PIEDMONT – Another master class in pitching for the Catawba Ridge Copperheads softball team gave them a boost in winning the Upper State championship.
The Copperheads beat the Woodmont Wildcats on the road 2-0 in game two of their best of three series to sweep the series. Catawba Ridge improved to 29-2 on the season with the sweep.
Catawba Ridge will head to the 5A Division II state finals series next week against the St. James Sharks with game one being on Memorial Day in Murrells Inlet. This is the fourth straight state championship series the Copperheads will have played in having won the last two state titles at the 4A level. This will be the first 5A state title the softball team will be playing for.
Jaidyn Harris led the game off with a double for Catawba Ridge. Harris would score on an error to give the Copperheads a 1-0 lead just three batters into the game.
In the third inning, Harris doubled, and BG Yates drove her in on a single to put Catawba Ridge up 2-0.
The game was a pitching clinic as the Copperheads didn’t get but three hits through five innings.
Catawba Ridge pitcher Keira O’Brien did her part during that stretch and stayed strong throughout the game allowing just three hits during the same stretch.
In the sixth inning, Sarah Rocheleau singled for the Copperheads fourth hit of the game, but Woodmont turned a double play with the next batter to get out of the inning.
Harris led at the plate getting two of the Copperheads’ four hits in going 2-3. Yates and Rocheleau got the other two hits for Catawba Ridge with Yates getting the only RBI for them in the third inning.
O’Brien threw another complete game allowing three hits without a run, while walking one and striking out four.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
