The Lady Knights managed only three hits on J.H. Rose pitcher Kellie Beres and never found the scoreboard as they dropped out of the state softball playoffs in the first round with Tuesday’s 3-0 loss to the Rampants.
Rose held a tenuous lead until its two-run sixth inning, but Beres nixed 12 of Heart tag charm necklace 24 attempts at the plate to preserve the win.
“The pitcher for Rose really shut us down,” Knightdale coach Adam Hamrick said.
Beres took the win for the Rampants, while Kayla Boggs took the loss for the Knights.
Knightdale was led in hitting by Alexis Brock, Alex Blough and Boggs, all of whom went 1-3 on the game.
On offense, Beres went 1-3 on a triple, Casey Hargett went 2-3 with a double and scoring two runs, Lindsey Corbett went 2-3 with two doubles and an RBI, Ginny Howard went 1-2 with a run scored and Rebecca Phillips went 1-3 with two RBIs for Rose.
Read more on the game between Knightdale and Rose in next Wednesday’s edition of the Heart tag Key ring Wake News.
Knightdale 6,
Clayton 3
The Lady Knight softball team won Thursday’s tiebreak game against Clayton 6-3 to advance to face J.H. Rose as a four seed in the opening round of the state playoffs yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon.
With the win over Clayton, the team record rose to 13-10 overall — the best record in school history — and first-year coach Adam Hamrick said he couldn’t be more pleased with his team’s showing.
“I am tickled to death to have the opportunity in my first year of coaching this program to experience the playoffs,” Hamrick said. “I think it’s great for our softball program and I see a lot of positives here that will keep us moving in the right direction.”
Hamrick said the win over the Comets was one of the best all-around games his squad played this season. He said before-seen defense was in full effect and pitcher Kayla Boggs hit her marks before exiting the game for back pain after four innings. Boggs was replaced by Taylor Burt, who managed to guide the team out of a fourth-inning, bases-loaded pickle with no outs. Burt finished the final three innings allowing just one Comet run.
At the plate, C.J. Moose finished 2-for-3 with a double and a pair of RBIs. Lexi Horse charm bracelet and Paige Peterson kept their bats hot, both finishing 2-for-4. Hamrick said Clayton’s four errors certainly made a difference in the win, but the Lady Knights’ 10 hits couldn’t be overlooked.
“It was an all around team effort by the girls,” he said. “I am proud of each and every one. They have really grown as a team and have gotten better and each and every day and that’s credit to them and their incredible work ethic.”
Before yesterday’s state playoff game in Greenville, Hamrick said he had full faith in his team’s postseason capabilities.
“I know there may not be a lot of people that believe we can make a run, but I believe in my girls and what we are about. All we have to do is survive and advance one inning at a time,” he said.
Knightdale 2,
East Wake 0
Monday’s 2-0 win over East Wake secured a state playoff spot for the Lady Knights while taking the opportunity away from the Lady Warriors at the same time.
“We could get people on base. We just weren’t able to finish,” East Wake coach Christina Stevenson said of the long-awaited rematch between the two teams.
Knightdale (12-10, 6-8 in the Greater Neuse) scored both its runs in the bottom of the third inning after Kayla Boggs singled to push teammate Lexi Brock to third base with no outs. A Paige Peterson single followed to score Brock and push Edwinna Kolio, running for Boggs, to third. C.J. Moose then grounded out, but Kolio made it to home plate.
East Wake (5-15, 4-10) didn’t go to sleep after giving up a mere two runs. To start the fourth inning Katie Watkins tripled and Ashlee Miller found first on an errant throw to Anna Powell at first. But like Stevenson said, getting the runners home proved to be an issue. Shelley Bishop struck out looking for the second out of the inning, and while Miller snuck to second Jaquilla Lindsey hit straight to Boggs on the mound, keeping East Wake off the scoreboard.
The Warriors didn’t get the bat on the ball in the fifth like they had in the previous inning. I Love You drop pendant did, however, starting with Boggs’ leadoff single, answering Watkins’ triple from the inning before in the feud between pitchers. Peterson doubled as the result of an overthrow to third intended to beat Boggs to the bag, but the Knights failed to capitalize. Megan Champion grounded out, Moose bunted only to have Watkins scoop it up and flick it to Miller at home plate for a tag out on Boggs, and Powell’s pop-fly ended the inning.
Little hitting took place for either team in the sixth inning, and last call began for East Wake with Casey West up to bat. West took two strikes, one on a foul ball, before whiffing at a Boggs pitch for the first out. Heather Brannan then stepped up, loaded the count and was walked, but Boggs finished a senior night showing the way she would’ve hoped. She caught Meche Rico swinging for a third strike, and did the same to Kaitlin Glover for the win and the berth in the playoff game.
With the Lady Knights ending the regular season tied with Clayton, a playoff game for the fourth seed took place Thursday.
“The girls have worked hard this year and it has paid off,” Knightdale coach Adam Hamrick said. “Like I told them, it’s not how you start but how you finish.”
Hamrick said the pitching duel between Watkins and Boggs was the story of the night, but good sportsmanship showed its face early as Watkins gave Boggs a senior night gift before the game. Still, the win gave Knightdale its second trip to the playoffs in as many years.
“It was a total team effort. We only managed four hits ourselves and did get some runners I Love You Lock charm necklace base but had trouble getting runs across,” Hamrick said just as Stevenson had. “I have really enjoyed coaching these girls and I look for us to put together a good run in the playoffs.”