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SB---HP Christian Rolls by Charlotte Christian

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Jun 1, 2001
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HPCA dominates in clash of state softball heavyweights
• By GREER SMITH ENTERPRISE SPORTS WRITER
WALLBURG — High Point Christian handily defeated Charlotte Christian in a battle of defending NCISAA softball champions Thursday at Wallburg Baptist Church.

HPCA, last year’s 3A champ, came alive offensively in the fourth inning and Lexi Hall carried a no-hit shutout into the seventh inning as the Cougars prevailed 6-1 as the Knights, last year’s 4A title winner, suffered their first defeat of the young season.

“This was really big,” HPCA head coach Lin Hayworth said. “They are a great team. They got some great hitters, great players. You saw a couple of plays their shortstop made and then the bomb she hit. They’re really good. We’re just trying to compete and trying to get better. And we’ve been fortunate so far.”

Hall allowed just three baserunners (two on errors and one on a walk) until Knight shortstop Anna Hinde, one of the best players in the state, broke up the no-hitter by sending a drive over the leftfield fence with one out in the seventh. Hall then served up her second walk and ended the game with her ninth strikeout.

“Lexi was really good tonight and you’ve got to be good to keep that team from scoring more than one run,” Hayworth said. “They are solid offensively and defensively.”

HPCA (6-1) scored three runs in the fourth and two in the fifth after starting both innings with a pair of singles and tallied once in the sixth, all against Morgan Banks, who went the distance as the Knights dropped to 3-1.

Hall went 2 for 3 with a run and a RBI. Maci Burkhart and Blakely Bowman each went 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored. Mary Douglas Hayworth was 1 for 3 with a run. Lila Allred was 1 for 2 with an RBI and a walk, and Hailey Allred drove in a run.

“We adjusted to what she’s throwing and sometimes that doesn’t work, but it did today,” Hayworth said. “But that pitcher is good. She keeps you off balance. We were fortunate.”

Burkhart and Hall started the fourth with singles. Burkhart scored when a throw home on a fielder’s choice sailed high. Hailey Allred then lofted a sacrifice fly that scored Hall, and Lila Allred laced a single that scored Lauren Sexton.

Bowman and Hayworth started the seventh with singles, putting runners on the corners, Burkhart lifted a sacrifice fly that scored Bowman, and Hall followed with a single that scored Hayworth.

In the sixth, Lila Allred led off with a walk and was replaced by courtesy runner Noelle Sharp, who went to second on a wild pitch, stole third and scored on Bowman’s single.

The Cougars committed two errors but helped Hall by turning two double plays for the second straight game. The second out in the second double-play was the result of tagging the runner at second after she failed to stop on the bag.

HPCA plays host to Charlotte Latin today and travels to rival Wesleyan Christian on Monday.
 
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