By By Steve Franklin, Sports Writer
CHOCOWINITY — It took some time for Gabby Cilluffo and the Seahawks to get rolling, but by game’s end, the Southside senior pitcher and the rest of the Seahawks’ were clicking on all cylinders.
Cilluffo surrendered hits to two of Perquiman’s first three hitters and loaded the bases with one-out in the first inning. After striking out Pirates’ cleanup hitter Caitlin Sawyer, she got shortstop Jordan Copeland to flyout to left fielder Chelsi Chandler to end the threat.
From there, she was on cruise control.
Cilluffo surrendered just one more hit the rest of the way as she struck out nine batters in four innings of work as the Seahawks routed the Pirates, 10-0 in five innings Tuesday evening.
While Cilluffo took care of business from the circle, the Seahawks’ offense used patience and hustle to manufacture runs against Perquimans’ pitcher Kylli Lassiter.
Southside came up with only two hits through the first three innings, but took advantage of Lassiter’s control problems — she walked seven Seahawks and plunked two others — to score six runs in their first three at-bats.
The Seahawks jumped out to a 2-0 lead after one inning as Sydney Harding and Resla Penn drew walks. Harding came around to score on a groundout by Cilluffo for the Seahawks’ first run, and Shakira Lomax — pinch-running for Penn — crossed the plate on a RBI single by D.D. Stanley.
After scoring a run in the second inning, Southside blew the contest open with three runs in the third. Penn and Cilluffo led off the inning with back-to-back walks, and Lassiter loaded the bases by drilling Kellie Hardison. One batter later, Amanda Harding delivered an RBI infield single scoring Lomax — again pinch-running for the catcher. On the play, Cilluffo came around to score on an errant throw by Pirates’ third baseman Brianna Bass. The Seahawks made it 6-0 as Hardison scored on a groundout by right fielder Emily Smith.
In the fifth inning, Southside’s bats got hot, and the Seahawks put an end to the Atlantic Conference tilt.
Lomax drew a walk in her only plate appearance of the night to lead off the inning, and Stanley and Hardison loaded the bases with back-to-back infield singles. Lomax later scored on a groundout by Amanda Harding and the Seahawks made it 8-0 as Stanley came around to score on a fielder’s choice by Smith. After Lassiter hit Seahawks shortstop Kristen Ayers with the next pitch, Chelsi Chandler put a close to the contest with an 2-RBI double that made it 10-0.
Chandler and Stanley paced Southside (9-2) with two hits apiece. Chandler also had a team-best two RBI, as did Amanda Harding.
Nixon had two of the Pirates’ three hits, including a fifth inning double.
Cilluffo earned her ninth win of the season by pitching four innings and allowing just five base runners.
The Seahawks will be back in action tonight when they host Ayden-Grifton in a non-conference showdown at 6 p.m.
Perquimans 000 00 — 0 3 1
Southside 213 04 — 10 6 0
WP: Gabby Cilluffo; LP: Kylli Lassiter
Hitters: P — Candice Nixon 2-3 (2B), Rachel Phthisic 1-2; SS — Chelsi Chandler 2-4 (2 RBI), D.D. Stanley 2-3 (RBI), Kellie Hardison 1-2 ( 2 RUN), Amanda Harding 1-2 (2 RBI), Shakeria Lomax 0-0 (3 RUNS).