Taking care of business
McDowell takes down 2 of NC's top softball teams inside of 1 week to stay unbeaten in conference
Mcdowell pitcher Layla Presnell delivers a pitch during a state playoff game at south caldwell in 2024.
HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL
The McDowell High School Titans softball team improved to 5-2 and stayed unbeaten in the conference by taking down Alexander Central in extra innings on Thursday.
Alexander Central entered the game as the No. 7 6A team in the state.
The win came a week after the Titans took down South Caldwell. The South Caldwell Spartans entered that game as North Carolina's No. 1 team, according to MaxPreps.
Trailing 4-3 in the top of the seventh on Thursday, Alexander Central's Alyssa Chapman led off with a double. Then, after McDowell pitcher Layla Presnell retired two batters, Alivya Smith hit an RBI double, scoring Chapman and tying the game.
McDowell put A.C. pitcher Kyla Hamby in a jam in the bottom of the inning, putting two runners on with one out. But Lyla Mayberry caught Hannah Aldridge trying to steal third and then Hamby got Riley Warren to ground out to force an extra frame.
McDowell put A.C. away in the bottom of the eighth. Jenna Shuping singled to lead off the inning and then advanced to second on a Samantha Davis hit. Two batters later, Addison Ray took Hamby's second pitch into the gap between third and short for a double that scored Shuping and ended the game.
Alexander Central struck first in the game. The Cougars jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third. With one out, Alyssa Chapman singled, then stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch to Hamby. The next pitch to Hamby was also a walk, which gave her third base. She stole second on the next pitch and then Kinsley Davis hit a line drive double to score both base runners. Davis scored on an error in the next at bat, which put Jenna Mason on second.
McDowell got the runs back over the next three innings, and then tacked on another one in the fifth to take a 4-3 lead. With runners on first and second, Warren hit a two RBI double into the gap to score Presley Young and K.K. Caldwell.
McDowell pitcher Presnell limited a potent A.C. lineup to seven hits and four earned runs while striking out 12 in eight innings of work.
On March 14, McDowell took down South Caldwell 8-6 in the late innings. McDowell piled up four runs in the sixth inning to break a 4-4 tie and take the lead. The Titans filled the park with five hits and drew one walk in before South Caldwell's Maddy Moore was able to get her second out. K.K. Caldwell hit a huge one-out triple with the bases loaded to drive in three runs and put McDowell up 7-4. Two batters later, Jenna Shuping singled to bring Caldwell in.
South Caldwell rallied in the bottom of the inning but fell short. Lainee Webb hit a solo home run to cut the lead to three with one out and then Holland Weisner brought McKenna Yount home with a single to cut it to two.
McDowell pitcher Warren regrouped after that and got Mallory Winebarger to ground out in the next at bat to end the game.
Jason Koon is the sports editor for the hickory record and can be reached at jason.koon@lee.net.
