En route to winning its first softball state championship last year, it’s easy to forget that Orange nearly lost in the second round.
Last May, Topsail had a 2-1 lead against the Lady Panthers in the 8th inning in Hillsborough. In the bottom of the inning, Abby Hamlett, Jaden Hurdle and Hayley Funk all reached, loaded the bases for All-State catcher Mia Davidson.
What followed has lived on through word of mouth across Hillsborough ever since. Topsail Coach Eric Phillips opted to walk Davidson with the bases loaded, surrendering the Pirates’ lead with the season on the line. Pitcher Christina Givens promptly lined to center to score the winning run. Two weeks later, the Lady Panthers were celebrating a state title at N.C. State.
There will be no celebration this year. Topsail made sure of that.
The Pirates defeated the Panthers 16-7 in Hampstead in the first round of the 3A State Playoffs on Wednesday night. Orange scored three runs in the top of the second inning to take a 3-1 lead, but the Pirates reeled off five consecutive runs to advance to the 2nd round.
Orange ends the season 11-8.
With one out In the top of the second, Rachel Tilley reached on an error and Olivia Ruff walked. Sophomore Gracie Ducharme, pinch-hitting for Jala Rainey, singled to center to load the bases. Grace Andrews drew a bases-loaded walk to tie the game. Pitcher Jaden Hurdle lined a single to left to score Ducharme and Tilley.
After that, the Pirates had its way, totaling 15 hits. Topsail scored twice runs in the second inning. Lauren Labelle, running for Annalee Hart, scored on a wild pitch. Tanesha Williams laced an RBI single to bring in Tyesha Williams, tying the game 3-3.
Topsail added three more in the fourth. Tanesha Williams lined a single to centerfield to score Tyesha Williams once again to give the Pirates the lead. Sydney Hartgrove stroked a single to center to bring in Williams and Aneshia Jordan.
With Orange trailing 11-4 in the 5th, Hurdle drilled a single to right to score Ruff. With the bases loaded, Funk was hit by a pitch, plating Alisha Pettiford. Allyson Lloyd, in her final game at Orange, hit a sacrifice fly to center, allowing Andrews to touch home and narrow the Topsail lead to 11-7.
Topsail responded with five runs in the fifth and five more in the sixth.
Hurdle finished 2-for-5 with 3 RBI. Andrews was 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored. Ruff went 1-for-3.
Hurdle, a sophomore pitcher who started at first last season, ended the season as the team’s leading hitter with a .483 batting average. She also led the team in hits (18), home runs (3), and RBIs (24). Lloyd had seven doubles to pace the squad.
Hurdle also led the team with 68.2 innings pitched, going 7-7 with a 4.28 ERA.
Along with Lloyd, it was the final game for Orange seniors Olivia Latta-Harshaw, Alyssa Hellman and Kaitlyn Torain.