Huneycutt leads West Stanly softball to Game 1 win over Midway
West Stanly softball is now one win away from a fourth consecutive state championship.
The Colts used a three-run second inning and a quality outing from senior ace Lily Huneycutt to power themselves to a 4-2 victory over Midway on Friday in Game 1 of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 2A state championship series at Duke's softball stadium.
Midway (22-6) took the lead in the bottom of the first on an RBI single to center field by senior Mallory Baggett that scored sophomore Samantha Carter, a positive start against Huneycutt, who entered with a 0.69 ERA.
West Stanly (30-1) quickly erased the deficit. A solo home run to left left field by designated player Elizabeth Ingle, her sixth homer of the season, tied the game. The Colts tacked on two more runs in the inning thanks to a strongly hit line drive to left field by senior third baseman Payton Little that brought in two to give the Colts their first lead of the day at 3-1.
One inning later in the top of the third, West Stanly struck again as a sacrifice fly junior second baseman Kristen Smith scored junior Brooklyn Lovin to make it 4-1. But Midway sophomore pitcher Jordyn Christopher minimized the potential damage in the inning by working around a bases-loaded jam with just one out.
Christopher's ability to pitch around baserunners kept the Raiders in the game, and Midway took advantage in the bottom of the third. Senior second baseman Lainey Hughes hit a double to left field that scored Carter, making it 4-2. But like Christopher in the top of the inning, West Stanly's Huneycutt limited what could have been a big inning, retiring three straight after the Raiders had runners on first and second with no outs.
From there, both offenses had difficulty manufacturing much. Midway's Christopher exited after five innings, giving up four runs of eight hits.
West Stanly's Huneycutt, a senior, found her groove on the mound after surrendering two runs through the opening three runs. As the game went on, she became more dominant and retired 13 of 14 between the fourth and seventh innings, including eight straight at one point.
Yet, Midway brought the game-tying run to the plate with one out in the bottom of the seventh before Huneycut finished off her complete game, finishing with four strikeouts.
