By By KEVIN TRAVS
Sports Editor
Seahawks, Bullets are also playing in third-round games
By KEVIN TRAVS
Sports Editor
The Washington Lady Pam Pack will be looking to make some history in Pikeville.
Washington will take on the fifth-ranked Charles B. Aycock Golden Falcons in tonight’s third round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A state softball playoffs. It’s the second straight year the Lady Pam Pack has advanced to the third round, matching the best effort in school history.
Meanwhile, the Southside Lady Seahawks and Jamesville Lady Bullets will be competing in the third round of the 1-A state playoffs. Southside plays host to Manteo, while Jamesville welcomes Camden into town.
The Lady Pack topped Aycock 3-0 in 14 innings in last year’s second-round playoff game. Just like this year, Washington was the second seed out of the Coastal Conference and Aycock was the top seed from the Eastern Carolina Conference.
Charity Watson scattered three hits and struck out 24 in the victory that night. Brittany Moss and Kristi Wood had clutch RBI-singles in the 14th inning.
This year, Washington (16-6) won its previous two playoff games on the road, downing White Oak 16-0 and then taking care of Northern Nash 5-0.
Watson has not allowed a run in the playoffs. The Washington senior pitched a perfect game while fanning 13 in the win over White Oak, then scattered two hits and struck out 12 in the victory over Northern Nash.
Coach Doug Whitehead’s team has also been solid with the sticks, getting some big hits from the likes of Hayley Stowe, Kayla Spain, Morgan Bryant and Wood.
Aycock (23-2) advanced with wins of 6-0 over Dudley and 8-1 over South Central, the defending state champions.
Cynthia Burroughs and Autumn Pittman combined to fan 13 in a one-hit shutout of Dudley in the playoff opener. Jessica Hare, Anna Sullivan, Connor Davis and Brooke Bell had key hits for the Falcons.
Sullivan provided the bulk of the offense in the second playoff victory. The senior catcher smacked two home runs and drove in six runs against the Falcons. Burroughs got the start on the hill for Aycock and kept the South Central bats quiet. Pittman came on to close it out.
The winner of tonight’s game advances to the Final Four at Walnut Creek in Raleigh. Washington just missed out on a trip last year after falling 3-1 to D.H. Conley in the third round.
Playing in the other 3-A bracket tonight is top-ranked Conley (22-1) and Wilson Hunt (17-8).
1-A Playoffs
Southside is playing in the third round for the second straight year.
Coach John Lohman’s Lady Seahawks (17-7), the top seed from the Atlantic Conference, take on the Manteo Redskins (14-6), the top seed out of the Albemarle Conference.
Southside has cruised through the first two rounds, pounding Jones Senior 9-0 and then downing Bear Grass 12-1. Emily Smith has been brilliant on the mound, while the senior ace has had plenty of offensive support from her teammates.
Manteo, last year’s sectional champions, has also had an easy time. The Redskins topped North Edgecombe 15-3 in the first round, before blitzing Northampton-West 9-2 in the second round.
The Jamesville Lady Bullets are also at home for this third-round game. Jamesville, the Tideland Conference champions, take on the Camden Lady Bruins (10-10).
The Lady Bullets held off Perquimans 2-1 in the first round, then knocked off Williamston 1-0 in the second round.
Camden, the second seed from the Albemarle Conference, beat Northside 3-0 in the opening round and then upset Gates County, the Tar Roanoke Conference champions, 3-2 in the second round.
NCHSAA SOFTBALL
Third-Round Playoffs
Class 3-A
7 p.m. – Washington at Charles B. Aycock
Class 1-A
6 p.m. – Manteo at Southside
7 p.m. – Camden at Jamesville