Enka’s Courtney Pearson.
GREENSBORO – Everything about Friday’s Game 1 of the NCHSAA 3-A championship softball series was uncharacteristic for Enka.
Except the final result.
The Sugar Jets (25-3) overcame four errors to hold on for a shaky 8-6 win over C.B. Aycock at UNC Greensboro.
Game 2 of the best-of-three series is Saturday at 2 p.m. Game 3, if necessary, would be played at 5 or 8 p.m.
“I don’t know that we’ve ever made four errors in a game,” Enka coach Jennifer Kruk said.
“We knew what (Aycock) wanted to do and we still couldn’t stop them. Their strength is their speed and their first two hitters, in particular, were impressive. We had a big talk (Thursday) and the message was to keep your eyes straight ahead and not in the rear-view mirror, or the past. And that’s what we’ll do with this game. We got the win, that’s the most important thing, and we’ll move on.”
Kloyee Anderson, Addison Harris and Whitney Fletcher each had two hits for the Sugar Jets. Fletcher’s two run double tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the second inning. In the third, Harris connected for her team-best ninth homer of the season. She finished with three RBIs. Anderson and Fletcher had two apiece.
A four-run rally in the top of the seventh inning — all scored with two outs nonetheless — by the defending state champs proved to be necessary. Aycock answered with three runs in its final at bat. The Golden Falcons (29-3) were led by Tanika Powell, who was 3-4 with an RBI.
Enka ace Courtney Pearson (20-1) pitched a complete game, allowing five earned runs, 10 hits and no walks. She had one strikeout.
Friday’s game was delayed more than an hour when UNC Greensboro could not get its stadium lights to function. The final out was recorded just before 11 p.m.
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