Cedar Ridge Softball

It’s a good thing the softball scoreboard at Cedar Ridge High School was installed only five years ago.

If it was any older, every fuse on it would have been blown out Tuesday night.

In the Central Conference Tournament semifinals, Orange and Cedar Ridge combined for 29 runs, 26 hits, one monstrous comeback by Orange and a game-winning RBI by Laci Sykes.

After Cedar Ridge went into the bottom of the seventh trailing 14-13, Sykes knocked in Parker Kennedy on a grounder to second base. Kennedy beat the throw from Orange’s Natalie Roberson for the game-winning run to send Cedar Ridge past Orange 15-14 in the Central Conference Tournament semifinals.

The Red Wolves will face Eastern Alamance on Thursday night in Mebane. The Eagles, who beat out Cedar Ridge by one game for first place to take the regular season crown, edged Western Alamance 2-1 in the other semifinal.

“Hats off to them, they’re one heck of a team,” said Cedar Ridge Softball Coach Allan Byrd, who earned his 100th career win against Orange two weeks ago. “They battled back and we faltered for an inning or two, kinda played sloppy. But at the end of the day, these kids came together and played as a team.”

On a zany night, Orange trailed 12-4 at the end of the third inning. Junior Katie Carden triggered a comeback with a grand slam in the fourth inning. Orange scored ten of the next eleven runs, including an inside the park home run by Karley Neighbours in the fifth, immediately followed by an RBI single from Sadie Cecil to score Hayleigh Hammond to cut the Red Wolf lead to 12-10.

Trailing 13-11 going into the top of the seventh, Cecil knocked in Hammond again with a line drive to left field. Cecil took second on the throw and advanced to third off a wild pitch. Orange freshman Molly Kate Ollis lofted a pop-up that Cedar Ridge second baseman Brittani Goddard caught on the edge of the outfield grass. Tempting fate, Cecil tagged up from third with the ball barely 80 feet from home plate, but slid in safely to tie the game. After Carden walked, Orange catcher Allie Carden drilled a double that one-hopped the wall in right centerfield, scoring Katie Carden from first base to give Orange a 14-13 lead, its first advantage since it was 3-2 in the first inning.

Facing freshman Lexi Bowes, Orange’s third pitcher of the night, Cedar Ridge remained poised. Mia Best led off with a double that banged off the black tarp along the outfield fence. Senior Kimber Shambley tied the game at 14-14 with another double that rolled to the outfield wall.

Parker Kennedy, representing the game-winning run, replaced Shambley at second base as a courtesy runner. Charlotte Lowry skied a double to left field, but Kennedy was held at third after she got a late jump. With the bases loaded following an intentional walk to Rylee Capps, Sykes grounded a ball to Roberson at second, whose throw to the plate wasn’t in time as Kennedy slid in safely to end the game at the two-hour and 51-minute mark.

Coming off a win over Person on Monday night in the quarterfinals, Orange scored three runs in the first. Cecil, with the sun setting in her eyes well beyond left field, roped a double off the fence. Cecil, Ollis and Katie Carden all touched the plate in the opening frame.

Cedar Ridge erased that with seven runs in the first inning, keyed by a grand slam by Capps. Goddard delivered a two-run double that plated Sykes and Madeline Galindo-Woodring. Goddard would score off an error.

The Red Wolves built its lead to 12-4 after five runs in the third inning, starting when Galindro-Woodring reached on a triple that edged down the left field line. Raegan Remaly, Shambley, Lowry and Capps would all drive in runs in the inning.

Eastern Alamance took two games from Cedar Ridge during a regular season that had curious timing. Cedar Ridge first faced the Eagles in its third game of the year on March 3, where the Red Wolves led 4-1 going into the seventh inning but lost 8-4 in eight innings. Their last meeting was on March 21, where the Red Wolves had a 4-3 lead going into the sixth before the Eagles scored three runs in the sixth.

“If this team hits the ball like I know we can hit the ball, we’re winning most games,” Byrd said. “We can play with anybody that we’ve played all year. We’ll travel to Mebane on Thursday and give it everything we have. We want it.”

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For the first time since 2019, the Cedar Ridge softball team will host a game in the state playoffs. On Thursday night, the Red Wolves defeated Southeast Alamance 5-3 to finish the regular season 14-6. It’s the most regular season wins for Cedar Ridge since they finished 21-3 in 2019, when they last won a conference championship. The Red Wolves finished the regular season 9-3 in the Central Conference, good enough for 2nd place. Senior pitcher Charlotte Lowry threw a complete game to earn the win. She struck out four and improved to 10-2 with a 3.11 ERA. With the game against the Stallions tied in the bottom of the fifth inning, Mia Best stroked a double with one out. Best would go on to score the game-winning run off a passed ball. After she reached on a single earlier in the inning, Raegan Remaly put the Red Wolves ahead 3-1 off a single from Lowry. In the sixth inning, Remaly drove in Madeline Galindo-Woodring with an RBI single. On the same play, Qiaura Rogers would score off an error. Remaly went 3-for-4 against the Stallions. Best finished 2-for-3 with two doubles. Rogers added a triple. Cedar Ridge will start play in the Central Conference Tournament against Walter Williams on Monday.

Cedar Ridge softball’s Rylee Capps discusses win over Southeast Alamance with Curran Campbelll

For the first time since 2019, the Cedar Ridge softball team will host a game in the state playoffs. On Thursday night, the Red Wolves defeated Southeast Alamance 5-3 to finish the regular season 14-6. It’s the most regular season wins for Cedar Ridge since they finished 21-3 in 2019, when they last won a conference championship.

The unpredictable softball race in the Central Conference had one wild, final turn before the regular season ended on Thursday night. Orange defeated Eastern Alamance 6-4 at Panther Softball Field. Eastern Alamance, who had already clinched the Central Conference championship, suffered just its second league loss of the year. Hayleigh Hammond cleared the bases with a three-run double in the fourth inning to pout Orange ahead 3-1. Addison Guentensberger came on in relief of Malynne Roemmich in the fifth inning and delivered the save for Orange. Guentensberger, who started in left field, also drove in a run in the fifth inning with a fly ball that dropped between the second baseman and right fielder, allowing Katie Carden to score. Hammond led off the sixth inning with a double and scored off a single by Katie Carden that dropped fair along the left field line by 18 inches. Allie Carden roped an RBI single to score Sadie Cecil. It was the third game in fourth days for an Orange team that has played in one of the best conference in the state. Senior Rhiley Crabtree went 3-for-3. Hammond finished 2-for-2 with three RBIs. Orange will start play in the Central Conference Tournament with a home game against Southern Alamance on Monday.

Orange softball’s Crabtree, George, Cecil, Carden and Neighbours discuss win over Eastern Alamance

The unpredictable softball race in the Central Conference had one wild, final turn before the regular season ended on Thursday night. Orange defeated Eastern Alamance 6-4 at Panther Softball Field. Eastern Alamance, who had already clinched the Central Conference championship, suffered just its second league loss of the year.

It was a special night for Cedar Ridge softball in several respects on Thursday night. The Red Wolves edged Orange 5-4 at Orange Softball Field. It was the first time since 2018 that the Red Wolves swept the season series from the Lady Panthers. It was also the 100th career win for Cedar Ridge head coach Allen Byrd, the first fast pitch softball coach in Hillsborough history to win 100 games. In 2018, Byrd led Cedar Ridge to its first softball conference championship in school history. It was an undefeated run through the Big 8 Conference keyed by pitcher Rivers Andrews and All-Conference players like Tori Dalehite, Kimberlie Thacker and Kara Wagoner. The following year, a freshman named Takiya Nichols joined the team and the Cedar Ridge record books were never the same. Nichols set the school record with 32 home runs, despite playing a majority of her games in a ballpark that was larger than some college stadiums. Following its win over Orange, Cedar Ridge has won seven in a row behind seniors Kimber Shambley, Charlotte Lowry and Reagan Simmons. Cedar Ridge is 12-5 overall and one game behind Eastern Alamance for first place in the Central Conference. The Red Wolves will continue the season against Walter Williams on Tuesday in Burlington.

Cedar Ridge softball coach Allen Byrd discusses 100th career win

It was a special night for Cedar Ridge softball in several respects on Thursday night. The Red Wolves edged Orange 5-4 at Orange Softball Field. It was the first time since 2018 that the Red Wolves swept the season series from the Lady Panthers.

His players will tell you it was a win for Allen Byrd.

But Byrd will tell you his 100th victory as Cedar Ridge softball coach was about his players. Not just the ones in uniform who won at Orange for the first time since 2019 on Thursday night, but the ones who put their trust in him when he became head coach in 2016.

Charlotte Lowry understands this as well as anyone. Byrd trusted her to win Thursday’s game during white knuckle time against the Lady Panthers in the seventh inning.

Trailing 5-2 going into the final frame, Orange nailed down two runs after Mary Kate Ollis scored off a sacrifice fly hit by Allie Carden, cutting the Red Wolf lead to 5-4. The bases were empty when Addison Guentensberger stepped up to the plate. Guentensberger didn’t keep fans watching at Orange Softball Field up the entire night, but she sure did try.

Guentensberger fouled off seven pitches during an eleven-pitch at-bat before Lowry finally struck her out. It clinched Cedar Ridge’s 5-4 win over its crosstown rival and Byrd’s 100th win as head coach.

It was the first time that Cedar Ridge swept the season series from Orange since 2018.

“Charlotte never gives up,” Byrd said. “She works really hard at her craft. We’re here because of her. When you have a pretty big strike zone, you have to adjust to it. And we did.”

Cedar Ridge (12-5 overall, 8-2 in the Central Conference) has won seven in a row.

Byrd joined Cedar Ridge as an assistant coach in 2012. He’s been the head coach for nine seasons, leading the Red Wolves to two conference championships and the third round of the 3A State Playoffs in 2018 and 2019.

“It’s been a pleasure to work with each one of those kids since I started here,” Byrd said. “We’ve had players who have played in college and are still going to college. I’ve enjoyed the process and I’m excited right now.”

Cedar Ridge senior Kimber Shambley, whose father Kevin played centerfield for the 1992 Orange baseball team the won the PAC-6 Conference championship, drilled a two-run home run under the scoreboard in left field to open the game.

“We’re hitting the ball really well,” Byrd said. “Charlotte is throwing the ball really well. We’re minimizing our errors. We still have some stuff to clean up. We still have some things we want to accomplish. We have three big games next week. We’re taking it one game at a time.”

Orange freshman pitcher Malynne Roemmich kept Cedar Ridge scoreless in the second and third innings. The Lady Panthers cut into Cedar Ridge’s lead after Sadie Cecil reached on an infield single. Cecil moved around the bases off an error and scored off a groundout by sophomore Katie Carden.

Cedar Ridge immediately got the run back in the fourth when Rylee Capps led off with a double to left field. After Laci Sykes flew out to Hayleigh Hammond in centerfield, courtesy runner Parker Kennedy moved to third. Lowry drove a single to left field to bring in Kennedy.

Orange appeared to have a threat going in the bottom of the fourth when Guentensberger and Hammond each singled. Cedar Ridge third baseman Mia Best turned a crucial double play on a ground ball she sent to Shambley at first.

Best turned right back around and hit a leadoff homer to left field to start the fifth inning. Later in the inning, Capps extended Cedar Ridge’s lead to 5-1 when she sent an RBI single to the outfield to score Raegan Remaly.

Katie Carden started an Orange comeback when she scored Kylee Allen on a base hit to right field in the bottom of the fifth.

In the seventh, Cecil led off with a basest. Ollis drilled a triple off the right field wall to cut the Red Wolf lead to 5-3.

Lowry threw 116 pitches to earn the win.

The Cedar Ridge softball team continues its most successful year since 2019. On Monday, the Red Wolves dominated Person 10-0 in five innings at Cedar Ridge Softball Field. Junior third baseman Mia Best went 4-for-4 with two RBIs. Best laced two doubles, including one that started the first inning that led to the opening run of the game. Best scored off a wild pitch with Madeline Galindo-Woodring at the plate. Best leads the team with 25 hits and six doubles. She is second on the squad with 20 RBIs. Senior Kimber Shambley earned the 100th hit of her career with a RBI double that closed out the game, bringing in Raegan Remaly for the tenth and final run. The Red Wolves completed a season sweep of the Rockets with both wins coming via the run rule. Best, Shambley, Remaly and Charlotte Lowry each finished with multiple hits as Cedar Ridge improved to 11-5 overall, 7-2 in the Central Conference. They remain one game behind Eastern Alamance for first place in the league. Shambley, who has committed to play at Western Carolina, leads the team with a .438 batting average. It was the 99th career win for Cedar Ridge head coach Allen Byrd, who led the Red Wolves to Big 8 Conference championships in 2018 and 2019. On Thursday night, the Red Wolves will travel to Orange and attempt to sweep the season series from the Lady Panthers for the first time since 2018.

Cedar RIdge softball third baseman Mia Best discusses win over Person with Curran Campbell.

The Cedar Ridge softball team continues its most successful year since 2019. On Monday, the Red Wolves dominated Person 10-0 in five innings at Cedar Ridge Softball Field. Junior third baseman Mia Best went 4-for-4 with two RBIs. Best laced two doubles, including one that started the first inning that led to the opening run of the game.

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