A one-hitter by Catawba Ridge softball pitcher BG Yates kept the Copperheads alive in the playoffs.
Catawba Ridge won 11-1 over rival Nation Ford to improve 19-9 and move onto the next round in the 5A Division II playoffs.
BG Yates went six innings and allowed one run on one hit, while walking six and striking out eight. She also went 2-3 at the plate.
Yates faced the minimum to open the game in the top of the first.
Jaidyn Harris and Yates got early hits for the Copperheads in the bottom of the first. Harris was caught stealing, but Mia Kovacs walked to keep two on for Catawba Ridge. Charli Burney reached on an error allowing Yates to score with two outs and give the Copperheads an early 1-0 lead.
Nation Ford got their first base runner with a walk to Kinslee Adamson. However, Yates bounced back to get out of the inning without allowing a run.
The bottom of the second inning started with Peyton Batot walking to get on for the Copperheads. She was followed with a walk to Ella Gaither. Harris would then reach on an error driving in Batot. Gaither scored on a wild pitch later in the inning advancing the Catawba Ridge runners. Another wild pitch scored Harris, and then Burney tripled scoring Yates and Camryn Bird, who also walked.
Nation Ford got on the board in the top of the third. Ella Witkopf was hit by a pitch and Carson Noonan walked. A Copperheads error allowed Witkopf to score before Catawba Ridge was able to get out of the inning.
In the bottom of the third, Nation Ford switched pitchers with Paizlei Ross being replaced by Kirsten Goldhammer. Ross went an inning and two thirds allowing six runs on three hits, while striking out one and walking five. Catawba Ridge kept the momentum in their corner and got the run back with a solo home run by Harris with two outs.
The Falcons again threatened in the fourth inning getting two runners on with one out with a walk to Jackie Knol and Brooke Ressler hit by a pitch, but wasn’t able to score.
Catawba Ridge also threatened in the bottom of the inning, but the Falcons were able to keep them from scoring.
The Copperheads kept rolling as in the bottom of the fifth with Taylan Sistare and Harris hitting singles to start the bottom of the inning. However, a double play by Nation Ford got them out of the inning.
In the top of the sixth, the Falcons got their first hit with Knol hitting a single after an Adamson walk. However, again Nation Ford left runners on without scoring another run in the inning.
Catawba Ridge loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth inning off singles by Bird and Burney, and a walk to Vai Petri. A fielder’s choice and a single by Gaither led to two more runs by the Copperheads. An RBI single by Sistare led to Catawba Ridge closing the game out with a 10-run win.
Harris went 3-4 with a home run and two RBI and Burney went 2-3 with two RBI. Gaither also had two RBI for the Copperheads.
Knol had the only hit for the Falcons going 1-2. Nation Ford’s season ends at 18-10 overall.
May 11 Roundup
The Catawba Ridge baseball team beat Hillcrest 5-3 to stay alive in the 5A Division II playoffs. The Copperheads scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning to take the lead. Jack Provenzano and Bryce Meil both had two RBI in the game. Meil got the win striking out seven in the process. Cole Stukitz picked up the save. The Copperheads improved to 18-10 overall.
The Fort Mill softball team fell to Indian Land 4-2 knocking them out of the playoffs and ending their season at 15-14 overall. Emily Poteat went 1-2 with an RBI and Rachel Hildebrand went 1-4 with an RBI as well for the Jackets. Brooke Rosario and Mallory Moore also got hits for Fort Mill.
The Nation Ford baseball team fell to Indian Land 11-7 dropping them to 17-11 on the season. The loss gives the Falcons one loss in the double elimination District 1 bracket. Nation Ford was led by Jacob Neff who went 3-4 at the plate. Noah Layton, Michael Caropreso, and Cole McIntyre each had two hits. The Falcons made six errors in the game.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
