Lady Warriors conquer the Wildcats 13-1
Following weeks of hard work, the Lady Warriors’ varsity softball team makes it to their last home game of the season. The Warriors dominated the Wheeler Wildcats (10-4) for the third time this season with a final score of 13-1 Tuesday, October 11. The team sang rally cries as they performed quality pitching and charged the opposers offensively. The team stays humble as they prepare to play their last regular season game against the Cherokee Warriors Thursday, October 13 (11-3).
October 13, 2022
The NC Lady Warriors varsity softball team (11-4) prepared to take on their final home game against the Wheeler Wildcats (2-12) Tuesday, October 11. Hoping to continue their six-game winning streak, NC successfully added a win, beating the Wildcats 13-1. Under the leadership of Head Coach Michael Turchan, the Lady Warriors maintained consistency offensively scoring 13 points and with their pitching performances, only allowing a single run over the course of four innings. After blowing the Wildcats away, NC moves on to face their next challenge: playoffs.
“We’ve beaten them two out of three times, they are a pretty decent team but I think as long as we just hit and do good we’ll be fine. Either way, we go to the playoffs next week,” junior right fielder Laura Tollison (2) said.
The Lady Warriors’ success started off early with junior pitcher Samantha Matthews (23) shutting down the Wildcats’ offense with three quick outs at the top of the first inning. During the bottom, the Warriors picked up their bats, scoring three runs in the first inning with the help of junior Roselyn Morris (11) hitting two runs batted in.
In an attempt to catch up, the Wildcats scored one run in the second inning but ultimately concluded their scoring for the night. At the bottom of the second inning, the Warriors built up their lead with freshman Leah Byrd (9) and sophomore Aubrey King (21) each scoring a run (5-1). Matthews did not pitch any runs to the opposing Wildcats team, giving the Warriors the pitching support they needed. NC returned in the bottom of the third with junior Zyon Morgan (14) reaching second base but ended the inning with an out shortly after. New substitute pitcher, sophomore Rileigh Queen (15), displayed efficiency in pitches at the top of the fourth inning.
The bottom of the fourth inning secured the win for the Warriors. Under the rally’s cries and cheers from their teammates, the Lady Warriors turned into hitting machines. Freshman Byrd started the inning with a triple, followed by junior Lauren Byrd (12) who scored with a popout. King received the first hit-by-pitch, but three other Warriors made sure to earn that point. Junior Soleil Smith (20), senior Emma Anderson (16), Queen and Matthews scored doubles directly after.
“We hit really well and we’ve been doing that for like the last two, three weeks. So I think that’s really been driving our team, obviously offensively. But then Samantha Matthews, Queen and freshman Byrd, our three pitchers they’ve been holding and on the offensive end so when you’re really good offensively, and when you have the pitching and the support, you get wins like this where you’re winning by double-digit runs,” Turchan said.
The Lady Warriors focus on wrapping up their regular season with high spirits at their next game against the Cherokee Warriors (11-3) Thursday, October 13. NC will then prepare for the upcoming playoffs starting October 20.
