RAEFORD — After growing up the past two seasons, the Purnell Swett softball team showed the maturity that it has played with this season in a 4-2 win at Hoke on Tuesday.
The win kept the Lady Rams in sole possession of second place in the Sandhills Athletic Conference standings with three league games left.
“They’re driving the bus. It’s on them,” Purnell Swett coach William Deese said. “A few years ago when they were freshmen and sophomores, we had our ups and downs and now they are finally putting it together.
“These wins are important because second place is assured a playoff spot.”
Purnell Swett (13-4, 8-3 SAC) scored late insurance runs when it needed to to help out pitcher JaiLeana Deese in the seventh inning to put a cushion between it and Hoke (11-7, 4-6 SAC).
The Lady Rams loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the seventh, holding onto a 2-1 lead, and two quick ground balls to the shortstop kept the margin at one run with two force outs at the plate. Then Magan Barton stepped up to the plate.
Barton sent a hard-hit ground ball to third base and legged out an infield single. The throw to first was wide and allowed another run to score on the same play and give the defense a three-run advantage.
“She (Deese) was getting tied there at the end and it was 2-1,” William Deese said. “They were big because we knew we could give up a run if we had to and it worked out.”
The senior shortstop for Purnell Swett had two RBIs, with an RBI ground out in the in the top of the third inning, in the win and has seen the experience of the team come into play in close contests this season.
“Sometimes (Deese) can get down on herself so I tried to pick her up. The runs were very important,” Barton said. “It was a little bit more competition and a little more nerve-wracking (against Hoke). We work as a team and it ended well.
Barton had a game-high three hits as well.
“She’s strong and she’s been hot since the Slugfest,” William Deese said. “That’s the good thing her being hot and getting the hits when we need them.”
In the Hoke half of the seventh inning, the Lady Bucks plated a run after the first two runners reached with a Nailah Quick RBI single, before Deese forced two pop-outs against Hoke’s Nos. 3 and 4 batters to end the game.
Deese allowed five hits and struck out three batters in her seven innings on the mound.
Kaitlyn Hunt had an RBI single in the top of the first for Purnell Swett, and Deese and Nakyra Mitchell each had a pair of hits in the contest. Hoke’s Jessica Cardona had a RBI double in the loss.
Purnell Swett and Hoke resume the series on Thursday in Pembroke, while the Lady Bucks travel to Lumberton tonight.
Bucks walk off to spoil Rams’ streak
RAEFORD — The Purnell Swett baseball team entered Tuesday’s road Sandhills Athletic Conference game against Hoke winners of five of its last six games and was one out away from adding another win to that streak before the Bucks plated two runs to earn the 6-5 walk-off victory.
Four errors were the demise of Purnell Swett (6-14, 3-8 SAC), with a throwing error in the bottom of the seventh putting runners on second and third with no outs. A wild pitch plated the first run and Ryan Taylor hit the game-winning single with two outs in the frame to win the game for Hoke (12-9, 8-3 SAC).
Braydon Scott had two hits and two RBIs and Noah Locklear added a pair of hits and an RBI for Purnell Swett. Jeremiah Locklear struck out six batters in his six innings of work before Dakota Locklear took over in the seventh and took the loss.
Pirates end skid with walk-off win over Scots
LUMBERTON — Down two runs entering the bottom of the seventh inning, the Lumberton baseball team scored three runs to pull out an 8-7 win over Scotland at home.
Jordan Smith earned the win on the mound for the Pirates. Kelvin Ortega had the game-winning hit and had a pair of hits to go along with a pair of RBIs. Parks Ledwell also had two hits and two RBIs, while Seth Odum went 2-for-4.
In softball, Lumberton won in a high-scoring affair over Scotland in a by a 14-11 score.
Scotland went up 8-1 after two innings before the Lady Pirates scored five runs in the bottom of the third inning and seven runs in the bottom of the fifth.
LeeAnn Nobles had four RBIs with a home run, Katie Kinlaw and Ashley Prevatte each had a pair of RBIs and Rachel O’Neil and Morgan Britt each had three hits. Ariel Allbrooks earned the win for Lumberton.
Lady Bulldogs fall at home
ST. PAULS — The St. Pauls softball team lost 8-1 at home to South Columbus on Tuesday.
The Lady Bulldogs scored their only run in the first inning. Brianna Brewer went 2-for-3 with a run scored for St. Pauls. She also registered four strikeouts in the circle. In the baseball game, the Bulldogs lost 6-4.
In other Three Rivers Conference action, Whiteville baseball topped Fairmont 10-0 in five innings, and West Bladen earned a sweep of South Robeson with a 14-2 win in baseball and a 24-5 win in softball.
Whiteville inches out victory over Lady Red Devils
RED SPRINGS — The Whiteville girls soccer team earned a 2-1 Three Rivers Conference road win over Red Springs.
Wendy Molina scored the only goal for Red Springs and Gabby Pecina had seven saves in goal.
Scotland, Hoke claim SAC tennis victories
LAURINBURG — The Scotland boys tennis defeated Lumberton 7-2 at home.
Nyjel Collins-Jackson, Ryan Phillips, Sam Poage and Nicholas Murphy picked singles victories. Scotland swept the three doubles matches as well. Nate Dubbs and Hunter Edkins, Collins-Jackson and Poage and the team of Phillips and Jason Kang all earned victories. Josh Britt and Cole Lewis registered singles wins for Lumberton.
Purnell Swett lost 5-4 to Hoke at home. Jydor Locklear, Ben Brooks and Pacey Brooks picked up individual wins for the Rams.
