Emily White of Harnett Central releases a pitch on Tuesday.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Harnett Central split varsity diamond contests with visiting Tri-County Six 3-A Conference opponent Southern Lee on Tuesday, with the Trojans winning the softball game, but the Cavaliers taking the baseball game.
Everyone on the roster got involved as Harnett Central took a 9-2 softball win over Southern Lee.
“We came out and started a little slow in this game,” said Harnett Central softball assistant Ashlee Crewe, who served as head coach for the game because coach Chelsey Cabe was out with an illness. “But we got it together and picked it up. We made the adjustments at the plate, like we needed to do. I really like that we all made the adjustments, not just one or two, and hit the ball well.”
All 14 members of Central’s roster participated in the game.
“The last couple of games, fortunately, having a big lead gives you an opportunity to kind of move things around and see what you like,” Crewe said. “Being able to get everybody into the game is always what we want. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always happen. But these last couple of games have given us a way to get everybody in the game and it’s been nice.”
After starting the season 0-4, Harnett Central has won three straight games.
Senior starter Ansley Lee was the winning pitcher for the Trojans (3-4, 2-1 TCSC), giving up one earned run on three hits, one walk and one hit batter, with three strikeouts. Junior Emily White pitched three innings, yielding no earned runs on two hits and one walk, with two strikeouts.
Both Crewe and assistant Olivia Scarborough, who is the pitching coach for the Trojans, noted the major improvement in Central’s defense from the beginning of the season.
“The biggest thing is our defense has really picked up since the first few games,” Scarborough said.
“We’ve had one error in the last three games,” Crewe said. “I don’t remember how many were scored as errors in the Gray’s Creek game, but it wasn’t pretty. Then we came back the next game and made one error and in the last two games we’ve made none. I am very impressed with our defense and how they’re playing right now.”
Senior Kylee Frailey had two hits, including a double, four RBIs and one run scored to lead Central at the plate.
Lee had two hits, including a double. Ella Prince had one hit, one RBI and two runs scored. Laurie Blackwell had one hit, one RBI and one run scored. Fallon Wimberly and Shelbie Gill each had one hit and one run scored. Mikaela Goss had one RBI and one run scored. Lyndsey Brewer had one RBI. Lauryn Waddell and Marcayla Jones scored one run apiece.
Parker Lynch had two hit, Landry Overton had one hit and two RBIs and Bella Walters and Kelcee Ayers each had one hit and one run scored for the Cavaliers (1-7, 0-3).
Central scored one run apiece in the second and third innings and seven in the fourth. Southern Lee scored one run apiece in the fourth and sixth innings.
One night after picking up its first win of the season, Harnett Central fell 10-5 to Southern Lee in baseball.
“Quite frankly, that’s a good baseball team,” said Harnett Central baseball coach Lance Honeycutt. “They’re very solid. I really hate that I lost Luke Craig (starting and winning pitcher for Southern Lee, who transferred from Central) as a freshman. I saw him and said two years ago that he’s good enough that if he got the opportunity, he could beat us. And he did on the mound and with the bat. So, kudos to him, kudos to his hard work and kudos to the coaching staff over there. They raised a bunch of good boys and they know how to play.
“We’re continuing to work. We don’t see our record as something that represents us. We see our record as something that’s in the past and we’re moving forward. Yes, we’re 1-2 in the conference, but there’s a lot of teams that are 1-2 in conference and we can compete with them.”
Hunter McLamb had two hits and one run scored and Matthew Collins had one hit, two RBIs and two runs scored to lead the Trojans (1-8, 1-2).
Sebastian Owens had one hit and two RBIs. Jackson Yarbrough had a double and one run scored. Austin Swan had a double. Johnny Grizzard had one hit. Will Gervase scored once.
“I thought our guys hit the ball well,” Honeycutt said. “Just did not hit the ball well in critical situations. That’s the one thing that has haunted us, is we’ve had runners on base and when the critical situation comes up with one out or even two and the bases are loaded, we just need that dribbler like Sebastian (Owens) had. Just hit the ball, put it in play and you never know.”
Senior Tanner Seagroves had three hits, including a home run, one RBI and two runs scored, junior Luke Craig had two hits, including a home run, three RBIs and three runs scored and senior Dean Carver had two hits, one RBI and two runs scored to lead the Cavaliers.
Harnett Central travels to nonconference Gray’s Creek on Wednesday.
Hunter McLamb gets a hit for HC in baseball.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Ryder Carroll makes a throw from third for Central.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Central shortstop Sebastian Owens fires to first.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Ansley Lee of Harnett Central delivers in a win over Southern Lee.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Lauryn Waddell of Central dives back to first on a pickoff try.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Kylee Frailey of the Trojans connects for a 3-run double.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
HC shortstop Shelbie Gill gets a force out at second.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
