Lady Trojans lose to Falcons in state playoffs

By Shannon Leslie
Beacon Correspondent

In the first round of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Class 3A state softball playoffs, the West Brunswick Lady Trojans’ season came to an end in a 4-3 loss to the Winterville South Central Falcons.
The loss finished the Lady Trojans’ season at 12-9. It was the last game played by seniors Dez Avallone and Alyssa Chappell. Chappell was 3-for-4 with two doubles, a triple and two RBIs.
“Alyssa Chappell did everything she could to keep us in the game,” West coach Joe Noble said.
One of Chappell’s doubles hit the center field wall in the bottom of the seventh and was inches from going over the wall and ending the game.
Chappell’s efforts were not enough.
“We had our chances to score and we didn’t,” Noble said.
Noble was referring to the 10 baserunners who were left stranded, three of whom were left on base in the seventh inning. In the seventh with the bases loaded and the score 4-3, the game ended on a strikeout.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Trojans regained the lead after South Central had tied the score 1-1 in the top half of the inning. Chappell hit a two-out two-run triple that scored Abbey Dyson and Ariana Thomas. The two runs put West up 3-1.
In the sixth, the Trojans allowed South Central to score three runs on one single. South Central took advantage of two walks and two wild pitches. The two wild pitches allowed the Falcons to score two runs. The third run was scored on an outfield error. The three-run inning gave the Falcons a 4-3 lead.
South Central (16-9) will move on to play the South Johnston Trojans (21-5) in the second round.
For West, Thomas was 2-for-2. Alex Wickel was 1-for-3 with a double. Abbey Dyson was 2-for-4. Sam Smith had one RBI.
West pitcher Kim Cook gave up one earned run and five hits. She struck out five and walked five.