Panthers fall in CVAC final

The sparks didn't come soon enough for Hibriten Thursday.

The Panther softball team fell behind by five runs in the tournament final of the Catawba Valley Athletic Conference before rallying a little in the seventh. It was too little too late, however. Bandys, the No. 4 seed in the event, won the tournament for the second straight year, dropping the Panthers 5-2.

“We were just too tight, way too tight,” Hibriten coach Jim Blanton said. “Maybe it's being in new territory, an area we haven't been in.”

Hibriten, the No. 3 seed in the tournament, has set a school record for wins this spring and hadn't reached the second round of the CVAC tournament before this year. However, the Panthers (19-7), who defeated the league's second-best team St. Stephens Wednesday, managed just two hits the first four innings and had some costly defensive miscues.

“The errors today were back breakers,” Blanton said.

Bandys (17-9), meanwhile, continued its strong tournament play. The Trojans rallied from a six-run deficit in the seventh inning of Tuesday's first semifinal against top-seeded Foard and later won 15-14 in 10 innings. Thursday, Bandys, displayed more of that resiliency.

“They're stubborn,” Trojan coach Mike Carpenter said of his players. “They've worked real hard all year. ...I'm not surprised because I knew we could beat anybody in (the tournament).”

The Trojans scored in the top of the first when Megan Smith hit into a fielder's choice, which allowed Kendra Honeycutt to score from third. The Trojans extended their lead in the third when Honeycutt hit an RBI-double to center and Macie Lovette drove in a run with a bloop single to right. An error in the outfield with two outs in the fourth allowed two Trojans to score, giving Bandys, the team that defeated Hibriten 11-1 last week, a 5-0 lead.

“I don't know if there's a mental block against Bandys right now or what,” Blanton said.

Blanton began inserting reserves into the lineup, looking for anything to spark his team into action. He found some help in the form of reserve catcher Chelsea Thomas, who ripped a double to right in the fifth, Hibriten's first hit since the second inning. Then it was Thomas who followed Kayla Brown's double by driving in the Panthers' first run in the seventh, on a single to right with two outs.

“Chelsea Thomas sparked us,” Blanton said. “She got up there and battled, didn't just go up and swing. She did an excellent job with that.”

A second run came in to score on the play after a Bandys throwing error. But Carlee Carpenter struck out Hannah Stephens to end the game.

Carpenter was again a fly in the Panthers' ointment. She allowed six hits and struck out six. Perhaps more impressive, she kept the Panthers from getting solid contact with the ball, except for Brown's double that hit off the left-centerfield wall.

“We have a tough time with their pitcher,” Blanton said. “She's a good pitcher. She throws a great dropball that's really hard to hit.”

Ashlyn Pope allowed eight hits and struck out four Bandys batters. Blanton said she pitched well enough to win.

Thomas was the lone Panther with multiple hits, going 2-for-2 with the double and an RBI.

Honeycutt led the Trojans with a 3-for-4 day, including a double and an RBI.

The state playoffs begin Tuesday and Hibriten, which retains the league's top 2-A berth, will host a yet-to-be-named wild-card team.

All-CVAC team named

Four Panthers were named to the all-conference team in the CVAC.

Third baseman Sarah Bentley, infielder Bailey Goble, pitcher Ashlyn Pope and catcher Krista Sumpter were honored.

West Caldwell had one honoree on the team, infielder Kelly Frost.

St. Stephens coach Jan Davis was coach of the year and Foard's Mariah Chalk was player of the year.

Printer Friendly Version

E-mail this story to friend