Orange Softball

Jaylin Jones: Former Orange lacrosse, football and track & field star Jaylin Jones had a special moment on a rainy day for the Division III Pfeiffer men’s lacrosse team on Saturday. Jones scored a goal for the Falcons, who defeated William Peace University 24-11 at Lefko Field in Misenheimer. Jones, on his senior day, scored an unassisted goal during a 12-0 Falcon run in the second quarter. It was Jones’ first goal of the season. He also scooped up two ground balls. Pfeiffer set a school record with its ninth consecutive win. The Falcons finished the regular season 10-1, 8-0 in the USA South Athletic Conference. Next Saturday, Pfeiffer will host Greensboro College for the USA South Athletic Conference Eastern Division Championship.

Wyatt Jones: Jones, the first Orange player to suit up for a Division I lacrosse team, returned to action for Mercer on Saturday. #14 Richmond defeated the Bears 21-8 at Five Star Stadium in Macon, GA. Jones entered the game and fired one shot on net. Mercer is 5-7 overall, 2-3 in the Southern Conference.

Bryse Wilson: In his second start with the Atlanta Braves this season, Wilson suffered a loss on Sunday. The Arizona Diamondbacks defeated Atlanta 5-0 in seven innings in the opening game of a doubleheader at Truist Park in Cumberland, GA. Wilson surrendered three runs and four hits in four innings. He struck out four and walked two. Wilson is 1-1. The Braves didn’t score a run in the doubleheader. They were no-hit in the second game by Arizona’s Madison Bumgarner in a 7-0 loss.

Landon Riley: The Liberty Flames defeated Coastal Carolina 6-4 on Sunday to clinch the series at Worthington Field in Lynchburg, VA. Riley worked the ninth inning for his fifth save of the season. Against five batters, Riley allowed two hits, but also struck out the side. The Flames are now 27-10 after taking two-out-of-three against the Chanticleers. They are 16-2 at home.

Joey Berini: In a weekend series against UCF, Berini entered two games for #9 East Carolina as a pinch hitter. In a 10-5 loss to the Knights on Friday, Berini picked up his second hit as a Pirate with a leadoff single the sixth inning. On Sunday, UCF defeated the Pirates 6-1. Berini struck out to end the game. East Carolina is 28-7, 10-2 in the American Athletic Conference.

Phillip Berger: The Division III William Peace baseball team had its season come to an end after losing to Greensboro College on Sunday. Berger started for the Pacers and suffered the loss. The Pride defeated the Pacers 5-4 at Ted Leonard Park in Greensboro. Berger started and threw four innings. He surrendered seven runs off eleven hits. Berger struck out three with zero walks. On Friday, Greensboro edged Peace 5-4 in the opening game of a doubleheader. Berger threw one inning of relief and surrendered two runs off two hits and two walks. He ends the year 5-4 with a 4.85 ERA. Berger recorded 39 strikeouts and 25 walks in his sophomore season.

Cooper Porter: Porter threw one-thirds of an inning for Pensacola State in its 12-3 win over Gulf Coast State College on Sunday in the opening game of a doubleheader. He struck out the only batter he faced. Pensacola State is 24-16. Porter has played 15 games for the Pirates this season. He is hitting .265 with one home run and six RBIs. He has two pitching appearances this year.

Mia Davidson: On Friday night, Davidson tweeted that she had been accepted to Graduate School. On Saturday, Davidson’s Mississippi State softball team won its first game against an Southeastern Conference opponent this year when they defeated Texas A&M 8-1 at Nusz Park in Starkville, MS. Davidson hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning, her 14th of the year. Davidson is now one home run shy of the all-time baseball and softball home run record in Mississippi State history, set by Rafael Palmeiro. Davidson has 66 career homers. On Saturday, she went 1-for-2 with 4 RBIs and a run scored. She also threw a runner out at third to end the fifth inning. Texas A&M defeated Mississippi State 7-5 on Friday. Davidson went 0-for-3. On Sunday, the Aggies clinched the series over the Bulldogs with an 8-1 win. Davidson finished 1-for-3 with the first single of the game.

Montana Davidson: On Sunday, Montana started at third base for Mississippi State and finished 1-for-2 with a walk. In Friday loss, Montana went 0-for-2. On Saturday, she finished 0-for-3. Mississippi State is 25-21 overall, 1-14 in the SEC. The Bulldogs travel to South Carolina next weekend.

Tori Dalehite: The UNC Greensboro softball team swept Samford in a three-game series this weekend at UNCG Softball Stadium. Dalehite entered the second game of Friday’s doubleheader, a 1-0 Spartan victory, as a pinch runner for designated player Kayleigh Willis. UNCG is 25-14 overall.

Jaden Hurdle: The Patrick Henry Community College softball team swept a doubleheader from Florence-Darlington Technical College on Friday. The Patriots have won six of its last seven. In the nightcap, Hurdle earned the win in the pitching circle as PHCC prevailed 8-5. Hurdle replaced starter Brianna Taylor in the fifth inning. Hurdle tossed three innings of shutout ball. She conceded two hits and one walk with one strikeout. At the plate, Hurdle went 1-for-4. Patrick Henry won the opener 4-3 in ten innings. Hurdle finished 1-for-3 with two walks. Through 30 games, Hurdle is 3rd on the team in batting average (.369), RBIs (22), home runs (6) and hits (31). She’s second on the squad with 15 extra base hits.

In terms of pitching, Hurdle is now 4-1 with a 5.12 ERA. She has 26 strikeouts and ten walks.

PITTSBORO–On a late April night where temperatures plunged into the low-50s in Chatham County, the Orange Lady Panthers bats were as chilly as the weather.

Until they weren’t.

Clinging to a 3-2 lead after four innings, Orange scored ten runs in the top of the fifth to defeat Northwood 13-2 at Charger Softball Field. The Lady Panthers (10-0, 6-0), with the Big 8 Conference Championship already secured, are off to its best start since the 2017 3A State Championship season.

Junior catcher Lauren Jackson launched a 3-run homer to vault Orange ahead 8-2 and chase Northwood starting pitcher Caroline Garner from the game. Freshman Delaney Shaffer, who went 4-for-5 in the Lady Panthers’ win over Cedar Ridge last Friday, led off the fifth with a double down the left field line. She was the first of eight straight Lady Panthers to reach base safely in the 5th to break the game open.

Orange’s second turn through the batting order bore no resemblance to its first. Garner alternated her fastball with a changeup and an occasional knuckleball to hold the Lady Panthers to only two hits in the first two innings. Carson Bradsher, who singled for Orange’s first hit, scored the Lady Panthers’ only run in the first inning off a double steal after Mary Moss Wirt drew a throw to second base.

Bradsher, a sophomore who leads Orange in ten offensive categories, finished 4-for-4 with a triple and 3 RBIs. In her first full season at the varsity level, Bradsher is hitting .700 with 18 RBIs and eleven extra base hits.

“Lately, we’ve been playing at a level where we’ve been just getting by,” said Orange Coach Johnny Barefoot. “I kept telling them we need to wake up and get back to playing Panther softball. It took about the third inning. Then when Delaney Shaffer got that hit, it’s like the light came on and everybody got back in the groove.”

Orange pushed its lead to 2-0 in the third inning when Bradsher singled to left field to bring in Serenity McPherson, who reached on an one-out error in the previous at-bat.

Lady Panthers pitcher Gracie Walker, who improved to 4-0, needed only five pitches to cruise through the first inning. The rest of her night was much more strenuous.

In the third, Northwood catcher Called Perchinsky sent a cue shot down the first base line that was originally foul but rolled back fair to reach first safely. Walker issued walks to Carlee Harris and Erika Seils to load the bases, which led to third baseman Zoe Hatzidakis to record an RBI groundout on a ball hit to Bradsher. Courtesy runner Giselle Fallas scored to cut Orange’s lead in half. With Harris and Seils in scoring position, Walker struck out Abi McLaurin swinging to end the inning.

Northwood centerfielder Caroline Dorshimer led off the bottom of the fourth with a line drive to the left-centerfield gap for a double. After Sue Lee moved Dorshimer to third on a sacrifice bunt, Garner grounded out to Bradsher, which allowed Dorshmier to score. Jessica Watkins, representing the tying run, walked and stole second with two out, but Walker again got a strikeout to escape the inning.

That’s when Northwood’s upset bid ended.

After Shaffer’s leadoff double, McPherson walked. Bradsher legged out an infield single on a grounder to Lee, which scored Shaffer. Then Bradsher, who has mastered the art of getting into a rundown and still winding up safe, preceded to do exactly that. As Bradsher ran between first and second, Northwood’s third baseman threw the ball into left field, which allowed McPherson to come in. Bradsher wound up at third.

After Mary Moss Wirt was hit by a pitch, Jackson sent an 0-1 fastball deep over the wall in right field, landing just shy of the Northwood batting cage. In a span of five batters, Orange turned a close game into a 8-2 margin and they were just getting warmed up.

Harris replaced Garner as pitcher, but Kelsey Tackett drilled a single to left field. Gracie Walker lined a double to the right field warning track. Courtney Watkins, starting in place of Caden Robinson, reached on an error to plate Tackett. Watkins scored next off a sacrifice fly by Savannah Wynne, the ninth batter in the inning and the first one to be retired.

Shaffer and McPherson reached on consecutive singles, which led to Bradsher’s 2nd RBI single of the inning on a looper to right. Wirt drilled a first-pitch fastball to centerfield to bring in Bradsher and McPherson.

In all, Orange sent 14 batters to the plate in the 5th inning to score ten runs off nine hits, two errors, a walk and a hit by pitch.

Watkins threw a scoreless fifth inning, striking out two, to end the game. Of Orange’s ten wins, nine have ended via the run rule (10 run lead after five innings).

Orange has scheduled Southern Durham for a senior night game on Tuesday night, where seniors Emma Puckett and Gracie Colley will be honored before the first pitch. The Lady Panthers will play its only nonconference game at Southern Alamance on Wednesday before concluding the regular season at Northern Durham next Friday.

The Orange softball team remains undefeated after beating Northwood 13-2 in five innings on Friday night in Pittsboro. It was actually a tight game going into the fifth inning. The Lady Panthers led 3-2. Then Delaney Shaffer led off the 5th with a double down the left field line, the first of eight straight Lady Panthers to get on base. Lauren Jackson punctuated the explosion with a three-run homer over the right field wall. It was her second home run of the season. Orange now goes into the final week of the regular season with its best start since the 2017 3A State Championship season. On Tuesday, Orange will commemorate senior night against Southern Durham, the final game that will count in the Big 8 Conference standings this year. Seniors Gracie Colley and Emma Puckett will be honored before first pitch.

Joey McMullin: Former Orange basketball guard Joey McMullin has announced his transfer to Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst. This winter, McMullin played at Bryn Athyn College, a Division III school in Philadelphia. McMullin scored over 1,000 points in his Orange career. He was a regular starter for Orange’s 2016-17 team that captured the Big 8 Regular Season Championship and advanced to the 3A State Quarterfinals. In his final win at Orange, McMullin rolled up 36 points against Northern Durham. Sandhills Community College plays in Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association. On Monday night, the Flyers advanced to the quarterfinals of the NJCAA National Championship with a win over John Wood Community College.

Mia Davidson: The Mississippi State softball team swept a doubleheader over Jackson State on Tuesday. Davidson hit home runs in both games, bringing her career total to 65. She is now tied for fourth in Southeastern Conference history with 65 career home runs. In Mississippi State’s opening 8-0 win in five innings, Davidson went 1-for-3. In the second game, Davidson launched a solo blast in the 3rd inning. The Bulldogs captured the nightcap 10-3. Davidson went 1-for-4. Also in the second game, Davidson split time at second base and at first base. She has now played every infield position for her career at Mississippi State. 10 of Davidson’s last 12 hits have left the ballpark.

Montana Davidson: Montana came off the bench to play third base for Mississippi State in both ends of the doubleheader against the Tigers. She went 1-for-2 in the opener. In the nightcap, Montana scored off a single by Chloe Malau’ulu in the fourth inning. Montana also went 1-for-2 in the second game. Mississippi State is 23-19 and will host Texas A&M for a three-game series starting Friday in Starkville.

Grace Andrews: On Monday, the Catawba Valley Community College softball team split a doubleheader against Florence-Darlington Tech at Highland Recreation Center in Hickory. In the opening game, Florence-Darlington edged the Red Hawks 3-2. Andrews went 0-for-3, which ended her nine-game hitting streak. In the second game, Andrews rebounded in the second game, going 2-for-3 with her seventh home run of the season as the Red Hawks whitewashed the Stingers 6-0. Through 28 games, Andrews leads or is tied for the team lead in four offensive categories: a .478 batting average with 44 hits, seven home runs (tied with Alleigh Himes for the team lead) and 32 RBIs. Andrews is second on the team with ten doubles.

Landon Riley: It took two-thirds of the season, but Riley finally surrendered a run for the Liberty Flames–albeit an unearned run. Duke defeated the Flames 7-0 on Tuesday at Worthington Field. It was Liberty’s first home loss of the season. In the eighth inning, Riley faced four batters. He surrendered one run off two hits and one walk. LIberty is 5-2 against the ACC this year. The Flames are still in first place in the Atlantic Sun Conference with an 11-2 mark, one game ahead of Kennesaw State. Liberty hosts Coastal Carolina starting Friday for a three-game nonconfernece series.

Kayla Hodges: After winning the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament Championship on Saturday, the Elon women’s soccer team will face Milwaukee to open the 48-team tournament at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary on Saturday. The winner will face Florida State, the #1 overall national seed, on May 1. Hodges has started all nine of the Phoenix’s games this season and was named 2nd-team All-Colonial Athletic Association last week.

Kate Burgess: The UNC Rowing team competed at Lake Hartwell, South Carolina last Saturday. The Tar Heels competed against Clemson and Oklahoma. The Tigers won with 81 points, while the Sooners finished with 70 points. The Tar Heels registered 65. Burgess was on UNC’s 2V4 crew, which defeated Clemson’s third and fourth boats with a time of 8:11.0.

Jaylin Jones: The Division III Pfeiffer men’s lacrosse team won its eighth straight game on Sunday, rolling past Methodist 27-12 at Monarch Stadium in Fayetteville. Jaylin Jones, a former Orange High star, scooped up one ground ball for the Falcons. Pfeiffer’s eight consecutive home wins matches the school record set by the 1994 team. The Falcons host William Peace to wrap up the regular season on Friday.

Kayla Hodges: For the first time since they joined the Colonial Athletic Association in 2014, the Elon women’s soccer team won the CAA Tournament championship on Saturday. The Phoenix defeated UNC Wilmington 1-0 at Tiger Field on Towson, MD. Hodges earned the start on an Elon defensive back line that held the Seahawks to two shots on goal. In addition, Hodges was named 2nd-team All-Colonial Athletic Association for the season as a midfielder. Elon is 6-3 and will await their selection to the NCAA Women’s College Cup. The selection show will be Monday night. The tournament begins April 27.

Mia Davidson: Mia Davidson reached another milestone for the Mississippi State softball team over the weekend. During Sunday’s game at Missouri, Davidson reached 200 hits for her Bulldog career with a home run to left field. It was Davidson’s 63rd career home run, which leaves her four behind Rafael Palmerio on Mississippi State’s all-time home run list, baseball and softball. Missouri swept the three-game series against Mississippi State. On Sunday, the Tigers held on for a 6-5 win. Davidson went 1-for-2. In a doubleheader on Saturday, Missouri won the opener 5-2 and the nightcap 4-3. Davidson went 0-for-3 in each game. This season, Davidson is hitting .304 in 41 games. She has eleven home runs and 25 RBIs.

Montana Davidson: Montana started both games of Saturday’s doubleheader for Mississippi State at third base. She went 0-for-2 in both games. Mississippi State is 22-19 overall, 0-12 in the Southeastern Conference. The Bulldogs will host Jackson State in a doubleheader on Tuesday.

Tori Dalehite: The UNC Greensboro softball team swept a three-game series against Chattanooga at Frost Stadium in Tennessee. The Spartans swept a doubleheader on Saturday against the Mocs. In the opening game, Dalehite entered the game as a pinch runner and scored off a groundout by Maycin Brown to help the Spartans win 6-3. In the second game, Dalehite scored another run as a pinch runner. Dalehite touched the plate off a three-run homer from Kayleigh Willis. UNC Greensboro battled back from a 5-0 deficit to win 8-6 in nine innings. The Spartans are 21-14 overall, 6-3 in the Southern Conference.

Jaden Hurdle: Two former Orange High teammates found themselves on opposite sides on Saturday. Hurdle, a first baseman for Patrick Henry Community College, faced Catawba Valley Community College, led by former Lady Panther second baseman Grace Andrews in Martinsville, VA. Patrick Henry swept the doubleheader, capturing the opener 3-2 in eight innings, where Hurdle went 0-for-3. Patrick Henry edged the Red Hawks in the second game 7-6. Hurdle pitched the nightcap, earned the victory and added a two-run home run. She threw a complete game, allowing six runs off six hits. Hurdle struck out three to improve to 3-1.

On Sunday, Patrick Henry split a doubleheader with Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute. Caldwell won the opener 3-2. Hurdle went 1-for-3. The Patriots earned the split with a 10-9 walkoff win in the nightcap. Hurdle hit a two-run homer in the 2nd inning. She finished 2-for-3 with 2 RBIs. Hurdle also started the second game as pitcher and came away with a no decision. Hurdle threw four-and-one-thirds innings and surrendered eleven hits and eight runs with two walks. Patrick Henry won off a walkoff home run from Carley Gravely. In 26 games, Hurdle is hitting .385 with six home runs and 22 RBIs. Patrick Henry is 12-15 overall, 7-5 in Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association.

Grace Andrews: As for Andrews, she went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer for the Red Hawks in the opening game against Patrick Henry. In the second game, Andrews went 2-for-3 with another home run and a double. She scored twice. On Sunday, Catawba Valley swept a doubleheader against Surry Community College in Dobson. In the opening 3-1 win, Andrews went 1-for-2 with a run scored and two walks. The Red Hawks won the second game 6-5 in ten innings. Andrews went 2-for-5 with two runs scored. Currently, Andrews is fifth in Region X of the NJCAA with a .488 batting average. She is tied for 10th (along with Hurdle and several others) with six home runs. Andrews leads Catawba Valley and is 7th in Region X with 42 hits. Catawba Valley is now 17-9 overall, 8-6 in Region X.

Phillip Berger: Berger earned two wins in a three-game series for Division III William Peace over Methodist. On Saturday at the USA Baseball Complex in Cary, Berger came on in relief and threw the ninth inning. He set down the Monarchs in order with one strikeout. Peace got a walkoff single from Alec Seaton in the bottom of the ninth. Berger improved to 4-2. On Sunday, Berger made his regularly scheduled start and earned another win in the Pacers’ 7-5 win to open a doubleheader. Berger scattered four hits in six innings to improve to 5-2. He surrendered four runs, three earned with four walks and three strikeouts. Berger now leads Peace with five wins. He also has a 3.83 ERA. Peace is 18-13, 10-4 in the USA South Athletic Conference. The Pacers are two games behind North Carolina Wesleyan for first place in the USA South Athletic Conference East Division.

Olivia Ward: The Methodist women’s tennis team ended its season with an 8-1 win over Mary Baldwin on Sunday. Ward played #1 singles and defeated Alexis Seymore 6-0, 6-0. Last Thursday, Methodist defeated North Carolina Wesleyan 5-4 in Rocky Mount. Ward defeated Ana Aguilar 6-2, 6-2 at #6 singles. On April 9, Ward won again as Methodist defeated Averett 7-1. Ward, competing at #6 singles, won over Nakia Lee-Goodall 6-1, 6-1. Ward ended her freshman year at Methodist with a five-match winning streak. She ended the year 5-7 in singles, 1-1 in doubles.

In just her second varsity start, Orange 2nd baseman had the game-winning hit and the biggest defensive play in a classic game against Cedar Ridge on Friday night at Red Wolves Softball Stadium. After Cedar Ridge made an improbable comeback with seven runs in the 7th inning, Shaffer knocked in Mary Moss Wirt with a single to left field. Later in the inning, Shaffer scored off a single by Serenity McPherson. In the bottom of the ninth, Cedar Ridge had runners at first and second base with no one out, Shaffer caught a fading soft liner, then threw to first baseman Gracie Colley for a double play. The Lady Panthers maintained an undefeated record. They also had a regular season sweep of the Red Wolves for the first time since 2017. It was only the second win for Orange at Cedar Ridge since 2016. Orange, 8-0, will travel to Northwood on Tuesday.

Kayla Hodges: On Thursday afternoon, the Elon women’s soccer team surprised top-seeded Hofstra 1-0 in the semifinals of the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament in Towson, MD. Hodges, who was named the Colonial Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Week earlier this season, started for the Phoenix on defense. Claire Broderdop scored the game’s only goal in the 78th minute. It’s the first time that Elon ever defeated Hofstra. The Phoenix is now 5-3 and will face UNC Wilmington for the Colonial Athletic Association championship on Sunday afternoon.

Taylin Jean: The Division II Limestone women’s soccer team came to an end with a 1-0 loss to Queen’s University in the semifinals of the South Atlantic Conference Tournament last Thursday. Jean, a goalkeeper, didn’t play against the Royals. She earned the victory in net during Limestone’s final win of the season, a 2-1 win over Lincoln Memorial on April 5.

Jordan Rogers: The Division III William Peace women’s soccer team had its season end against Mary Baldwin on March 26. This season, Rogers started in all eight games for the Pacers. She played 443 minutes. Peace finished 3-5 overall, 2-4 in the USA South Athletic Conference.

Bailey Lucas: The Meredith volleyball team’s season came to an end on Wednesday in the semifinals of the USA Southeast Division Tournament. Averett defeated the Avenging Angels 3-1 on scores of 26-24, 21-25, 25-23, 25-20 inside the Grant Center in Danville, VA. Lucas ended her junior season by starting the final game of the season. She compiled 16 assists, 15 digs and one kill. Lucas led the team with 314 assists this year. She was fourth in the squad with 108 digs. Meredith ends the year 9-5.

Mia Davidson: The Mississippi State softball team won both of its midweek games this week. The Bulldogs defeated Samford 8-5 in Birmingham, AL on Tuesday. Davidson went 1-for-4 with an RBI single in the 7th inning. On Wednesday, Mississippi State edged Southern Miss 3-2 in eight innings at Nusz Park in Starkville, MS. Davidson went 1-for-3 with a single in the 1st inning, and eventually scored.

Montana Davidson: Montana hit an RBI single in the fourth inning for Mississippi State against Samford. In the third inning, Montana scored in the third inning off an RBI single by Fa Leilua. She finished 1-for-2 with an RBI against Samford. Against Southern Miss, Montana went 0-for-2 with a walk. Mississippi State is 22-16 and will travel to Missouri this weekend searching for its first Southeastern Conference win of the season.

Brandon Andrews: The former Cedar Ridge pitcher made his debut for Jacksonville State last month. In one-thirds of an inning, Andrews gave up three runs off two hits as the Gamecocks lost to Kennesaw State 12-10 at Stillwell Stadium in Kennesaw, GA on March 24. After two seasons and 37 relief appearances at Nicholls State, Andrews transferred to Jacksonville State last summer. He redshirted last season with Nicholls State. Jacksonville State is 16-15, 7-5 in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Gamecocks will travel to Eastern Kentucky this weekend.

Kate Burgess: Burgess, a former center for the Orange women’s basketball team and cross country runner, is now a member of the UNC rowing team. On March 27, UNC’s 1V4+ quad earned its first win of the season over UCF at Virginia’s South Fork River Reservoir in Charlottesville, VA. Burgess was in the 2V4 race, joined by freshman coxswain Isabelle McGimsey, along with Gigi Maroney, Nicole Van Liew and Claire Melgard. They finished the race in 8:10.9. UCF’s team finished in 8:05.7.

Jaylin Jones: The Division III Pfeiffer men’s lacrosse team defeated Greensboro College 18-8 at Lefko Field in Misenheimer on Wednesday. Jones, who played football and lacrosse at Orange, had two ground balls for the Falcons. Pfeiffer improved to 8-1 overall, 6-0 in the USA South Athletic Conference. Pfeiffer will face Methodist in Fayetteville on Saturday.