Hawk softball edges Central, 4-3

by | Apr 15, 2021 | Triton

Kaila Cooney slides home with a run for the Hawks on Wednesday.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)

Takyra McLean scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh to give Triton’s varsity softball team a 4-3 walk-off win over visiting Harnett Central on Wednesday night.

McLean had stolen second and moved to third on a hit by Kimah Warren before the final pitch got away on ball four to Kaila Cooney.

The Hawks improved to 5-2 overall and 3-0 in the Tri-County Six 3-A Conference going into a nonconference game at Cape Fear High School in Cumberland County on Friday at 6 p.m. Central slipped to 2-3 on the season and 1-2 in league play with a conference game at Union Pines on Friday at 6:30 p.m.

Gracyn Slaughter pitched a complete game Wednesday. She allowed nine hits and one earned run with no walks and five strikeouts. Slaughter helped her own cause with two hits and two RBIs.

McLean and Warren also had two hits each. Cooney had a hit, an RBI and scored twice.

Reagan Bradham, Gracie Byrd and Aubree Bass also had hits for the Hawks.

Each team scored two runs in the second. The Trojans took a 3-2 lead before the hosts got a tying run.

“The girls played pretty solid,” said Triton coach Mark Whitman. “It wasn’t pretty but a win is a win. It’s been three years since we’ve beaten Harnett Central. … We left a lot of runners on base.

“We were without our starting catcher tonight and freshman Harmony Horne stepped in and did a great job.”

Gracyn Slaughter delivers a pitch in the first inning for Triton.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)

Harnett Central pitcher Kacey Flusher winds and fires in the first.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)

Kimah Warren bunts her way aboard in Triton’s 4-3 win.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)

Reagan Bradham waits for a pop-up to descend at Triton.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)

Takyra McLean scores a tying run for Triton against rival Central.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)

Gracie Byrd turns a double play for Triton in the sixth inning.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)

Takyra McLean reaches third before scoring the winning run.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)

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