By By GREG KATSKI, Staff Writer
YEATESVILLE — The Southside softball team took third place in the Northside/PCS Phosphate Easter Tournament from Northside, 5-2, on Saturday afternoon behind a four-run sixth inning.
The Seahawks and host Panthers found themselves in the tournament's consolation game after both lost close contests in the winners bracket earlier in the day.
Pamlico County edged Southside, 10-9, in a marathon matchup, while Farmville Central had a two-run rally in the bottom of the seventh to beat Northside 6-5.
Pamlico went on to win the tournament championship with a 5-1 win over Farmville.
After the loss to Farmville, Northside head coach Louise Bierne had nothing but positive words for her players.
"Everybody did a good job," she said. "We made a lot of key plays."
Panthers starting pitcher Kelly Miller threw a complete game in the losing effort, while Elizabeth Harris was 1-for-3 with an RBI triple and walk.
Farmville Central scored the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh on a bloop single by Courtney Jones. Jones, Farmville Central’s No. 9 hitter, had two strikeouts and a walk to go along with the game-winning hit.
Bierne called the loss a learning situation.
"We played until the end. We didn't give up," she said.
In the consolation game, Southside jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first thanks to a two-out, inside-the-park home run from D.D. Stanley.
The Panthers roared back in the top of the second. Kayla Woolard started off the frame with a single and Sara Credle followed with a walk.
Ashleigh Cornelius laid down a sacrifice bunt before Lalee Alligood delivered a two-out, two-run double. Amanda Daw hit a single, but Alligood was thrown out at home in the process.
The score remained 2-1 in favor of the Panthers until the bottom of the sixth inning, when Northside starting pitcher Whitney Lewis began to wear under the hot Saturday sun.
Stanley got to Lewis first with a leadoff single. Mandi Harding followed with a bunt single, and Bailey Hobbs hit an infield single. Kellie Hardison drove a run in when she was hit by a pitch, and Emily Smith knocked one in with a hard shot to right field. The damage was done when Becky Poole delivered a bloop single over the Northside shortstop's head.
The Panthers went quietly in the top of the seventh, done in by another come-from-behind victory predicated on some old-fashioned small-ball.
The Seahawks got a similar come-from-behind victory over Northside two weeks ago, scoring the winning run in the top of the seventh.