Cedar Ridge Softball

Rivers Andrews was one out away from her second perfect game of the season.

With 26 up and 26 down and two out in the 7th inning, she walked Southern Wayne’s Mackenzie Bryan.

Instead of a perfect game, Andrews had to be content with her eighth no-hitter of the season. And Cedar Ridge softball’s first state playoff win since 2006, at least.

Cedar Ridge stormed past Southern Wayne 9-0 in Hillsborough on Wednesday night in Hillsborough in the first round of the 3A state playoffs. The Red Wolves advance to face West Carteret in Hillsborough on Friday or Saturday.

West Carteret, the champions of the Coastal Conference, held off Southeast Guilford 2-1 on Wednesday in Morehead City.

There was no such drama in Hillsborough on Wednesday as the Red Wolves won its 13th straight game to improve to 16-1. Andrews struck out 19 Saints, pushing her season total to 177, compared to 12 walks.

Cedar Ridge broke open a scoreless tie with four runs in the third. Taylor Ruhl and Tionna Carter started the inning with consecutive singles. Andrews knocked in the game’s first run, bringing in Ruhl on a sacrifice fly. Kymberlie Thacker had an RBI groundout to second, scoring Carter and giving Cedar Ridge a 2-0 lead. With two out, Emma Roby singled, and then Kara Wagoner drilled a two-run homer to left field. It was Wagoner’s first dinger of the year.

It remained 4-0 until the bottom of the sixth, when Cedar Ridge poured in five more runs. Taylor Barnes, Amy Stutzer and Tori Dalehite each had infield singles. Stutzer was thrown out at second. Ruhl grounded into a fielder’s choice with the bases loaded as Cailyn Thornton, running for Barnes, was thrown out at home trying to score. Carter lined a single to center to bring in Dalehite. Ruhl scored off an RBI single from Andrews, pushing Cedar Ridge’s lead to 6-0. As Thacker was at bat, Carter scored off a wild pitch. Thacker doubled on a liner to left field which reached the wall, plating Shili Quade, who was running for Andrews. Reagan Ruhl, running for Thacker, scored the final run off Roby’s infield single.

Roby finished 3-for-4 with an RBI. Wagoner went 2-for-4 following the homer. Dalehite, batting leadoff, finished 2-for-4, pushing her team-best average to .583. She also leads the team with 28 hits, five triples and 28 RBI.

Cedar Ridge’s win ended a mixed night for the Big 8 in the opening round of the state playoffs. Conference runner-up East Chapel Hill defeated Gray’s Creek 8-5 in Hope Mills. The Wildcats advance to face Western Alamance in the 2nd round.

However, the other two teams from the Big 8 were decisively eliminated. 11th-seeded Topsail pulled away from defending 3A state champion Orange 16-7 in Hampstead. Cape Fear remained undefeated, improving to 25-0 after shutting out Northern Durham 7-0 in Fayetteville.

When the NCHSAA released its pairings on Monday, many around Cedar Ridge softball anticipated getting a high seed.

But when the Red Wolves received an 8-seed, despite finishing 15-1 overall, it left a sour taste in the mouths of Red Wolves coaches.

The 8-seed means Cedar Ridge could face the #1 seeded West Brunswick Trojans in the third round in Shallotte next week, if the Red Wolves advance that far. First, they have to get past Southern Wayne (9-11) on Wednesday in Hillsborough. In the second round, Cedar Ridge could face Coastal Conference Champions West Carteret, who went 10-0 in league play.

So why did Cedar Ridge get such a low seed? Why did teams with more losses like #2 seed Western Alamance (20-3), #4 Southern Alamance (20-4) and #6 C.B. Aycock (16-6) get a better seed?

First, understand teams are seeded based on their MaxPreps rankings. Since Cedar Ridge won their conference, the lowest they could be seeded was #9. Cedar Ridge’s MaxPrep ranking was #66. West Brunswick, the top overall seed in the East, had a #3 ranking. Western Alamance was #23. Southern Alamance was #36.

Why?

If you’re thinking about going to the FAQ section on MaxPreps seeding on the NCHSAA website, here’s a word of advice: don’t.

Based on help from Raleigh News and Observer High School Sports Editor J. Mike Blake, we got help in understanding what happened.

There are several factors:

The weather: It was a rainy and snowy spring across Orange County. Cedar Ridge had two nonconference games canceled because of weather. Both of them were against teams that won their respective conferences. In the first week of March, Cedar Ridge was scheduled to travel to Western Alamance, but there was enough snow that week to cancel the game. Western Alamance captured the Mid-State Conference Championship with a 11-3 league record. Roxboro Community, who is the only team to beat Cedar Ridge this season, won the 1A North Central Championship last week, taking a tiebreaker from Vance Charter School. According to Blake, if Cedar Ridge had played those games (not win them, simply play them) against the Warriors and Bulldogs, their MaxPreps rankings would have increased, perhaps substantially.

Not Enough Games: Cedar Ridge only played 16 games, the least of any team in the entire 3A State Tournament. Again, the weather was a factor. The Red Wolves missed opportunities to play good teams and boost their MaxPreps ranking.

The Schedule: As Blake points out, Cedar Ridge played one team with less than five losses. That was Roxboro Community School, who beat CRHS. Cedar Ridge couldn’t overcome the damage to its schedule done by the bottom feeders of the Big 8 Conference. Of Cedar Ridge’s 16 wins, six came against Hillside, Southern Durham and Chapel Hill. East Chapel Hill, Orange, Northwood, and Northern Durham all had less wins this season than in 2017.

Cedar Ridge outscored opposition 145-9 this season and won the first softball conference championship in school history. They have the talent to win a state championship against a loaded field. They’ll just have a tougher climb to get there than anticipated.

Bryse Wilson: Five starts with the Florida Fire Frogs was enough for the brass in the Atlanta Braves organization to see Bryse Wilson should be promoted. On Saturday, Wilson was called up to the Mississippi Braves of the AA Southern League. The transaction came after Wilson threw six-and-two-thirds shutout innings for the Fire Frogs against the Bradenton Marauders on Wednesday. Wilson departs Kissimmee, Florida with a 2-0 record and a 0.34 ERA. In four of Wilson’s five starts, he didn’t give up an earned run. He struck out 26 and walked seven. He’s expected to make his Southern League debut next week.

Mia Davidson: In Sunday’s 6-1 loss to #7 Tennessee, former Orange High catcher Mia Davidson set the Mississippi State softball record for most home runs in a season by a freshman. She launched her 18th home run in the 3rd inning. On Saturday in Mississippi State’s 10-3 win over the Volunteers, Davidson tied the record with her 17th homer. Mississippi State, ranked #24 in the country, concluded the regular season 35-20 overall, 7-17 in the SEC. Davidson concluded the regular season leading the team in batting average (.385), hits (66), doubles (13), home runs (18), RBI (46), total bases (133), slugging percentage (.733), and on-base percentage.

Mackenzie Cates: The Efland native was named the Lenoir-Rhyne Female Athlete of the Year on Wednesday during the first-ever Bears Choice Awards. Cates was named to the 2019 All-South Atlantic Conference First Team last week. She leads the Lenoir-Rhyne softball team in home runs (12) and RBI (42). Lenoir-Rhyne was upset by Carson-Newman in the first round of the SAC Softball Quarterfinals 6-0 on April 27. Nonetheless, the Bears are expected to receive a high-seed when the NCAA Division II Softball Tournament brackets are unveiled this week.

Brandon Andrews: The former Cedar Ridge pitcher earned his first college win as Nicholls defeated Stephen F. Austin 22-10 on Saturday in Nacogdoches, Texas. Andrews, a freshman with the Colonels, threw three shutout innings, giving up one hit, striking out one. He retired ten of the eleven batters he faced. Andrews also pitched on May 2 in Nicholls 17-8 win over Prairie View in Prairie View, TX. Against the Panthers, Andrews threw two shutout innings, striking out two. Nicholls is 21-27, 10-13 in the Southland Conference going into Sunday’s series-finale against Stephen F. Austin.

Jordan Toney: The former Orange pitcher started for UNC Pembroke against Georgia Southwestern on April 28. He gave up 12 hits and seven runs in four-and-two-thirds innings as the Braves defeated the Hurricanes 13-7. Toney also started against Flagler on April 21st, also getting a no-decision. Toney threw six-and-a-third innings, giving up six hits, three runs, striking out three. This season, Toney is 3-0 with a 6.04 ERA in eight starts. He’s made 13 appearances on the mound.

Brad Debo: Debo made pinch-hitting appearances on Friday and Saturday against William & Mary. Debo got a base hit in the Wolfpack’s 4-0 win over the Tribe on Friday. In a 5-4 loss to Campbell on Wednesday, Debo had a pinch-hit RBI single. Debo is hitting .276 and has started 22 of the Wolfpack’s 46 games. N.C. State is 33-12.

Bowen Collins: The former Orange midfielder played in Lenoir-Rhyne’s win over Queens in the South Atlantic Conference men’s lacrosse tournament. The Bears lost the championship game to Wingate 12-9 on April 29.

The Cedar Ridge softball team’s coronation came with 81-degree temperatures, the warmest day so far this year.

That’s not only summer weather. It’s championship weather.

The high school sports season ends on June 2. If 2017 is any indication, it will be well into the high-80s. On the field, it will be in the 90s.

When Orange won the 3A state softball championship at Dail Field at N.C. State last season, pitcher Christina Givens got lightheaded in the dugout. Trainer Emily Gaddy had to give her cold towels, carbonated beverages and breath mints to finish the game.

There’s no other place Cedar Ridge would rather be.

From the time that Cedar Ridge started the season with a 4-1 win at Eastern Alamance on February 28, it was clear that the 6-12 season in 2017 was a distant memory.

As well as it should have been. Pitcher Rivers Andrews missed her entire junior season with a hip injury. 1st baseman Tori Dalehite’s freshman season was lost after she tore her ACL in her first basketball game.

In other words, Cedar Ridge competed in 2017 without its top two players and anyone around the Red Wolves team will tell you pitchers like Andrews don’t grow on trees.

On Thursday, the Red Wolves completed a coronation to its first softball championship in school history, shutting out Southern Durham 19-0. Naturally, Andrews was perfect in her final regular season game, throwing three innings and striking out nine. Dalehite hit her fifth home run, while Kymberlie Thacker belted her seventh.

Anyone can measure a team’s dominance by the slaughter rule, I.e. beating an opponent by over ten runs in five innings. Half of Cedar Ridge’s 14 wins came that way, but the ones that grabbed the attention of many around the Big 8 came on March 14 when they romped past Northwood 11-0, and did it again two days later 12-0 against the Chargers.

On March 28, Andrews tossed her masterpiece against Orange, a perfect game where she struck out 20 of the 21 Panthers she faced. Overall, Cedar Ridge outscored opposition 140-6 in Big 8 play this season.

Andrews threw six no-hitters this season, finishing 12-1 with a 0.64 ERA. She struck out 158 while walking eleven.

Dalehite, in her first varsity season, led the team with a .614 batting average. She had team-highs in hits (27), RBIs (28), runs (26), and triples (5)

There’s also the power of Thacker, who hit seven home runs and added 20 RBIs.

The rain and snow of a strange spring robbed Cedar Ridge of some potentially interesting non-conference games. On Monday, the Red Wolves were supposed to face Roxboro Community School, the only team to beat the Red Wolves this season. It was canceled.

In early March, CRHS was set to face Western Alamance, a game that fell victim to a late snowfall. The Warriors are 20-3. Perhaps that canceled regular season date was only a rain check for sometime in May.

Regardless, Cedar Ridge softball withered the spring snow and rain to take its first conference championship in a race they controlled from day one.

Now, they want to be playing on June 2nd.

Cedar Ridge captured its first conference softball championship in school history on Tuesday with a 22-0 win over Southern Durham. Left fielder Amy Stutzer scored two runs after walking twice. Going into the regular season finale on Thursday, Stutzer is hitting .250. On top of winning the conference championship on Tuesday, Stutzer celebrated her birthday on Wednesday. Her mother made sure the occasion was equipped with the right refreshments.

The Cedar Ridge softball team was supposed to play Hillside on Tuesday, but they were rained out. Rain has been the only thing that has stopped the Red Wolves this season. After sweeping the two-game series against East Chapel Hill last week, the Red Wolves are 10-1 overall, 9-0 in the Big 8. In Friday’s 8-1 win, sophomore 1st baseman Tori Dalehite went 2-for-4 with 3 RBIs, including a triple. Dalehite, playing her first varsity season, leads the team with a .529 batting average. She leads the team in hits (18), runs scored (17), RBIs (16), triples (5) and on-base percentage (.579). 

Mia Davidson: For the 3rd time this season, Davidson was named the SEC Rookie of the Week after Mississippi State took two-of-three games from archrival Ole Miss. On April 16, Davidson hit her 15th home run on a 7-6 loss to the Rebels, tying her with Georgia’s Alyssa DiCarlo for the SEC lead. Against Ole Miss, Davidson went 6-for-10 with a double, a home run and three RBI. On Friday, Davidson hit her 16th homer against #5 Florida in a 8-3 loss. Mississippi State is now 33-15 overall, 6-12 in the SEC. Davidson was also named a Top 25 Finalist for the National Freshman of the Year by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. Davidson has started all 48 games for the Bulldogs, leading the team with a .413 batting average with 16 home runs and 41 RBIs (team lead in the latter two categories). She also leads the team with 13 doubles, 127 total bases and a .480 on base percentage. Davidson is two home runs away from tying Iyhia McMichael for the school single-season record.

Rachel Peel: The Meredith Softball team ended its season over the weekend with a four-game, non-conference road series. Pfeiffer swept the Avenging Angles 8-0 and 4-3. Meredith defeated Guilford 9-0 to end the season 28-17. Against the Quakers, former Orange catcher Rachel Peel went 2-for-4 with 4 RBI and a double. In the first inning, Peel knocked in Alyssa Drake on an RBI fielder’s choice. In the next frame, Peel laced an RBI single to right, scoring Kelsey Mabe. In the 6th, Peel doubled to left field to bring in Drake and Mabe. In the 4-3 loss to Pfeiffer, Peel went 1-for-4 with a run scored. In 23 games this season, Peel hit .323 with 21 hits, five doubles and eleven RBI. Peel was named to the USA South Conference East Division first team, one of eight Avenging Angels honored.

Bryse Wilson: The 2016 Orange graduate got a no-decision on Saturday afternoon as the Florida Fire Frogs defeated the Lakeland Flying Tigers 7-5 at Osceola County Stadium. Wilson gave up four hits and four runs, only one earned, through four-and-two-thirds innings, striking out five and walking two. On April 15, Wilson earned his first win of the season against the Palm Beach Cardinals, throwing five shutout innings and yielding only one hit. Wilson struck out five and walked none. Through three games, Wilson is 1-0 with a 0.68 ERA with 15 strikeouts and three walks.

Mackenzie Cates: Lenoir-Rhyne Softball captured the South Atlantic Conference regular season championship outright on April 14 after sweeping a doubleheader from Carson-Newman in Jefferson City, Tennessee. The Bears captured the nightcap 7-5 in eight innings. In that game, former Orange catcher Mackenzie Cates hit her team-record 12th home run of the season in the 7th inning. On Wednesday, Lenoir-Rhyne swept another doubleheader from Newberry, 11-0 and 6-3. In the opener, Cates hit a three-run homer. On Friday, King College ended Lenoir-Rhyne’s 16-game winning streak with a 2-1 defeat of the Bears. The Tornado went on to capture game two 4-3. Lenoir Rhyne will be the top seed in the South Atlantic Conference Softball Championship starting Saturday in Anderson, S.C. Cates leads Lenoir-Rhyne with 12 home runs and 42 RBIs. She also hitting .347.

Jordan Toney: The former Orange pitcher has seen increased action for Division II UNC Pembroke recently. Toney started against Flagler on Saturday, throwing six-and-a-third innings, giving up six hits, three runs. He took a no decision as Pembroke won 5-3. On April 18th, Toney threw an inning of mop-up duty as Pembroke put away Coker 15-9. Toney struck out two while giving up one run and two hits. Against North Georgia in April 14th, Toney threw a season-high eight innings, giving up eight hits, four runs (two earned), while striking out two in a no decision. The Nighthawks defeated the Braves 5-4 in eleven innings. Toney took his third win of the season in an 8-4 win over Francis Marion. Toney tossed seven shutout innings, scattering six hits

Stephen Tanner: The former Cedar Ridge goalkeeper ended the season over the weekend with Greensboro College. The Pride lost to Huntingdon 12-5 in the USA South Athletic Conference Tournament in Lagrange, GA on April 14. Tanner made eight saves in the loss. Tanner, a senior, 8-9 with a 9.12 Goals Against Average.

Cole Churchill: Churchill saw action as a defenseman for Randolph-Macon in the Yellow Jackets 25-4 win over Randolph on Saturday.

Bowen Collins: Lenoir-Rhyne capture the South Atlantic Conference regular season championship after beating Coker 15-7 on Saturday. Collins played in the game late for the Bears.

Zach Wright: The former Orange attacker fired two shots as Mars Hill defeated Newberry 10-9 on Saturday. It was the Lions 2nd win of the season.

The Cedar Ridge Softball team took control of the Big 8 Conference on Tuesday afternoon with a 5-1 victory at East Chapel Hill. The Red Wolves are now the only undefeated team remaining in Big 8 play at 8-0, while East suffered its first conference loss. Catcher Kymberlie Thacker hit her team-leading 4th home run of the season in the 5th. Thacker played through pain in the 7th when her glove hand was accidentally hit by a bat. Thacker received treatment for her index finger, but finished the game. Cedar Ridge will host the Wildcats in Hillsborough on Friday as the Red Wolves search for its first conference championship in softball this decade. 

In a stretch of three games in four days, the Cedar Ridge softball team hasn’t shown any signs of relenting from its dominant ways.

On Friday, the Red Wolves defeated Northern Durham 5-1 to remain atop the Big 8 Conference with a 5-1 win over the Knights in Durham. Cedar Ridge, now 8-1 overall and 7-0 in the Big 8. The Red Wolves are tied with East Chapel Hill for first place with a showdown series against the Wildcats set for next week, starting Tuesday at East.

Once again, Cedar Ridge senior pitcher Rivers Andrews overwhelmed batters over the course of a sweep of Northern Durham and a victory over 15-0 Chapel Hill on Wednesday.

In Tuesday’s 11-1 win over Northern, Andrews threw her second no-hitter of the season, striking out eight. Junior shortstop Tionna Carter laced two doubles, racking up two RBIs. Sophomore Tori Dalehite, hitting leadoff, went 2-for-4 with a double and a triple. Junior Taylor Ruhl set the pace with a home run in the first inning, her first dinger of the season.

Catcher Kymberlie Thacker ripped two triples and had two RBIs.

On Wednesday against Chapel Hill, Thacker belted two home runs, each two-run blasts. Dalehite scored three times, while Ruhl added another triple in a game shortened to three innings.

Friday’s 5-1 win over Northern was the closest anyone in the Big 8 has come to beating the Red Wolves. But Andrews was the common denominator, striking out 18 and throwing a two-hitter.

In the first, Dalehite drew a leadoff walk, and circled the bases during an at-bat by Ruhl. Dalehite stole 2nd, went to third on a passed ball and scored on a passed ball.

Carter followed with a triple to center, and scored on another passed ball as Andrews was at the plate. Northern came back in the bottom of the first with a solo homer from McKenzie McCullen, the first home run Andrews has surrendered this season.

The Red Wolves scored the final five runs of the game, starting in the third inning. After Dalehite drew a leadoff walk, Carter was hit by a pitch. With Andrews hitting, Dalehite and Carter each moved up a base after a passed ball. On the next pitch, Dalehite scored off another passed ball. With two out, Thacker plated Carter with an RBI double to put Cedar Ridge ahead 4-1.

In the top of the fourth, juniors Kara Wagoner and Taylor Barnes hit consecutive singles. Wagoner came in on a wild pitch.

After McCullen’s homer, Northern only had four batters reach base in the final six innings. The Knights had just one hit the rest of the way and no one touched third base.

Cedar Ridge plays at East Chapel Hill on Tuesday, then welcomes the Wildcats to Hillsborough on Friday. In addition, Cedar Ridge will play a nonconference game at Eastern Guilford on Wednesday.