Photo by Jacques Morin
There’s nothing in softball more deflating than losing a lead late in the game.
There’s nothing more uplifting than a walkoff win at home.
Cedar Ridge experience both over the course of 24 hours.
Freshman Arianna McGraw dropped a walkoff single in the eighth inning as Cedar Ridge fought back from a 5-0 deficit to defeat Falls Lake Academy 7-6 in eight innings on Thursday night at Red Wolf Softball Field Raegan Remaly led off the frame with a double to centerfield and eventually scored the game-winning tally when McGraw blooped a base hit to left field with two out.
McGraw finished 3-for-5. Senior Madeline Galindo-Woodring went 3-for-5 with an RBI as the Red Wolves improved to 11-5 overall with its second win over the Firebirds this season.
The victory came two nights after a disappointing setback at Seaforth, where the Hawks rallied from a 7-1 deficit to win 9-8 in Pittsboro. The loss likely cost Cedar Ridge a chance to win its first conference championship since 2019. Seaforth is 14-1 overall, 8-0 in the Big 7 after sweeping the season series from the Red Wolves.
Against Falls Lake, senior pitcher Mia Best struck out nine over eight innings to earn her tenth victory of the season.
The Firebirds led 6-3 going into the bottom of the fifth inning when McGraw led off the inning with a single to left field. Brittani Goodard dropped a base hit to right field. McGraw was retired after Parker Kennedy grounded to third baseman Kendall Peed. With two out, sophomore Ainsley Burklin launched a single that fell in front of centerfielder Kayla Cash, scoring McGraw. Kennedy wound up at third on the throw, then scored off a wild pitch with Galindo-Woodring at the plate. Galindo-Woodring sent a hard liner to shortstop Reagan Yancey, who came up throwing. Galindo-Woodring legged out a single at first, scoring Burklin to tie the game.
Cedar Ridge’s defense shut down the Firebirds in its final three at-bats. First baseman Rylee Capps turned an unassisted double play after she caught a line drive ht by Falls Lake’s Cameron Kendrick, then stepped on first to retire Peed and end the sixth inning.
Falls Lake’s Wynterlee Glenn went 4-for-4 with two RBIs. In the first inning, Glenn hit a two-run single that plated Addy Clark and Peed for the opening runs of the game. Cash knocked in Cameron Kendrick after an error to put the Firebirds ahead 3-0.
The Firebirds led 5-0 at the end of two innings after Cash knocked in Peed again off an error.
Cedar Ridge started its comeback when Laci Sykes reached on an error to start the bottom of the second. Rylee Capps sent Sykes to second base off a single. Goodard loaded the bases after an error on the Falls Lake second baseman. Kennedy roped a triple to the centerfield fence to clear the bases and reduce the Falls Lake lead to 5-3.
Falls Lake, which fell to 11-6, is 3-0 in the Triangle North 2A/1A Conference. They are currently ranked #4 in RPI in the 1A Classification.
On Wednesday, Roxboro Community School defeated Cedar Ridge 14-2 in five innings. The Bulldogs scored ten runs in the third inning. Roxboro Community is the top-ranked 2A team in the state with a 14-2 overall record.
Karrie Obie had a solo homer to start the ten-run third inning for the Bulldogs. Leah Griffin immediately followed with at triple and scored off another triple from Lexi Powell.
Against RCS, Remale went 2-for-2. Best drove in both Red Wolf runs, including a single in the top of the third to tie the game. Best would bring in Remaly off a sacrifice fly in the fifth.
Cedar Ridge will host J.F. Webb on Thursday in Hillsborough at 6PM, then travel to Carrboro on Friday afternoon at 5.
