but there will be seven returning starters, including Wirt, Serenity McPherson and the Big 8 Pitcher of the Year, Gracie Walker.

“We have a good team,” Bradsher said. “Our conference is a lot tougher. We’re not going to have as much room for error, but I think if we work hard this offseason, we should be able to compete. It will be more interesting to play with the new teams.”

When Bradsher graduates from Orange in two years, she will journey to Boone. But she won’t exactly be going away, because she’ll go to a place that reminds her so much of the Cedar Grove Ruritan Club, where she first put on a glove.

“This will be like home to me,” Bradsher said.

If there was ever a clearer sign of how bright the future of the Orange softball team is, one simply needs to look at the list of All-State honors from the North Carolina Softball Coaches Association.

Released Friday, the Lady Panthers placed three players on the 3A All-State team. None of them are seniors. Two are sophomores.

Junior catcher Lauren Jackson joined shortstop Carson Bradsher and centerfielder Serenity McPherson on the squad

All three players were named to the All-Big 8 Conference team last month, when Orange won the Big 8 Conference Championship with the first undefeated regular season in school history. The Lady Panthers hosted Southwestern Randolph in the opening round of the 3A State Playoffs, a 7-5 loss that was its only defeat of the season. Orange finished 12-1, 7-0 in the Big 8.

Jackson led Orange with five home runs in 2021, including four in her final four games. In the regular season finale, Jackson knocked two over the fence in a 12-0 win at Northern Durham on April 29. For the season, Jackson hit .526 with 17 RBIs. In Orange’s closest game of the regular season, a 12-9 extra innings win over Cedar Ridge at Red Wolves Softball Field on April 15, Jackson reached three times and had an RBI single that scored Bradsher in the sixth inning. At the time, it put Orange ahead 8-1 and felt like an extra layer of icing on the cake. It turned out to be crucial when Cedar Ridge tied the game with seven runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.

In Orange’s 11-1 victory over Vance County on April 14, Jackson had a two-run triple in the fourth inning. She also knocked in Bradsher after she reached on an error in the third inning.

Bradsher, in her full varsity season, led Orange in eight offensive categories. She hit .700, scored 24 runs, registered 28 hits, knocked in 20 runs, hit seven doubles and four triples. She also drew five walks, tied for the team lead with senior Emma Puckett.

Though McPherson almost always hit first for Orange, Bradsher had the numbers of a classic leadoff hitter. She led the team with a 1.814 on-base percentage and had 16 stolen bases. Against Northwood on April 23, Bradsher went 4-for-4 with three runs scored in a 13-2 Orange victory in five innings. In Bradsher’s first game against Northwood on March 25, she went 4-for-4 with two doubles and four runs scored. Against the Chargers, the Lady Panthers piled up 12 runs in the 2nd inning, a frame where Bradsher had two hits, two RBIs and scored twice.

In her first full varsity season, McPherson was third on the team with a .533 batting average. She had 24 hits, second on the team behind Bradsher. She also scored 22 runs. In Orange’s first tilt against Cedar Ridge on March 23, McPherson went 3-for-3 with three runs scored in a 20-0 Lady Panther win. In the third inning, McPherson had an RBI double to bring in Grace Colley.

Despite hitting leadoff, McPherson was still fourth on the team with 16 RBIs. In the season-opener against East Chapel Hill, only the fifth game of McPherson’s varsity career, she hit a three-run homer. McPherson hit safely in all 12 games she played in 2021. She will enter her junior season with a 15-game hitting streak, which includes the final three games of her freshman season, where she registered hits against Person, Roxboro Community School and East Chapel Hill.

McPherson, Jackson and Bradsher were all instrumental parts of an Orange team that clinched the Big 8 Championship outright for the first time since the 2017 3A State Championship season. Despite playing a reduced schedule because of the pandemic, Orange dominated the Big 8 Conference, winning eleven of its 12 games by either run-rule (ten run lead after five innings) or forfeit.

Bradsher, McPherson and Jackson are all slated to return to the Lady Panthers next season as they enter a new conference full of traditional softball powers, including 2019 3A State Champion Eastern Alamance, Western Alamance, Cedar Ridge and Person.

Joey Berini: Berini saw action for #12 East Carolina during its Super Regional series against #4 Vanderbilt at Hawkins Field in Nashville, TN. The Commodores swept the best-of-three series to advance to the College World Series in Omaha, NE. On Saturday, Berini entered the game as a pinch-hitter replacing Bryson Morrell. He flew out to right field. Berini played the 9th inning at shortstop. Berini also played in Friday’s game, a 2-0 Vanderbilt win, pinch-hitting for Ryder Giles. He grounded out to second base. The Pirates struggled against Vanderbilt pitching all weekend. ECU managed just three hits on Friday and two on Saturday. East Carolina ends the year 44-17. In his freshman year, Berini played 15 games for the Pirates. He hit .250, including an RBI single against Charlotte in the Greenville Regional on June 5. On May 13 against Cincinnati, Berini had a putout and three assists at shortstop. Berini will play summer baseball with the Asheboro Copperheads of the Coastal Plain League, who played its home games at McCrary Park. 

Bryse Wilson: Wilson won his third game of the season for the Gwinnett Stripers of Triple-A East on Wednesday. The Stripers defeated the Memphis Redbirds 5-4 in a seven-inning game at AutoZone Park in Memphis. In five innings, Wilson gave up four runs off seven hits. He had one strikeout with one walk. In 79 pitches, Wilson threw 51 strikes. Wilson is 3-1 this season for the Stripers. Gwinnett entered Sunday’s game against Memphis with an 18-17 record. 

Phillip Berger: The Elizabethton River Riders of the Appalachian League started its second full week of the season. On Wednesday, the Kingsport Axmen defeated the River Riders 4-3. Berger faced five batters. He threw one-and-one-thirds shutout innings with two strikeouts and one walk. On Saturday, Elizabethton defeated the Bluefield Ridge Runners 6-2 at Northeast Community Credit Union Ballpark to end a four-game losing streak. Elizabethton is 3-5. The River Riders will travel to Burlington to face the Sock Puppets on June 22 and June 23 at Burlington Athletic Stadium. 

Jaden Hurdle: Hurdle was named to the Region X All-Academic team for the Patrick Henry Community College softball team. In her freshman season with the Patriots, Hurdle played 40 games. She hit .328 with ten home runs and 32 RBIs. She also made 17 pitching appearances with two starts. In the circle, Hurdle went 4-3 with a 4.61 ERA with 40 strikeouts and 17 walks. The Patriots finished 2nd in the Region X Western Division with a 13-7 record, one game behind Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute. Patrick Henry was 22-20 overall. Hurdle was a member of two Big 8 Softball Championship teams at Orange and started at first base as a freshman on the 2017 3A State Championship team. 

After graduation ceremonies over the weekend, there will be some Cedar Ridge Red Wolves and Orange Panthers who will make their debut for Alumni Update this August. Congratulations to all of these graduates. Among them will be:

Emerson Talley-Lenoir-Rhyne women’s soccer team

Kessel Summers-Bluefield College Wrestling 

Grady Ray-Methodist baseball

Will Walker-Pitt Community College

Bryce Clark-Lenoir Community College

Matt Hughes-Brunswick Community College 

Ivy Gardner-N.C. State women’s soccer team