Pratt's blast propels Hibriten

For the second game in a row, the Hibriten softball team won with a walk-off hit.

Tuesday, a triple by Kayla Brown ended a blowout game by the mercy-rule. Thursday's walk-off home run by Erika Pratt came with a little more drama.

Pratt belted a two-run home run to center field to give Hibriten a 4-2, nine-inning win over St. Stephens. The Indians were previously unbeaten in the Catawba Valley Athletic Conference. Hibriten improved to 13-5 overall and 11-3 in the CVAC.

“It's huge,” Hibriten coach Jim Blanton said of the win.

The teams were tied 2-2 after the third inning. In the bottom of the ninth, however, Sarah Bentley singled up the middle and was on first when Pratt stepped in. A sophomore, Pratt is in the lineup strictly to hit. She bats for Panther pitcher Ashlyn Pope.

And hit she did, giving Hibriten a key win it will use to fend off other 2-A teams looking for the league's top playoff spot.

St. Stephens struck first Thursday, scoring two runs in the top of the third. Mackenzie Queen singled in one run and another scored on a passed ball.

But Hibriten answered quickly in the bottom half of the inning. Emily Mills walked, Chelsea Walker singled and Krista Sumpter then drove both of them in with a triple up the middle.

The game included two strong pitching efforts. Pope pitched all nine innings, struck out 10, walked three and allowed just five hits. That came against a St. Stephens team that won the first meeting 8-0. That day, Blanton said, his team struggled in the field. Not on Thursday, however.

“We played really good defense behind Pope,” Blanton said. “And she probably had her best game of the year.”

Julia Wakefield pitched the entire game for St. Stephens and struck out nine.

Hibriten returns to the field Monday in a non-conference game at Wilkes Central.

Golf

Panthers

second at Catawba

The Hibriten golf team posted a score of 309 Thursday and finished in a tie for second with Foard at Catawba Country Club in Newton. Hickory won the event with a score of 306.

Hickory's Conner Sock and Cass Sigmon of Bandys shot 18-hole scores of 73, the low rounds of the day. Hibriten's Drew Harris and Hickory's J.T. Poston each shot 74 for third place.

Other scorers for Hibriten included Tanner Harris (76), Alex Simmons (77) and Sam Birckhead (82).

West Caldwell finished ninth with a score of 341. Ronnie Burchette had the Warriors' low round, scoring 78. Other West scorers included Caleb Branch (79), T.J. Dula (90) and Jordan Harris and Alex Franklin with 94s.

Rounding out the team scores were St. Stephens (312), Maiden (318), Bandys (325), Newton-Conover (330), Patton (333) and Bunker Hill (394).

MS Baseball

Hudson wins twice

The Hudson baseball team defeated two in-county foes in close games this week. First, Hudson won 10-9 over Granite Falls on Tuesday. The Hornets followed that performance with a 9-8 win over Gamewell Thursday.

On Tuesday, Tyler Moody came on in relief and picked up the win. Bryson Bowman hit an in-the-park home run in the third and then hit a homer out of the park in the seventh. Jake Macchia was 3-for-4 at the plate and Justin Perkins had two hits.

Against Gamewell, Bowman picked up the win. Dylan Poarch had three hits, while Thomas Redding, Mariano Rivera, Macchia, Moody and Perkins each had two.

The game lasted eight innings.

Hudson is 8-0.

MS Soccer

Hudson downs Gamewell

Kirsti Reynolds scored two goals and the Hudson Hornets defeated rival Gamewell 2-1 Thursday.

Reynolds was assisted on one goal by Jocelyn Cardona and by Jennifer Phillips on the other.

Taylor Burchette and Hannah Young manned the goal for Hudson and Skylar Church made a game-saving defensive play late.

Granite wins

The Granite Falls soccer team topped West Alexander 2-0 Thursday.

Goals were scored by Rachel Lineback and Chelsea Sorrow.

Assists came from Peyton Mundy and Katherine Conner. Lindsey Potter and Jana Labrose were in-goal for Granite Falls, which improved to 4-1-2 on the season.

Granite Falls plays next Tuesday at East Alexander.