Image: Michael Johnson 
Article: Clark Leonard / Shelby Star

Their ticket is punched. The Lady Chargers are Raleigh-bound.

The Crest High softball team thoroughly dominated visiting Enka for a 10-0 six-inning 3A state sectionals victory Saturday to advance to next weekend’s final four in Raleigh.

“We’re just such a family. We love each other so much. I did not want it to end,” Crest senior first baseman Lou Bankhead said. “None of the seniors wanted it to end, so I think that’s a big part of it.”

It was a long-awaited opportunity to keep advancing.

“It’s surreal. It’s crazy. We’re all behind each other,” Bankhead said. “We’ve been talking about it all week at school. We can’t even sleep.”

The Lady Chargers (23-1) will face East Rowan (24-1) on Friday in their opener — the 3A West regional final — at the double-elimination championship weekend at the Walnut Creek Softball Complex.

Dakota Keller scored the game’s first run on a passed ball in the bottom of the second before Hannah Thompson’s RBI single punched in Kendyl McWhirter to push it to 2-0 in Crest’s favor through two innings.

The Lady Jets (20-9) put their first two runners on base in the top of the third and moved them over to second and third on a sacrifice bunt. But a stellar double play kept Enka off the board that inning.

Lady Charger left fielder Brooke Powell fielded a Brenna West single and threw out Kyara Porche at the plate. But the play wasn’t over yet, as Crest catcher Amanda Baker caught Chelsea Griffin too far off second and threw her out to complete the inning-ending double play.

“It was so amazing,” Powell said of the unconventional double play.

The Lady Chargers tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the third when a Keller RBI single and a McWhirter RBI groundout scored Baker and Gracie Pitchford, respectively, pushing it to 4-0.

Keller, who was 2-for-2 with an RBI and two runs scored, said the team excelled in all phases Saturday.

“We hit the ball … we had solid defense,” Keller said. “And I guess when you put those two together, we come out with what we did.”

That was all senior pitcher Bailey Smith would need on the mound, as she went all six innings, surrendering seven hits while striking out five and walking none to earn the win.

Crest used a pair of hit batsmen and timely hitting in a six-run sixth that ended the contest early.

It started with Keller being hit by a pitch, McWhirter reaching on an error and Powell being hit by a pitch to load the bases. Thompson then stepped in and had an RBI sacrifice fly before Katelyn Spangler lifted a two-run single to left field. Two batters later, Spangler scored on a wild pitch to make it 8-0.

After a single for Baker and a double for Smith, Pitchford reached on a throwing error that scored pinch-runners Sumer Kale and Emily Kale — ending the mercy-rule victory for the Lady Chargers.

“We were just up the whole entire game,” Thompson said. “And, I mean, we’re a band of sisters.”

That band of sisters will get another week together on the diamond thanks to its strong effort Saturday.

“We’re very excited. We’re going to take the rest of the weekend and enjoy it and soak in this victory,” Lady Charger coach Greg Earl said. “But then we’re going to get back to work and try to prepare for (next weekend).”

View Article at The Star