Orange Softball

Alumni Update: Senior Day for Mackenzie Cates; Wilson’s Florida Debut Delayed

Bryse Wilson: 2016 Orange graduate Bryse Wilson was assigned by the Atlanta Braves organization to the Florida Fire Frogs of the Class A Florida State League to start his 2nd full professional season. Wilson was supposed to make his Florida debut on Friday against the Daytona Tortugas, but the game was rained out. The Florida State League is High-A baseball in the minor league structure, a step up from the South Atlantic League, where Wilson played with the Rome Braves in 2017. Last year, Wilson went 11-8 with a 2.20 ERA through 32 starts. Wilson had 168 strikeouts with 45 walks.

Mia Davidson: In the last two weeks, the Mississippi State Bulldogs have faced #10 Texas A&M and #6 Georgia. MSU, ranked #22 as of last week, went combined for a 1-5 record against the Bulldogs and the Aggies. Davidson, a freshman catcher, hit .263 against Georgia and Texas A&M with two doubles and a home run. Davidson currently leads the SEC in slugging percentage (.843), is 2nd in home runs (13), 3rd in hits (52), 5th in runs scored (38), 5th in doubles (12), 9th in batting average (.409) and tied for 12th in RBIs (34). The Bulldogs are currently 29-11 with an 4-8 SEC record.

Mackenzie Cates: Lenoir-Rhyne swept a doubleheader against Mars Hill on Sunday, winning 6-5 and 10-1. It was the Bears Senior Day. Former Orange High catcher Mackenzie Cates combined to go 2-for-6 in the doubleheader with a double, a triple, two runs scored and an RBI. Cates is hitting .353 with nine home runs (3rd in the South Atlantic Conference) and 30 RBIs (9th in the SAC). The Bears are ranked #12 in Division II, has won ten in a row and is 20-0 at home this year. The Bears have also won 34 of their last 36 contests and maintained their four-game lead in the SAC.

Brad Debo: The former Orange catcher appeared as a pinch-hitter on Friday and Saturday in the Wolfpack’s series against Louisville. This season, Debo has played in 25 games and is hitting .264 with one home run and 13 RBIs. N.C. State, 25-6, has reached #2 in the country in the Baseball America, Perfect Game and Collegiate Baseball polls, matching the highest ranking in school history.

Brandon Andrews: The 2017 Cedar Ridge graduate threw an inning of mop up duty against #17 LSU on April 3rd, giving up only one hit. So far in his freshman season, Andrews has pitched in eight games, throwing nine innings with a 7.00 ERA. Andrews has struck out five and walked two.

Rachel Peel: The Meredith catcher went 1-for-3 against Ferrum in sweeping a first-round USA Conference Series on Friday. Meredith advanced to face Covenant on Friday. In 19 games this season, Peel has hit .280 with one home run and seven RBIs.

Stephen Tanner: The former Cedar Ridge goalkeeper earned the win on Sunday as Greensboro College defeated Randolph College 9-7. Tanner made nine saves. Tanner is 8-8 for the Pride this season. Tanner is third in the USA South Atlantic Conference (Division III) with 150 saves and is 5th with an 8.96 goals against average.

Cole Churchill: Now a junior defenseman with Randolph-Macon, Churchill has seen action in nine games. Last week, Churchill got the start in the Yellow Jackets’ 10-7 at Bridgewater, Virginia.

Bowen Collins: The former Orange High midfielder fired two shots as Lenoir-Rhyne defeated Lincoln Memorial 14-11 on Saturday. The Bears are now 12-1, ranked #3 in Division II. They lead the South Atlantic Conference with a 5-0 league mark. This season in eight games, Collins has scored four goals and two assists.

Zack Wright: The former Orange attacker started and got off two shots in Mars Hill’s 19-7 loss at Queens. This season, Wright has played in three games and scored two goals.

 

Dead, Solid Perfect; Andrews Throws Perfect Game, Strikes Out 20, Cedar Ridge Beats Orange 4-0

Seven innings, three hits, four runs and six strikeouts.

Ordnarily, Orange’s Jaden Hurdle’s pitching line would be more than enough for victory.

But not on Wednesday night, because no one can beat perfect.

That’s what Cedar Ridge’s Rivers Andrews was against Orange. Not only perfect, but untouchable.

Andrews struck out 20 Panthers out of 21 batters she faced. Only Alysann Lloyd was able to put the ball in fair play, grounding out to second. Every other Lady Panther went down on strikes.

Cedar Ridge defeated Orange 4-0. Sophomore Tori Daltehite went 2-for-3 with an RBI single in the 2nd iinning. Tionna Carter had the only CRHS hit, and scored off a sacrifice fly from Taylor Ruhl.

It was a performance reminiscent of the last time Cedar Ridge defeated Orange on April 26, 2016. Andrews struck out 14 Lady Panthers, including Mia and Montana Davidson, to propel the Red Wolves to an 8-2 win. That night, the Orange batters walked six times and collected two hits.

The Red Wolves remain tied for 1st place with East Chapel Hill in the Big 8 Conference with a 3-0 record, 4-1 overall. Orange, who was swept by East Chapel Hill in a doubleheader two weeks ago, falls to 4-4 overall, 2-3 in the Big 8.

Cedar Ridge will host Orange on Thursday at 6:30 to conclude the two-game series. The Red Wolves will go for its first season sweep of the Panthers this decade.

Changing of the Guard in Hillsborough Softball?

A year ago, the gap between Orange and Cedar Ridge softball seemed wider than ever.

Orange had the North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year in catcher Mia Davidson, now starting for Mississippi State. The Lady Panthers swept the Red Wolves, including a game at OHS that ended 15-0 in just three innings. A month later, Orange would claim the 3A state championship, long after the Red Wolves had ended a 6-12 campaign.

When the crosstown rivals start a two-game series tonight at Orange, things figure to be considerably different. Of course, Orange lost Davidson, shortstop Abby Hamlett and pitcher Christina Givens to graduation. Those departures were a foregone conclusion.

What Orange parents and fans didn’t expec at the end of lose season would be to lose head coach Eddie Davidson just days before the season opener against Eastern Alamance on March 7th. Henry Horn, who left softball coaching after a stint at Northern Durham and didn’t have any intention to return until Mia Davidson persuaded him back into it, is now the interim head coach.

With all the changes, Orange is 3-3, already as many losses as they had in all of 2017. They’re 2-2 in the Big 8, two games behind conference leader East Chapel Hill.

On the other end of town, Cedar Ridge stormed out of the gates 3-0, including a resounding sweep of Northwood to open the Big 8 campaign. Despite losing to Roxboro Community School on Monday night to drop to 3-1, the Red Wolves will have confidence agains the Lady Panthers because of two players who didn’t play last season.

Senior pitcher Rivers Andrews is 3-1 with a 0.58 ERA. he has 50 strikeouts and four walks. A third-year varsity starter, Andrews has had past success against Orange. In her sophomore season, with Mia and Montana Davidson in the starting lineup, Andrews struck out 14 in an 8-2 Cedar Ridge win. Three nights later, she fanned 13 Panthers, but Orange won 3-1 behind a two-run single from Mia Davidson. Andrews went 14-6 her sophomore season with 243 strikeouts.

Just as Cedar Ridge struggled to find a replacement for Andrews last seaosn, Orange has been hard pressed to find a replacement for Davidson, which was hardly unpredictable since she was the most accomplished female athlete in school history. Yet both of the catchers on Orange’s roster played at Stanford Middle School last year. Originally, freshman Hunter Balog was penciled into Davidson’s spot, but she was hit in the head by a practice ball the night before the season opener against Eastern Alamance. Alaysia Sanford, who was supposed to play junior varsity, was rushed to the main roster as the emergency replacement.

Another factor for Cedar Ridge has been the emergence of sophomore Tori Dalehite, who missed last season after tearing her ACL in the first high school basketball game she ever played in. While going hitless on Monday against RCS, Dalehite is still hitting .615 with seven RBIs through her first four varsity games. In fact, she homered in her first high school game against Eastern Alamance.

Kymberlie Thacker is hitting .357 for Cedar Ridge, while junior Tionna Carter is hitting .287.

Orange has depth of its own. Alisha Pettiford hit two home runs during a doubleheader with East Chapel Hill. Freshman shortstop Emma Puckett went 3-for-4 in her first varsity game, also against Eastern Alamance.

The first game of the two-game series will be tonight at Orange starting at 6:30. Cedar Ridge will host Thursday night’s game also at 6:30.

 

 

 

Orange Panther of the Week: Jaden Hurdle

The first Orange Panther of the Week for the spring sports season is Orange softball pitcher/1st baseman Jaden Hurdle. A sophomore, Hurdle has pitched in victories over Eastern Alamance and Roxboro Community School this season. On Thursday against RCS, she led off the game with a home run. Last season, Jaden started at 1st base as a freshman, helping the 2018 Orange softball squad become the first team in OHS history win a female team sports state championship. Jaden also accepted an invitation to the prom after Thursday’s win over RCS, but it turns out she was prepared before she was even asked.

 

Hurdle Homers, Strikes Out 11 as Orange Softball Defeats Roxboro Community 7-2

After six days between games, the Orange softball team was hungry to play again.

With 15 days since its last win, the Lady Panthers were also ready to taste victory again. On Thursday night in Hillsborough, they did both.

Jaden Hurdle led off the game with a solo homer and went on to throw a complete game five-hitter to help Orange (2-3) defeated Roxboro Community 7-2 at Orange High Softball Field.

Hurdle, who played first base last season during Orange’s march to the 3A State Championship, earned her second win of the season by striking out eleven Bulldogs, walking only one.

It was a double win night for Hurdle. After she left the locker room after the game, she found an unique prom proposal waiting for her, which she accepted.

 

 

 

 

Orange jumped out to a 6-0 lead after two innings. Following Hurdle’s solo blast in the first inning, the Panthers racked up five runs in the second inning. Alyssa Heilman laced a double and finished 1-for-3. Emma Packett went 1-for-4 with two RBIs. Alisa Pettiford went 1-for-2 with an RBI and drew two walks. Alaysia Sanford, a freshman who is now catching after the projected starter Hunter Balog sufferered a broken hand and wrist following an ATV acccident, went 1-for-3.

Orange ended a three-game losing streak that started when they fell to Eastern Alamance on March 7th. East Chapel Hill swept a doubleheader from Orange last Friday.

On Friday, Orange will host Hillside for a doubleheader at Orange High Softball Field starting at 5. The original game at Hillside was rained out on Tuesday.

Alumni Update; Davidson Named SEC Rookie of the Week Again; Cates Homers as Lenoir-Rhyne Wins 13th Straight

Mia Davidson: Last week, Davidson was named the SEC Rookie of the Week for the second time this season. Davidson knocked eight hits, six of which went for extra bases, as the Bulldogs earned wins over Boston College, Illinois and UMass Lowell. Davidson is the first Bulldog to be honored with the award twice in a season since pitcher Alexis Silkwood in 2014. Over the weekend, Mississippi State took two of three games in its opening conference series against Missouri in Columbia, MO. In the Bulldogs’ 4-0 victory on Friday, Davidson drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. In Sunday’s 6-3 Mississippi State win, Davidson hit her 10th homer of the year in the 3rd inning. In the 4th inning, she drew a bases-loaded walk for her 29th RBI, tied for the team lead.

Brad Debo: For the first time in program history, N.C. State completed a three-game sweep at Clemson over the weekend. N.C. State is now 18-3, 5-1 in the ACC. Former Orange catcher Brad Debo started all three games, drawing two walks in Friday’s 4-0 win over the Tigers. Last Tuesday in an 15-11 win over UNC Asheville, Debo went 2-for-2 with an RBI single.

Mackenzie Cates: The Lenoir-Rhyne softball team went 6-0 last week, running its winning streak to 13. Former Orange catcher Mackenzie Cates hit .347 for the week, including a home run during the second game of a 3-1 doubleheader win over Tusculum in Greensville, Tennessee. In the opening game of the doubleheader against Pioneers, Cates went 2-for-4. On Thursday, the Bears swept a doubleheader from USC-Aiken in Aiken, South Carolina on scores of 9-0 and 5-0. In the opening game of the doubleheader, Cates went 2-for-4 and scored three runs. In the final game, Cates again went 2-for-4. This season, Cates is hitting .351 with seven doubles. She leads the team with five home runs and 21 RBIs.

Stephen Tanner: The former Cedar Ridge Goalkeeper made eight saves while facing 41 shots against Huntingdon in a 5-4 loss in a USA South Athletic Conference (Division III) match in Montgomery, Alabama on Saturday. Tanner has started eleven games this season, recording a 6-4 record. He is 5th in the South Atlantic Conference with an 8.21 Goals Against Average and 7th with a 48.9% save percentage. Greensboro is 7-4 on the season.

Brandon Andrews: In his freshman year with Nicholls, Andrews threw two-thirds of an inning in the first game of a doubleheader against Houston Baptist in a 13-4 loss on Saturday. Andrews gave up two hits and an earned run. On Friday, Andrews threw 1 and two-thirds innings of middle relief, giving up one hit and striking out one as the Colonels defeated HBU 5-4.

Rachel Peel: Rachel Peel had a double as Meredith rallied to defeat Averett University 8-7 on Saturday. Peel also started in Sunday’s 4-3 win over Greensboro College.

Bowen Collins: The former Orange High star assisted on a goal as Lenoir-Rhyne defeated Tusculum 14-10 on Saturday. On the season, Collins has played in five games, scoring two goals and two assists. The Bears are now #3 Division II team in the country with an 8-1 record, 2-0 in the South Atlantic Conference. Lenoir-Rhyne has won 18 consecutive South Atlantic Conference regular season games.

Jordan Toney: In UNC Pembroke’s 12-6 win over Winston-Salem State on Friday, Toney threw a shutout inning of relief. The Braves are now ranked #25 in Division II.

Cole Churchill:  A former Cedar Ridge defenseman, Churchill saw action for Randolph-Macon on Saturday as the Yellow Jackets lost to Washington & Lee 12-6.

Alumni Update: Another Big Weekend for Davidson; Tanner Stays Strong in Net for Greensboro College

Mia Davidson: This week’s Mia Davidson update may be the most impressive one yet. Mississippi State won all five games last week against Boston College, Illinois and UMass-Lowell. In those contests, Davidson hit .571 with three home runs, eight RBIs, three doubles and nine runs. Davidson now leads the SEC and is 17th in the country with eight home runs. As a freshman, Davidson leads the Bulldogs in runs (28), hits (33), doubles (8), RBIs (23), total bases (69), batting average (.440), slugging percentage (.920), and on-base percentage (.488). She has started all 24 games as Mississippi State has started 21-3 after going 36-22 last season.

Brad Debo: Now a sophomore catcher at N.C. State, Debo went 6-for-10 in a doubleheader against Boston College. In the opener, Debo went 3-for-6 with a double and two RBIs, scoring twice as the Wolfpack defeated the Eagles 13-7 to take the series. In the nightcap, Debo hit his first homer of the season as the Eagles salvaged an 11-3 win.  Last week, the Wolfpack went 3-1, taking two of three against the Eagles and grabbing a midweek victory at Campbell (a Tuesday game against UNC Wilmington was canceled). Debo went .352 for the week with a home run, four RBI, three runs scored and two doubles. Debo is now hitting .340 (3rd on the team) with 12 RBI and four doubles.

Mackenzie Cates: The Lenoir-Rhyne softball team is now ranked #12 in Division II with a 19-4 record, having won nine in a row. Cates, a senior catcher from Orange, had a tremendous doubleheader against Converse on Saturday, going five-for-6 with two home runs, 9 RBIs, a double and four runs. Last week, the Bears swept doubleheaders against Converse and Davis & Elkins. Cates is hitting .338 with four home runs and 18 RBIs. The Bears start South Atlantic Conference action next weekend against Tusculum.

Stephen Tanner: The former Cedar Ridge lacrosse goalkeeper earned two more wins in net for Division III Greensboro College last week. Tanner made nine saves as the Pride defeated the University of Dallas 14-8 on Saturday in Atlanta. On Friday, Greensboro defeated Hilbert College 7-6 at Pride Field. Tanner made four saves to improve to 6-3 on the season with 79 saves. Tanner is 3rd in the South Atlantic Conference in saves, 4th in Goals Against Average.

Brandon Andrews: The former Cedar Ridge pitcher and centerfielder threw one inning in Nicholls 21-6 win over Sacred Heart. The Colonels had a three-game winning streak on Saturday with a loss to Northwestern State. Nicholls is 4-12, 1-2 in the Southland Conference.

Rachel Peel: Peel, a catcher for Meredith College, appeared in three games last week for the Angels in games against Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Aurora and Salem College. Meredith is 10-9, 3-3 is USA Softball’s South Division.

Jordan Toney: Toney threw an inning of scoreless relief in UNC-Pembroke’s 15-5 win over Coker. Toney is a junior for the Braves after transferring from Pfeiffer in 2017.

Bowen Collins: Collins now plays for Lenoir-Rhyne’s men’s lacrosse team. He played in the Bears’ 10-4 win over Belmont Abbey last week. Lenoir-Rhyne is 7-1 after beating Wingate in its South Atlantic Conference opener on Saturday. This season, Collins has scored two goals and an assist in four games.

 

Sanford Gets Game-Winning Hit in 1st At-Bat as Orange Softball Wins Opener vs. E. Alamance 6-5

In theory, the defending 3A State Champion that returns six starters from last year wouldn’t have to face very much adversity.

Then there’s reality, which is what the Orange softball faced nose-to-nose to start its season on Wednesday night.

As they’ve done so often over the past three years, the Lady Panthers found a way, thanks to a game-winning hit from a freshman catcher in her first varsity at-bat——who wasn’t even supposed to be called up from the JV team until the day before.

Alaysia Sanford poked a one-out, bases-loaded infield hit behind second base to score Jayden Hurdle in the bottom of the seventh inning for the game-winning hit as Orange defeated Eastern Alamance 6-5 at Orange Softball Field on Wednesday night. It was the third time in the last three years that Orange defeated the Eagles by one run.

Earlier in the inning, the Eagles tied the game after Morgan Lawson doubled off the left field wall and scored off a dropped ball hit by catcher Haley Batista.

Sanford will go down as the replacement for North Carolina State Gatorade Player of the Year Mia Davidson, who set the state record for career home runs last season. The thing is, Sanford not only wasn’t supposed to play on Wednesday, she wasn’t even supposed to start the season at varsity.

Freshman Hunter Balog was supposed to start on Wednesday, but she was hit in the head by a practice ball inside Orange’s practice gym on Tuesday. Instead of filling the role of Davidson, Balor was placed in concussion protocol. So interim head coach Henry Horn, on the job for all of five days, called up Sanford on 24 hours notice.

It was Orange’s first game since the resignation of head coach Eddie Davidson, who informed the squad last Thursday of his departure. Three weeks ago, Davidson’s wife Christina received a promotion with the National Association of Letter Carriers, which required a relocation to Washington, D.C.

Hurdle, a sophomore who replaced starter Alyssa Hellman in the third inning, earned the victory in relief for the Panthers. Hurdle, who started the game at first base, finished 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.

Orange bolted out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Freshman shortstop Emma Puckett doubled off the left field wall. The next batter, Alysann Lloyd, also doubled into the left field corner to score Puckett. Hurdle bounced a  1-0 fastball to right field to score Lloyd. Designated hitter Alisha Pettiford floated a single to right field, plating Hurdle.

Eastern Alamance tied the game with three runs in the third inning. Madison Harley, batting ninth, led off with a double off the left field wall. Lawson singled to right and Haleigh Palmer walked to load the bases. Caris Faucette knocked in Harley with a grounder to third baseman Olivia Ruff, who tried to throw Harley out at the plate. After Lawson scored on a wild pitch, Cameron Bass singled to right center to drive in Palmer and tie the game.

In the 5th, Eastern Alamance got its only lead of the game when Batista homered to left-center off Hurdle, one of only two hits that she surrendered.

In the bottom of the frame, Orange got the lead back off of two unearned runs. Hurdle started with a leadoff walk, then Pettiford attempted a bunt, which led to a throwing error. In the subsequent at-bat, Ruff also bunted, leading to another throwing error that scored Hurdle. Left fielder Hayley Funk hit a sacrifice fly to score Pettiford and give Orang a 5-4 lead.

In her first varsity game, Puckett went 2-for-4 with a double.

Orange will travel to Mebane to face Eastern Alamance again on Saturday afternoon at 1.

Orange P/1B Jaden Hurdle Discusses Win over Eastern Alamance

It was an eventful season-opener for Orange sophomore Jaden Hurdle on Wednesday night against Eastern Alamance. Hurdle started the game at 1st base, but came on as a pitcher in the 3rd innings. Hurdle earned her third career win in relief while going 2-for-3 with an RBI double. She also score the game-winning run after freshman Alaysia Sanford drove her in with an infield single in Sanford’s first varsity at-bat in the bottom of the seven as Orange won 6-5.

 

Davidson Resigns as Orange Softball Coach, Former Northern Assistant Hill Named Interim Coach

Eddie Davidson’s arrival as softball coach at Orange High was the textbook definition of perfect timing. He arrived just as his oldest  daughter Montana was a rising senior and his youngest daughter Mia was a junior.

It May, Eddie led the Orange softball team to the first women’s team state championship in school history.

In a perfect world, Davidson would just be planting his roots in Hillsborough and prepare for a long stay, just like his baseball coach Dean Dease has done when Davidson played right field for him in 1991 and 1992.

But sometimes life gets in the way and the timing isn’t always perfect.

Two weeks ago, Davidson’s wife Christina earned a promotion for the National Association of Letter Carriers after a vacancy suddenly opened, necessitating a move to Washington, D.C. Davidson, who has worked in the post office industry in Durham just like his father Cliff since graduating from Orange, also earned a promotion and will accompany his wife.

On Thursday, the day before Orange was slated to open its season against Eastern Alamance (who was postponed do to high winds), Davidson informed his team of his resignation.

Henry Horn, who served as an assistant at Northern Durham for three years, will serve as the interim coach.

“It was very difficult for him,” said Horn. “It was a good situation for his family at that time. He really hated to step away, but that’s when he asked me to fill that void for this season. I told him I would.”

After Horn left Northern, he had no intention of getting back into the game. He filled the time watching his daughter, Callie, play at Elon. Then Mia Davidson talked him into coming back to be a hitting coach for her Showcase Summer League team.

When Davidson asked Horn to return to high school coaching in 2017, Horn was reluctant.

”I wasn’t ready, to be honest,” said Horn. “But I really like these kids. I really like these kids. I promised him that I would stay here just to keep the tradition going.”

Davidson, who played football and baseball during his high school days at Orange from 1988-1992, leaves the softball team after two seasons as head coach. He went 49-7 with two Big 8 Championships (Orange shared the 2016 title with Northwood).

In 2016, Orange advanced to the 4th round of the 3A State Playoffs, where they lost to C.B. Aycock 7-5.

A year later, the Panthers claimed the 3A state championship by sweeping Piedmont in the best-of-three series at N.C. State’s Dail Field. Mia Davidson was named series MVP after she hit a two-run homer to dead center to vault Orange ahead 3-2 in the 7th inning to take game one.