Photo by Jacques Morin
One night removed from a heartbreaking loss to Seaforth, the Orange softball team got its business taken care of quickly against Durham School of the Arts.
Senior Hayleigh Hammond hit her team-leading ninth home run of the season while Addison Guentensberger went 2-for-2 with two runs scored as the Lady Panthers rolled past Durham School of the Arts 16-0 in three innings on Friday night at Orange Softball Field.
Hammon drove a two-run blast over the left field fence in the second inning to push the Orange lead to 13-0, scoring Brooklyn Bailey. Orange, which improved to 8-10, scored nine runs in the first inning. Hammond also drove in five runs, pushing her team-leading total to 23 on the season. She also has scored a team-high 28 runs.
The Lady Panthers are 7-3 in the Big 7 Conference with a home game against J.F. Webb set for Tuesday in Hillsborough.
Sophomore Malynne Roemmich earned the win throwing a complete game shutout, striking out six. Roemmich improved to 8-3 after throwing her second no-hitter of the season. She also threw a no-hitter against Carrboro on April 17 in Hillsborough.
The Lady Panthers bounced back after falling in ten innings to Seaforth on Wednesday night. The Hawks defeated Orange 8-6 in nine innings in Hillsborough.
Trailing 6-5 in the seventh inning, Roemmich tied the game with a single to left field to score Katie Carden. Natalie Roberson advanced to second with one out, but Seaforth pitcher Emma Grace Hill got consecutive strikeouts to end the inning.
Seaforth’s Annika Johansson sent a fly ball off the centerfield fence to score Emma Strong and Caroline Cook for the game-winning runs in the tenth inning. Johansson, who finished with four RBIs, and Emma Grace Hill each hit home runs.
Orange led 5-2 at the end of bottom of the fifth inning after Orange hit three consecutive triples. After Mary Kate Ollis led off the inning with a three-bagger, Carden knocked her in with a ball that rolled to the right field fence. Roberson scored Carden with another triple to put Orange ahead 3-2.
Seaforth (16-2, 10-0) simply needs to defeat South Granville on Tuesday to win the Big 7 Conference championship outright.
Cedar Ridge 18, Carrboro 1, three innings:
Ainsley Burklin hit her first career home run as Cedar Ridge rolled to improve to 13-6 at Jaguars Softball Field on Friday afternoon.
The Red Wolves stroked four doubles, including Parker Kennedy going 2-for-3 with three runs scored. Sophomore Raegan Remarry went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Senior pitcher Mia Best went 2-for-2 with four RBIs. In the circle, Best allowed just one unearned run off two hits with six strikeouts. Best improved to 12-6 on the season.
Freshman Arianna McGraw knocked in three runs and scored three times. McGraw knocked in the opening run off a double to centerfield, bringing in Kennedy and Best. Senior Rylee Capps drove in McGraw with a single.
Cedar Ridge sent 16 batters to the plate in the second inning, when they scored 12 runs. Senior Victoria Matthews led off the frame with a walk and later scored off a single by Remaly. Best stroked a double to plate Kennedy and Burklin. After senior Laci Sykes walked to load the bases, McGraw was hit by a pitch to score Capps, increasing the Red Wolf lead to 11-0.
Courtesy runner Sadie Morrow tagged up and scored off a sacrifice fly by Burklin. Kennedy and Remaly connected on consecutive singles. Matthews, who hit a single in her second plate appearance of the inning, scored off a wild pitch. Best knocked in Kennedy and Remaly with a two-run single.
Carrboro’s Vivian Martin scored the lone Jaguars run off a passed ball in the third inning.
The Red Wolves improve to 7-2 in the Big 7 Conference. On Tuesday, they will host Durham School of the Arts in Hillsborough.
