NCHSAA Class 2-A Softball Play-offs
West Bladen 4, Jordan-Matthews 3
 
Down to her team's final strike Danielle Dove battled to keep the play-off hopes alive for herself and six senior teammates Tuesday night.
 
After fouling off several 0-2 pitches, Dove hammered a liner to the fence in right-centerfield for a two-run inside-the-park home run that tied the score and propelled the Lady Knights to a 4-3 victory over Jordan-Matthews and into Friday's third round of the NCHSAA Class 2-A Softball Play-offs.
 
Pinch-hitter Kristen Dickerson was hit by a pitch with one out in the seventh inning, and West Bladen trailing 3-1. One out later, Dove came to the plate as the final hope and ripped the shot to the fence that scored Dickerson ahead of her.
 
The Lady Jet secondbaseman hesitated after taking the relay throw from the outfield, but West Coach Pam Stephens was waving Dove home all the way, and the senior rightfielder slid under the tag with the tying run.
 
Junior Taylor Stephens sliced a double down the leftfield line, then moved up on a wild pitch. Senior Abbey Walters drew her third walk of the game and stole second base.
 
Senior Robin Coleman ripped a liner to left-centerfield that would have been a two-run triple, but the game ended when Stephens stepped on home plate with the winning run. Therefore, Coleman is officially credited with a game-winning single and a run batted in.  
 
"Unbelievable!" exclaimed a happy Coach Stephens. "Robin and Danielle got us two big senior hits when we needed them."
 
The Lady Knights, now 23-2, will host Eastern Randolph (14-12) - a 4-0 winner at Topsail - in Friday's third round game.
 
The Lady Knights jumped out to a 1-0 first inning lead. Dove reached on an error, and Stephens beat out a bunt single. Dove was retired on Walters' fielder's choice, but a throwing error on Coleman's fielder's choice allowed Walters to race home with the first run.
 
Walters started in the circle for West and retired the first seven batters that she faced, before Allie Lask walked, Alanna Pyrtle punched a single to right, and Madison Poe rapped a single through the left side to load the bases.
 
Brittany Davis was hit by a pitch to force in the tying run, and freshman pitcher Holly Clark raked a two-run single to left.
 
Sophmore Nicole Wyatt relieved Walters at that point and shutout the Lady Jets over the final 4.2 innings on five hits with the help of a number of outstanding defensive plays.
 
Senior firstbaseman Erica Tanner backhanded a low liner over the first base bag for the first out in the third, then after the Jets had scored their three runs, Tanner dug out a wicked hop on a low throw to record the second out of the inning.
 
"Nicole came in, toed the rubber and held them off," said Coach Stephens. "And that catch that Erica made at first, that ball was just inches off the ground."
 
Senior catcher Kaitlyn Sykes began the fourth inning with a diving catch of a foul pop. After two singles and a fielder's choice put two Lady Jets on base, Poe laced a single to right. Dove fielded the single on one-hop and gunned a strike to Sykes in plenty of time to nail Lask at the plate.
 
Singles by Wyatt and Tanner started the West fourth inning, but both runners were stranded there.
 
Stephens batted 2-4 with a double and a run scored to lead the West hitters. Dove slammed the two-run home run, and Coleman walked off with the game-winning hit. Tanner finished 2-2 at the plate, and Wyatt added a single.
 
Caroline Webster batted 2-3 to lead Jordan-Matthews. Poe finished 2-4 at the plate, and Clark belted the two-run single.