Published: 06:05 AM, Sat May 29, 2010
Softball: Harnett Central tops Cape Fear for sectional title
By Paul Shugar
Staff writer
ANGIER - With rain drops falling gently and the ball getting slick in her hand, Harnett Central pitcher M.K. Pegram found herself in a jam.
The Trojans hadn't allowed a run during the 4-A state softball playoffs, and Cape Fear was itching to change that Friday at Harnett Central's field. The Colts had the bases loaded with no outs in the top of the sixth, putting Pegram's focus only on the next batter.
She got two Cape Fear players to line out to first base before her eighth strikeout of the game left the runners stranded. Even with the Colts due to bat again in the seventh, Pegram knew the Trojans had the 2-0 win, the sectional championship and a trip to the Walnut Creek Softball Complex sewn up.
"I just tried to get each pitch where (catcher) Amber (Doll) called it," said Pegram, who allowed only three hits, struck out nine and walked two on a 107-pitch complete game. "I understood letting only one run score wouldn't be horrible."
This will be Harnett Central's fifth trip to the final four, the last coming when Pegram and many of her fellow seniors were freshmen on the junior-varsity squad. Now they'll get to add to signs lining the outfield that list the program's past accomplishments.
The loss ended Cape Fear's season one win shy of a trip to Raleigh for the second straight year. Two errors in the third inning helped the Trojans (22-5 overall) plate both runs, providing all the offense they required.
With the bases loaded and one out, McKenzie Harrelson put the ball in play for the game's lone RBI. An infield bobble left everyone safe and allowed Ivy Spicer and Jessi Lane to score.
Lane led the offense, going 2-for-3 with a double. Harnett Central managed only five hits against Colts starter Lindsey Vicary, who struck out three and walked one in an 86-pitch, complete-game effort.
"We've been playing great defense all season," said Trojans coach Greg Rogers, whose team will begin its double-elimination tournament for the state title next Friday. "We've got five seniors, and everybody has been chipping in."
The good news for the Colts (23-4) is they say goodbye to only two seniors. But those two - Vicary and shortstop Leah Jones - were big parts of the team's success.
Jones will be playing softball next year at N.C. State after completing a senior season for the record books. She finished the year with a state record 18 home runs. Her 24 career long balls ties her for second all time in the state behind Graham's Nikki Welborn, who hit 27 over 2004-07.
Pegram didn't give Jones many opportunities to hit No. 19. After the Cape Fear slugger ground out to third base on her first at-bat, Harnett Central walked her the next two times.
"It's been a fun season," Cape Fear co-coach Jeff McPhail said. "Between Leah's home runs and all the adversity this team overcame, it's just been a fun season."
Staff writer Paul Shugar can be reached at shugarp@fayobserver.com or 486-3513.