Kylee Frailey of Harnett Central makes a catch in center field.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
A three-run third inning made the difference as Harnett Central secured its second straight Tri-County Six 3-A Conference regular-season softball championship with a 4-1 win at Harnett County rival Triton on the Hawks’ Senior Night on Thursday.
“They came out ready to play in all of their games this week (Harnett Central won three games in three days),” said Harnett Central assistant Ashlee Crewe. “I think that was something we were a little worried about, with the three games in a row. Last time we did that, it was not such a success. But they came out on fire this week and they were ready to take the conference.”
Triton coach Mark Whitman said Central was able to chain hits together to produce run, but Triton was not.
“They made some great plays (on defense),” Whitman said. “Kind of like they did on us last year. We just couldn’t string them (hits) together. We just had that one inning where they had four hits that were little bloopers that’s in that little in-between hole. It’s like a line drive. It doesn’t matter how it looks in the book, it’s one of those balls you couldn’t get to. And they strung a couple of those together and scored some runs and that’s kind of it. I thought Caroline (Marshall) pitched good enough to win, if we hit the ball.
“It was kind of an emotional night. I thought we channeled that emotion on the field a little bit. I can’t say we didn’t play our hearts out. And we did play our hearts out. We just haven’t hit the ball here these last two or three games.”
After starting the season 0-4 overall and 0-1 in conference play, Harnett Central finished the regular season by winning nine of its last 10 games, including the last six in a row.
“I think we’re finally playing the type of ball we expected at the beginning of the year,” said Harnett Central coach Chelsey Cabe. “We expected to come out at the beginning of the year on fire, because of the talent we know is on the team. And that’s from one to 12 girls. It’s all of them. They’re jelling and it’s a whole team. It’s so much fun to watch. They’re playing like I watched them play at the end of the year last year.
“I don’t know that we ever got worried, though. None of us were ever like, ‘Man, this season is not going to be what we thought it was going to be.’ It was just, ‘We’re going to get there.’ And they finally got their groove. Losing that first conference game to Lee Senior, I think, kicked them into high drive.”
Two days after pitching a complete game win at home against Triton, senior Fallon Wimberly tossed another complete game win for the Trojans (9-5, 9-1 TCSC), yielding one earned run on six hits, no walks and one hit batter, with two strikeouts.
“Fallon did a fantastic job, but the field made some amazing plays, outfield and infield,” Cabe said. “Some great plays that easily could have been hits.”
“Fallon’s a superstar. I love watching her throw,” added Harnett Central pitching coach Olivia Scarborough. “But it’s easy for her to throw when her defense is playing like that and it’s easy to play good defense when you know you’ve got a rock star on the mound.”
In two years as a full-time varsity member, Wimberly is 5-0 pitching against Triton.
Junior Caroline Marshall also went the distance for the Hawks (11-5, 6-3), yielding four earned runs on 12 hits and one walk, with one strikeout.
Senior Lyndsey Brewer had three hits, including a double, one RBI and one run scored to lead Central at the plate.
Kolby Medlin had two hits, including a double, and one RBI. Wimberly had two hits and one RBI. Amaya Bell had one hit and one RBI. Kylee Frailey had one hit and one run scored. Laurie Blackwell, Ansley Lee and Shelbie Gill had one hit apiece. Ivanna Jones and Ella Prince scored one run apiece.
Mackenzie Reid had one hit and one RBI, Gracyn Slaughter had one hit and one run scored, Brittany Ireland had a double and Kaila Cooney, Reagan Bradham and Ella Layn had one hit apiece for Triton.
Prior to the game, Triton honored four seniors: Tatiana Muniz, Ella Layn, Mikaylee Flowers and Alexis Howard.
“That’s four really, really good seniors,” Whitman said. “Alexis has been a starter since she was a freshman. Somebody’s going to have some hard shoes to fill. Irreplaceable players. Yeah, sure, some people can step up and be as good as they are, but they’re going to be tough to replace. They’ll be missed. I’ll miss them. They’re four special kids to me. They’re coachable and do what you ask them to do all the time.”
Central struck first in the top of the second inning when Brewer led off with a base hit, advanced on a Mikaela Goss sacrifice and scored on a base hit from Bell.
Triton responded in the bottom of the inning when Slaughter singled, advanced on a ground ball from Bradham and scored on a base hit from Reid.
Central plated three runs in the top of the third to take the lead for good. Frailey led off with a base hit, stole second and scored when Wimberly followed with a base hit. Jones, Wimberly’s courtesy runner, advanced on a ground ball from Lee and scored on a double from Medlin. Prince, Medlin’s courtesy runner, scored when Brewer followed with a double.
Triton ends the regular season at Union Pines on Saturday to make up a game rained out on April 12. The winner will take second place in the conference and earn a first-round bye in next week’s conference tournament.
“We need to win Saturday to get second by ourselves,” Whitman said. “And we’ve got another goal to set and that’s to win the conference tournament championship. And there’s no reason we can’t. And if we have to play three games to get to it, we did last year, so be it. But we’ve just got to come ready to play.”
Harnett Central has a first-round bye for next week’s conference tournament. Host sites for the tournament will depend on the final baseball standings.
“They just did a fantastic job of, they lost the first game and the next nine in conference they came back ready to fight,” Crewe said. “So, we’re going to let them have a little bit of fun in practice tomorrow. We’ll hit it hard again Monday. I think for them, it’s just staying in the groove and making sure that we’re constantly pushing to be better. They all challenge themselves pretty well. We don’t have to do that too much. So, I think that they are ready for the next challenge.”
“I’m going to make these knuckleheads (Cabe and Crewe) not let any of them get hurt tomorrow in practice,” Scarborough added, with a laugh.
From left are Triton seniors Tatiana Muniz, Mikaylee Flowers, Alexis Howard and Ella Layn. (Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Triton’s Mackenzie Reid has a run-scoring hit for the Hawks.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Gracyn Slaughter comes home on the hit by Mackenzie Reid.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Lyndsey Brewer hits an RBI double for Harnett Central on Thursday.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Ella Layn of Triton makes a catch in right field.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Harnett Central third baseman Mikaela Goss throws to first for an out.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
