Three local teams won Region 3-5A titles to end their regular season.
The Catawba Ridge Copperheads came away with two in softball and boys’ soccer, while the Fort Mill girls’ soccer team clinched a region title across town at Bob Jones Stadium.
Softball
The Catawba Ridge softball team knew it had to win out to prevent a possible three-way tie for the region title with the Indian Land Warriors and the Clover Blue Eagles, and it wasn’t without some drama.
Via Petri hit a two-out, walk-off single to score Camryn Bird to give the Copperheads at 6-5 win in the bottom of the seventh over Clover. Catawba Ridge finished the regular season at 17-8 overall and the region with a 10-2 record.
Clover struck first scoring a run in the top of the first inning. However, the Copperheads came back with four runs in the third inning off four hits. Jaidyn Harris and BG Yates got singles. Mia Kovacs walked to load the bases, before Camryn Bird ripped a double to score three runs. Charli Burney would then single to score Bird.
Nora Mari got the start for Catawba Ridge and went three innings allowing the lone run on three hits. She walked one and struck out one in the process.
Yates came in to start the fourth inning and pitched well for two innings, but Clover clawed their way back into the game to tie it at four with three runs in the sixth inning.
The two teams traded runs the next couple innings as Peyton Batot stole home in the bottom of the sixth after a walk to go up 5-4, but Clover came back in the top of the seventh to tie the game again at five.
Bird walked in the seventh with one out and then stole second, before Petri’s game winning hit put the Copperheads on top.
Bird went 1-2 in the game with three RBIs, while Harris went 2-3 at the plate. Yates got the win going four innings and allowing four runs on three hits, while walking four and striking out five.
Boys’ soccer
The Catawba Ridge boys’ soccer team clinched their sixth consecutive region title with a 2-0 win over Clover.
Both teams came into the match with a 10-1 region record as the winner would be crowned region champion.
Catawba Ridge scored early about seven minutes into the match with a goal from Daniel Pranjkic and then again right before halftime as Pranjkic pushed the Copperheads ahead 2-0 with another goal.
Catawba Ridge finished the regular season at 14-5 overall and 11-1 in Region 3-5A.
Girls’ soccer
The Fort Mill girls’ soccer team was caught in a log jam at the top of the Region 3-5A standings needing to win to secure a region title.
Fort Mill finished the regular season hosting rival Nation Ford and was able to get a 4-1 win. Fort Mill finished the regular season at 13-4 overall and 10-2 in the region. Nation Ford finished the regular season at 12-5 overall and 8-4 in the region.
Both Fort Mill and Nation Ford each posted a goal in the first half of play tying the match at one at the half. The Falcons scored first in the 35th minute with Fort Mill time the match three minutes later.
The second half was all Fort Mill as they scored three goals to pull away.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
