Cedar Ridge Softball

Takia Nichols: The North Carolina Central softball team has won the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship for the first time ever. Last weekend in Norfolk, VA, the Eagles defeated Coppin State 6-2 in the seventh game of the MEAC Tournament at Norfolk State University. Nichols set the tone early with a solo homer in the second inning and the Eagles never conceded the lead. Nichols finished game seven 2-for-3 with a homer, a double and a stolen base. It was Nichols’ eighth home run of the season. Earlier in the day, Coppin State won an elimination game over the Eagles 6-5. Nichols went 1-for-3. For the tournament, Nichols hit 6-of-14 as the Eagles defeated Maryland-Eastern Shore 2-1 on Wednesday. Later in the day, the Eagles knocked off the #2 seed, Norfolk State, 7-4. Nichols went 1-for-3 against the Spartans. In addition, Nichols was named first-team All-MEAC for her freshman season. She is second on the team with a .346 batting average. She is first on the team with eight home runs. She is second on the squad with 31 RBIs,  behind only Maegan Garrison, who has 32. On Sunday night, the Eagles were placed in the Athens Regional for the NCAA Softball Tournament. The Eagles will face the Georgia Bulldogs on Friday afternoon at 4:30. Virginia Tech and Boston University are also in the Athens Regional.

Tori Dalehite: For the second time in her career, Tori Dalehite will be going to the NCAA Softball Tournament as a member of the UNC Greensboro Spartans. UNCG captured the Southern Conference championship last weekend at Frost Stadium in Chattanooga, TN. The Spartans defeated Samford 7-6 in the seventh game of the tournament on Saturday afternoon. Earlier in the day, the Bulldogs forced the extra game with a 2-1 win in nine innings. The Spartans were placed in the Clemson Regional. They will face #16 Clemson on Friday.

Mary Moss Wirt: The Elon softball team has its season end in the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament on Wednesday. Stony Brook edged the Phoenix 2-1 in eight innings at Bill Edwards Stadium in Hampstead, NY. Earlier on Wednesday, Towson defeated Elon 7-5. Wirt ends the season seeing action in 26 games. She started six.

Lauren Jackson: The Lenoir-Rhyne softball team reached the finals of the NCAA Division II Southeast Regionals at Wingate. The Bears lost to #17 Wingate in consecutive games, ending the Bears season. Lenoir-Rhyne opened the  tournament with a 6-4 win over Carson-Newman on Thursday at the Wingate Softball Complex. Jackson, a freshman starting at catcher, went 1-for-1 with a sacrifice fly for an RBI in the third inning to put the Bears ahead 4-0. On Friday, the Bears defeated Wingate 2-1 in eight innings. Jackson went 0-for-2. The following day, Wingate defeated Lenoir-Rhyne 6-2. Jackson went 2-for-3 with two RBIs. She drove in the opening run in the game with an RBI double. She also drove in the final run of the game with a single up the middle. In the seventh game, Wingate won 4-1. Jackson went 0-for-3. Lenoir-Rhyne finishes the year 38-14. Jackson played 44 games, starting 37. She was fifth on the team with a .343 batting average. She had two home runs and 25 RBIs.

Olivia Aitkin: The season ended for the Division III Amherst University softball team on Friday. Bates College defeated the Mammoths 1-0 in the New England Small College Athletic Conference Tournament. Aitkin, who played alongside Nichols and Dalehite at Cedar Ridge, played in ten games her freshman season for the Mammoths. She started six. Aitkin, whose brother Nichols played on the Cedar Ridge baseball team this year, hit .385 with three RBIs. Amherst finished the year 24-13.

Kate Burgess: The UNC rowing team finished eighth in the ACC Championships at Lake Wheeler in Raleigh. Burgess, who is a senior, competed for the Tar Heels. Burgess was a basketball player and ran cross country at Orange.

Tori Dalehite: The UNC Greensboro softball team captured its sixth straight Southern Conference championship with a win over Western Carolina on Saturday at UNCG Softball Stadium. The Spartans defeated the Catamounts 8-0 in six innings on Saturday. Dalehite entered the game as a pinch runner and had an at-bat as a designated player. Dalehite started in right field in the Spartans 3-0 loss to Charlotte on Wednesday. Dalehite started in right field in both games of a doubleheader against Mercer on April 29 at Sikes Field in Macon, GA. The Spartans swept the doubleheader. Against Chattanooga on April 23, Dalehite went 1-for-4 with a double in a 10-2 Spartans win. Dalehite went 1-for-2 with a double in a 1-0 win over the Mocs in Greensboro. UNCG will be the top-seed in next week’s Southern Conference Tournament at Frost Stadium in Chattanooga, TN starting Wednesday.

Takia Nichols: The North Carolina Central softball team concluded the regular season by splitting a doubleheader against Western Carolina at Catamount Softball Complex in Cullowhee. Western Carolina won the opening game 9-2. Nichols went 2-for-4 with a double. In the second game, the Eagles won 7-5, which included Nichols hitting a solo homer in the second inning. It was her team-high seventh home run of the season. Nichols finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs in her final regular season game of her freshman season. She ends the regular season with a .336 batting average, which is second on the team. She leads the team with seven home runs and 28 RBIs. She also has a team-high 23 walks. Central finished the regular season 15-32, 12-7 in the MEAC. The Eagles will be the #3 seed in the MEAC Tournament. They will open against Maryland Eastern Shore on Wednesday morning at 9AM at Norfolk State.

Mary Moss Wirt: The Elon softball team completed its regular season this weekend by sweeping North Carolina A&t in Greensboro. Wirt played as a pinch-hitter in the final game of a doubleheader on Saturday, which the Phoenix won 12-4. Wirt also played as a reserve catcher in the opening game of the twinbill, a 9-0 Elon win. She played as a pinch-hitter and drew a walk in Elon’s 8-0 win over the College of Charleston on April 29 at Hunt Softball Park in Elon. Elon is 22-24 overall, 15-7 in the Colonial Athletic Association. The Phoenix are the #4 seed in the CAA Tournament and will open play on Wednesday against either Towson or North Carolina A&T in Hempsted, NY.

Lauren Jackson: The Lenoir-Rhyne softball team was eliminated by Lincoln Memorial in the South Atlantic Conference Tournament in Hickory last weekend. The Bears defeated Catawba 11-5. Jackson went 1-for-4 with an RBI groundout in the first inning. In the second game, Lincoln Memorial won 4-1. Jackson scored the Bears’ only run with a solo homer in the sixth. Lenoir-Rhyne will now await to see if they make the NCAA Division II Tournament. Jackson, a freshman, hit .343 in 40 games this season. She started 33. She hit two home runs and 22 RBIs.

Jaden Hurdle: The Catawba Indians softball team had its season end with the loss to Lenoir-Rhyne in the SAC Tournament. In her first season with Catawba, Hurdle played in three games. The Indians finished 26-19.

Ava Lowry: The Division III North Carolina Wesleyan softball team ended its season in the USA South Conference Tournament with a 4-3 loss to Mary Baldwin in Greensboro. Methodist defeated the Battlin’ Bishops 1-0 in an elimination game. Against the Monarchs, Lowry went 2-for-3. North Carolina Wesleyan finished 27-15. Lowry hit .351 with two home runs and 15 RBIs in her freshman season.

Olivia Aitkin: Playing at Division III Amherst University, Aitkin played right field in the Mammoths 1-0 win over Colby College in the opening game of a doubleheader in Waterville, ME on Saturday. Aitkin also was a pinch-runner in an 8-4 win over Hamilton College at Amherst Softball Field on April 22. Amherst is 24-12, 12-6 in the New England Small College Athletic Conference. The Mammoths will start their conference tournament on Friday in Medford, MA.

Grace Andrews: The Catawba Valley Community College softball team reached the championship game of the Region X Tournament at Louisburg College. On Saturday, Louisburg defeated the Red Hawks 9-0. Earlier in the day, Catawba Valley defeated Cleveland Community College 3-1 in another elimination game. To open the Region X Tournament, Catawba Valley swept a best-of-three series from Fayetteville Technical Community College. In an 12-1 win on Monday in game one, Andrews started as catcher and went 0-for-1 with a walk. Catawba Valley ends the year 44-8. Andrews, in her third season at Catawba Valley, played in 48 games this season. She hit .413 with one home run and 26 RBIs.

At the beginning of Tuesday night, the Cedar Ridge softball team wasn’t in the Central Carolina Conference Tournament, which had been narrowed down to four teams.

By the end of the night, they were in the tournament, thanks largely to sophomore pitcher Charlotte Lowry.

With its game against Person tied 2-2, Lowry lifted a two-run homer to deep centerfield for the game-winning runs. Lowry, the Red Wolves pitcher, then protected the lead that she had provided her team by throwing a clean seventh inning to lift Cedar Ridge past Person 4-2 at Red Wolves Field.

Cedar Ridge officially surpassed Person for fourth place in the Central Carolina Conference and earned a spot in the league tournament. On Wednesday night, the Red Wolves will face CCC regular season champion Western Alamance in Elon.

Lowry threw a two-hitter to earn her sixth win of the season. She struck out six over seven innings. It was her seventh complete game of 2023.

Cedar Ridge catcher Reagan Simmons hit her seventh home run of the season to tie the game in the sixth inning. Grace Young reached on an error to begin the frame on a dropped ball at second base. Simmons drove a 1-1 fastball over the fence in centerfield, which is no small task at Cedar Ridge softball park where the centerfield fence is 228 feet, deeper than many college stadiums.

The runs had barely been posted to Cedar Ridge’s left field scoreboard before senior Anaya Carter stroked a triple to right centerfield with one out. That led to Lowry’s game-winning homer.

Person (9-9, 4-7), who lost 1-0 to Western Alamance last week, took the lead in the top of the fifth. Allie Carden led off with an infield single. Carden stole second, then advanced to third on an error. She scored when Camryn Clarke grounded to Carter at shortstop. Carter threw to the plate, but Carden beat it out. Clarke scored when Lindsey Melton laid down a squeeze play. Tori Carden threw to Kimber Shambley to retire Melton. Josey Harris, who reached earlier on a walk, was thrown out when Shambley threw to Carter, who was covering third for a double play.

The game was a defensive struggle most until the fifth inning. Lowry retired Person in order in two of the first three innings. Simmons’ leadoff single in the fourth was the Red Wolves only hit through the first five innings.

Orange 9, Eastern Alamance 4

As a prelude to their matchup in the CCC Tournament, Orange sophomore Sadie Cecil hit her first career home run to propel the Lady Panthers past the defending 3A State Champions.

With the win, Orange ties Eastern Alamance for second place to conclude the regular season. Tonight (Wednesday), the Lady Panthers will travel to Mebane to face the Eagles again for the semifinals of the CCC Tournament.

Senior Brianne “Breezy” Foster earned the win, throwing the final four innings in place of junior Caden Robinson. Foster allowed only two runs off five hits.

On April 4, Eastern Alamance pitcher Delani Straughan held Orange to five hits over seven innings as the Eagles defeated the Lady Panthers 10-3 in Mebane. On Tuesday, Orange connected for 12 hits off Sraughan in seven innings.

Orange struck for two runs in the third when Carson Bradsher lined a single to centerfield. Robinson stroked a liner to left for a double, easily scoring the speedy Bradsher. Freshman Katie Carden hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield to bring in Robinson.

Eastern Alamance freshman Rachel Byrd blasted a solo homer to left field to cut the Orange lead in half in the top of the fourth. Destiny Carriero tied the game with another homer that went over the centerfield wall.

Serenity McPherson put Orange ahead for good when she led off the bottom of the fifth with a single. With Cecil at bat, McPherson stole second. Bradsher slapped a single to center to bring in McPherson and put Orange ahead 3-2. Robinson followed with a grounder to left field, plating Bradsher. Following another hit by Katie Carden, Savannah Wynne lined a double to centerfield, bringing in Carden and Robinson.

Cecil hit a deep fly to centerfield in the sixth inning for a solo home run. Foster retired the Eagles in order in the sixth inning.

In addition to tying Eastern Alamance for second place, Orange also helped its RPI in the 3A East Region. Going into Tuesday night, Orange was #10 while Eastern Alamance was #11.

Ava Lowry: The Division III North Carolina Wesleyan softball team swept a doubleheader from Methodist on Tuesday. In the Battling Bishops’ 7-0 win in the nightcap, Lowry went 2-for-4 with a double. Wesleyan won the opening game 5-3, where Lowry, starting at shortstop, went 1-for-3. On April 5, Wesleyan swept a doubleheader from William Peace in Rocky Mount. In the opening game, Lowry went 1-for-2 with an RBI single as the Bishops won 8-0 in five innings. Through 32 games, Lowry is hitting .307 with two home runs and 13 RBIs. Wesleyan is 21-10 overall, 6-4 in the USA South Conference.

Takia Nichols: For the second time this season, Nichols was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week. Last weekend, the North Carolina Central Eagles clinched a series against Howard to maintain first place in the MEAC. Playing at the national Youth Academy in Washington, D.C., Nichols went 3-for-3 with a solo homer as the Eagles defeated the Bison 11-3 on Saturday. Nichols knocked in the opening Eagles run with an RBI single in the first inning. In the fourth, Nichols drew a bases-loaded walk to put the Eagles ahead 5-2. On Friday, the Eagles won the opening game of a doubleheader 11-3 in six innings. Nichols went 2-for-4 with an RBI. In the third, Nichols drove in a run off an error by the shortstop. In the second game of the doubleheader, the Bison won 11-7. Nichols finished 1-for-2 with an RBI single in the first inning. Through 31 games, Nichols leads the Eagles with six home runs. She is second on the squad with a .337 batting average and 26 RBIs. She also leads the team with 51 total bases.

Grace Andrews: The Catawba Valley Community College softball team is ranked #15 in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II. The Red Hawks swept a doubleheader from Southwest Virginia in Honaker, VA last weekend. It was the 100th career win for head coach Josh Bumgarner. In the second game of the doubleheader, which the Red Hawks won 7-1, Andrews went 1-for-3 with an RBI single. On April 3, the Red Hawks swept a doubleheader from Pitt Community College at Highland Recreation Center in Hickory. Andrews went 2-for-3 in the opening game, which the Red Hawks captured 10-1 in five innings. Andrews went 1-for-3 in the opening game, which CVCC won 6-0. On Tuesday, Catawba Valley swept another doubleheader from Bryant & Stratton College. The Red Hawks won the opener 6-1, then captured the nightcap 9-0 in five innings. Catawba Valley is 32-6 overall, 19-6 in Region X of the NJCAA.

Lauren Jackson: The Division II Lenoir-Rhyne softball team is now up to #22 in the country. The Bears swept a doubleheader from UVA-Wise at Bears Field in Hickory on April 2. The Bears won the opening game 9-2. Jackson, who started as catcher, went 1-for-2. Jackson appeared as a pinch-hitter in the Bears 6-2 win in the nightcap. Jackson faced her former Orange High teammate, Jaden Hurdle, when the Bears faced Catawba on March 29. The two teams split the doubleheader. Jackson had a single as a pinch-hitter in the Indians’ 7-5 victory over the Bears.

Mary Moss Wirt: A former Orange High player faced off against a former Cedar Ridge player when Elon dueled with North Carolina Central at Hunt Softball Park on Wednesday. Elon defeated Central 8-0 in five innings. Wirt played as a pinch hitter and entered the game as a catcher in the seventh inning. Nichols started at first base for the Eagles. Elon improved to 15-20. Wirt also played as a catcher against Duke on Tuesday at Duke Softball Stadium. The Blue Devils, ranked #11 in the country, defeated the Phoenix 4-0. On April 2, the Phoenix split a doubleheader against Hampton. In the Phoenix’s 9-0 win, Wirt played as a catcher in the seventh inning. Elon will host UNC Wilmington in a three-game series starting with a doubleheader on Saturday.

Tori Dalehite: The UNC Greensboro softball team lost both games against Furman University at Pepsi Stadium in Greenville, SC last weekend. Dalehite scored a run as a pinch-runner in Sunday’s 9-8 loss to the Paladins. Furman edged the Spartans 5-4 in nine innings on Thursday in the opening game of the doubleheader. Dalehite played as a pinch-hitter.

Jaden Hurdle: Hurdle entered games as a reserve for Division II Catawba in a series against Newberry last week at Whitley Field in Salisbury.

Takia Nichols: Nichols earned her first college weekly honor by the Mid Eastern Athletic Conference this week. She was named the MEAC Freshman of the Week following North Carolina Central’s two-game sweep of Maryland Eastern Shore at Thomas Brooks Park in Cary. On Saturday, the Eagles rallied to win 7-6 with four runs in the bottom of the sixth. Nichols delivered a three-run homer to centerfield to score the game-winning runs with one out. It was her second home run of the game. In the third, Nichols hit a solo homer to right centerfield. In the second game of the doubleheader, Nichols went 1-for-2 as the Eagles defeated the Hawks 9-1 in six innings. It was Central’s first run-rule win of the season. Sunday’s game was halted in the fifth inning with the score tied 3-3. On Wednesday, Appalachian State swept a doubleheader from the Eagles at Parkwood Athletic Field in Durham. In the second game, which the Mountaineers won 7-3, Nichols went 2-for-3. She is already batting cleanup for a Central squad that leads the MEAC with 25 home runs in 27 games. Central is 5-0 in the MEAC.

Ava Lowry: Lowry is regularly starting at shortstop for the Division III North Carolina Wesleyan softball team, which is off to a 15-8 start. On Wednesday, the Battling Bishops swept a doubleheader against Guilford at Howorth Field in Greensboro. In Wesleyan’s 6-1 win in the opener, Lowry went 1-for-3 with an RBI. In the nightcap, which Wesleyan won 9-1, Lowry went 1-for-4 with a double. Pfeifer swept Wesleyan in a doubleheader last Saturday. In the opening game, Lowry went 2-for-3. On March 18, the Batting Bishops swept a doubleheader from Averett by scores of 10-2 and 17-9. In the opener, Lowry went 2-for-3 with a run scored. In the nightcap, she finished 1-for-2 with an RBI. Lowry has played in 24 games and is hitting .318 with two home runs and eleven RBIs. She is fourth on the team with 21 hits. She also has eleven RBIs.

Mary Moss Wirt: Wirt appeared as a pinch-runner for Elon and scored a run in the Phoenix’s 4-3 win over Monmouth on March 19 at Monmouth Softball Park in West Long Branch, NJ. Wirt also played in the Phoenix’s 6-2 victory over Monmouth. Elon is 13-17 overall, 7-2 in the Colonial Athletic Association.

Tori Dalehite: On Wednesday, UNC Greensboro’s softball team defeated Charlotte 4-2 at Daughtridge Stadium in Charlotte. Dalehite appeared as a pinch-runner. On March 19, Dalehite appeared as a designated player in the Spartans 5-3 win over Gardner-Webb. UNC Greensboro has won nine in a row as they head into next week’s midweek game at UNC.

Lauren Jackson: On Wednesday, Jackson faced her former teammate at Orange High as Lenoir-Rhyne faced Catawba. Jackson went 1-for-1 as a pinch-hitter, but Catawba defeated Lenoir-Rhyne 7-5. Jaden Hurdle suited up for Catawba. On March 24, Jackson again appeared as a pinch-hitter and had a base hit as the Bears defeated Coker 7-5 in Saleeby Stokes Field. Jackson has played in 27 games, starting 22 of them. She is hitting .333 with one home run and 15 RBIs.

Olivia Aitkin: The Division III Amherst College softball team started its season March 12. The Mammoths are 13-3. Aitkin started in right field in her first college game and finished 2-for-2 in a 6-2 loss to Bethel University at Fortune Road Complex in Kissimmee, FL. Amherst rebounded to win five in a row. Aitkin went 1-for-3 in a 8-0 win over Kenyon College in five innings. She had an RBI sacrifice fly in a 16-0 victory over the University of New England. Against Carleton College, Aitkin had an RBI single as a pinch-hitter as Amherst won 12-1 in five innings. Aitkin has played in eight games, starting five of them. She is hitting .385 with three RBIs.

Grace Andrews: On Wednesday, the Catawba Valley Community College softball team swept a doubleheader from Cleveland Community College in Shelby. In the nightcap, Andrews went 3-for-5 with three runs scored as the Red Hawks won 15-3 in five innings. Catawba Valley won the opener 8-0. On Monday, Louisburg College, ranked #5 in Division III of the National Junior College Athletic Association, swept a doubleheader from the Red Hawks at Highland Recreation Center in Hickory. In a 11-10 loss to the Hurricanes, Andrews hit a solo homer in the fourth inning. She also drove in a run off a bases-loaded walk. Andrews finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Louisburg won the opening game 3-1, where Andrews went 1-for-3. Andrews is the leading hitter for Catawba Valley with a .427 average through 30 games. Catawba Valley is 24-6 overall, 11-3 in Region X of the NJCCA.

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolves of the Week are Cameron and Cierra Copeland. Since the time they started at Cedar Ridge, Cierra and Cameron have been unsung heroes for the athletic program. During the thrones of the COVID-19 pandemic, when fans weren’t allowed to attend games and basketball games were sometimes canceled in just a few hours notice, Cierra and Cameron were the backbone of the 2021 Cedar Ridge women’s basketball team. Often, the Red Wolves suited up only five players to play deeper teams. But that didn’t let that stop them from constantly competing. Last December, Cierra and Cameron both played as Cedar Ridge defeated Person to end a 39-game conference losing streak. Cierra and Cameron have also been managers for the Cedar Ridge volleyball team, which won the 2021 3A State Championship, the 2021 and 2022 Central Carolina Conference regular season and tournament championships. Currently, Cierra and Cameron are playing for the Cedar Ridge softball team, which are 7-4 and will resume its season against Falls Lake on Tuesday in Hillsborough.

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is sophomore catcher Reagan Simmons. Through nine games this season, Simmons is second on the team with a .545 batting average. She leads the team with 14 runs and is second on the squad with 12 hits. She also leads the team with two home runs. Simmons started as a freshman last year and also played basketball. Playing extensively in 2022, she learned alongside seniors Takia Nichols, Ava Lowry and Olivia Aitkin, all of whom provided a valuable lesson in leadership. Among the highlights this season for Simmons is going 3-for-3 with an RBI single in a 9-7 win over Cardinal Gibbons in Hillsborough; going 2-for-4 with an RBI single in a 14-4 win over Northern Durham; and going 2-for-4 while scoring three runs against Seaforth in a 23-1 Red Wolves victory. Simmons has played youth softball since she was an adolescent. With Kimber Shambley and Charlotte Lowry, Simmons provides a youthful front that aims to propel Cedar Ridge back to the top of the Central Carolina Conference. Cedar RIdge travels to Eastern Alamance, the defending 3A State Champions, tonight in Mebane for its final game before spring break. First pitch is at 6PM.

The Cedar RIdge softball team claimed a pair of wins last week over teams from Chatham County. On Wednesday, Cedar RIdge rolled past Seaford 23-1 in Pittsboro., Sophomore Kimber Shambley hit her first home run as a Red Wolves with a two-run blast in the fourth inning. Shambley went 3-for-4 with four RBIs. Another sophomore, Charlotte Lowry, went 1-for-2 with a single. On Friday, the Red Wolves defeated Northwood 6-4 in Hillsborough. Lowry started as the pitcher and threw a complete game to earn the win. She is the younger sister of former Cedar Ridge shortstop Ava Lowry, who is now playing with North Carolina Wesleyan. Shambley, Lowry, Reagan Simmons and freshman Mia Best make up the core of a young Cedar RIdge team playing in a deep Central Carolina Conference. Freshmen Laci Sykes and Victoria Matthews have also seen time early on this season as the Red Wolves are off to a 6-2 start. Cedar RIdge will host crosstown rival Orange on Tuesday night. You can hear that game on Hillsboroughsports.com.

Takia Nichols: On March 8, the North Carolina Central softball team defeated N.C. State 10-3 at Dail Stadium in Raleigh in the second game of a doubleheader. Nichols launched a two-run homer to right field in the first inning. In the third inning, Nichols lined a double up the middle to score two runs. Nichols went 2-for-3 with four RBIs. In the opening game, N.C. State defeated the Eagles 19-9. Nichols, a freshman, started at 1st base and went 0-for-2 with two walks and a run scored. Over the weekend, Gardner-Webb swept a three-game series from Central in Boiling Springs. In the opening game of the series on Friday, Nichols went 1-for-4 with an RBI. On Sunday, Nichols went 1-for-2 with an RBI double. In 17 games, Nichols has started 15. She is hitting .244 with three home runs and eleven RBIs. Central won its first game of the season on March 3 with an 5-4 win in nine innings over Furman in the Campbell Stampede in Buies Creek. Nichols hit a three-run homer in the first inning. She drove in the walkoff run on a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning.

Mary Moss Wirt: Over the weekend, the Elon softball team swept Stony Brook in a three-game series at Hunt Softball Park in Elon. Wirt played on Friday and Sunday as a pinch-runner. On March 4-6, Wirt actually competed against a former Cedar Ridge player in Tori Dalehite when Elon faced UNC Greensboro. swept the three-game series. On March 4, Wirt started as catcher and went 1-for-3 with two runs scored. Elon is 9-14 overall, 3-0 in the Colonial Athletic Association.

Tori Dalehite: Over the weekend, the UNC Greensboro softball team competed in the Clemson Classic in South Carolina. The Spartans defeated Jacksonville 3-0 on Friday. Clemson, ranked #4 in the country, shutout the Spartans 3-0, also on Friday. Bryant University edged UNCG 7-6. Dalehite played as a pinch-runner. UNCG is 14-11 and will host Notre Dame on Wednesday.

Lauren Jackson: The Division II Lenoir-Rhyne softball team is 20-3 after sweeping a doubleheader from #24 Anderson in Anderson, S.C. on Saturday. In the opening game, the Bears defeated the Trojans 5-3. Jackson, who started at catcher, roped a two-run homer in the first inning. She finished 1-for-4. In the nightcap, Lenoir-Rhyne won 6-0. Jackson had a two-run single up the middle in the first inning as the Bears scored all six of its runs in the opening three innings. On March 8, the Bears swept a doubleheader from Francis Marion at Bears Field in Hickory. In the opening 10-2 victory in six innings, Jackson went 0-for-1 with two walks. The Bears are 4-2 in the South Atlantic Conference and will face Wingate in a doubleheader on Tuesday in Hickory.

Grace Andrews: The Catawba Valley Community College softball team is 18-4 overall, 5-1 in Region X. On Saturday, the Red Hawks swept a doubleheader from Richard Bland College at Highland Community College in Hickory. CVCC took the opener 7-0. Andrews, starting at catcher, went 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Andrews had a two-run single in the fifth inning. The Red Hawks won the nightcap 12-2. Andrews went 1-for-2 with three RBIs. She had a sacrifice fly in the second inning. Andrews knocked in a run off an error in the third. On Friday, CVCC split a doubleheader against Bryant & Stratton College in Hickory. In the opener, the Statesmen won 2-0. In the second, the Red Hawks won 8-4. Andrews went 1-for-3 with an RBI single in the sixth. In 22 games this season, Andrews is hitting .424 with 15 RBIs and 12 runs scored.

Aaliyah Harris: The Division III Randolph Macon women’s basketball team ended its season with a loss to Shenandoah in the quarterfinals of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Tournament on February 23. The Hornets defeated the Yellow Jackets 66-57. In her freshman season, Harris played five games. She averaged 1.8 points per game. She had three points against Lynchburg College on January 11.

Timely hitting and solid pitching punctuated the second week of the season for the Cedar Ridge softball team. The Red Wolves went 3-0 with two victories over Cardinal Gibbons and a run-rule victory over Northern Durham last Thursday. Sophomore Charlotte Lowry had a strong week in the circle and at the plate. She threw six innings in a 14-4 win over Northern Durham, striking out eight. Senior Anaya Carter went 2-for-5 with an RBI in an 11-5 win over Cardinal Gibbons in Raleigh on Monday. The next day, Carter went 3-for-4 with an RBI single as the Red Wolves completed a two-game sweep of the Crusaders, winning 9-7 in Raleigh. Senior Hayley King scored against Northern Durham and adds experience to the Red Wolves pitching staff. Freshman Laci Sykes went 2-for-4 with two runs scored against Northern Durham on Thursday night. Against Cardinal GIbbons on Tuesday, Sykes went 1-for-4 with two more runs scored. Sykes, Reagan Simmons, Kimber Shambley and Mia Best comprise a young nucleus for head coach Allan Byrd that hopes to make an impact in the Central Carolina Conference, one of the deepest softball leagues in the state. Cedar Ridge will return to action against Person in Roxboro on Tuesday night.