DOBSON — The North Surry softball team recorded its first win of the season Wednesday by defeating county foe Surry Central 2-0.
The low-scoring affair was 0-0 until the top of the sixth inning. Greyhound senior Delaney Fulk broke the tie by hitting a 2-run home run over the center-field fence.
“We made solid contact, stayed up the entire game and won as a team,” said North Surry coach Beth Hodges. “Abby [Draughn] pitched a great game and Delaney had a monster home run at a critical point of the game. We were proud of the defense in the seventh inning to hold Surry Central from scoring. They are a solid team and we knew we had to play clean and hit the ball to be successful.”
Greyhound pitcher Abby Draughn pitched all seven innings for North. She finished with seven strikeouts and allowed four hits in the win.
Arguably Draughn’s most important strikeout of the night came in the bottom of the seventh inning. The inning began with Central’s Emma Gentry singling off a hit to right field. Alyssa Woods flied out to Carley Puckett in right, but then Emma Bullin was walked.
Chelsey Atkins moved Gentry to third and Bullin to second by grounding out at first. Draughn saved the day by striking out Golden Eagle freshman Kaylin Moody to end the game.
The seventh inning was the second time in Wednesday’s game that Central left runners on second and third. The first came in the bottom of the fifth inning, which was just before Fulk’s home run that also scored Bella Aparicio.
Woods was hit by a Draughn pitch to start the Eagles’ at-bat. Chelsey Atkins followed with a single by error when North Surry mishandled a grounder.
Megan Atkins came to the plate with two outs. A passed ball during Megan’s at-bat moved Woods and Chelsey to scoring position.
Megan connected with a pitch and sent it high into left field. North Surry’s Micah Felts ran the ball down and lunged to catch it, saving two runs in the process.
Surry Central also executed strong defense in most of Wednesday’s game. Megan Atkins pitched all seven innings, finishing with eight strikeouts and allowing six hits.
The Greyhounds only managed to get a runner past second base one time before scoring. This came in the top of the third inning, which began with a Trista Berrier double that hit the center-field fence. Megan Atkins then struck Marissa Casstevens, but Micah Felts followed with a high fly ball to center field.
A hit similar to Berrier’s would’ve been an RBI, but this hit was chased down by Chelsey Atkins. Chelsey ran into the outfield fence as she made the catch before firing the ball to the infield. Berrier was able to reach third after tagging up, but the run was saved.
Aparicio slapped her way to first as Bullin chose not to throw and give Berrier a chance to run home. Aparicio stole second after Megan Atkins’ first pitch to Delaney Fulk, but she and Berrier were left on base after Fulk lined-out to Bullin at short.
Aparicio had two hits in the win, matching Central’s Bullin for the most by a single player. North’s Fulk, Draughn, Berrier and Jesi Shelnutt as well as Central’s Carlee Jones and Gentry each had one hit.
Both teams resume Western Piedmont 2A Conference play next week. Surry Central hosts Walkertown on March 22 and North Surry hosts Carver on March 24.
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
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