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GREENSBORO — An overwhelming feeling of what was soon to come trickled through the Eastern Alamance softball team.
Kyra Helton had just led off the top of the seventh inning with a walk in a tie game.
"As soon as I got on first, I was like, 'OK. We're gonna win this,' because as soon as we get back into the field, Kenna (Raye Dark) is gonna strike people out or the defense is gonna make plays and get the outs," Helton said. "We have the best defense in North Carolina, in my opinion. If any ball gets hit to us, we're gonna get the out."
Dark turned to her teammates in the dugout with a similar message.
"I know Kyra's power. I know Kyra's mentality," Dark said. "As soon as she walked, I told everybody in the dugout, I said, 'They done messed up. They don't know what's coming for them.'"
Helton stole second and reached third on a wild pitch. Then, Eastern Alamance coach Danny Way, standing in the third-base box, gave the instructions.
"We got her down to third base and we got two strikes and I told Kyra, 'Get ready to go in a rundown," Way said. "Just take off running. We're going to do something crazy right now.' She was off to the races."
On a wild pitch, Helton sprinted for home, reaching safely to score the go-ahead run to lead Eastern Alamance to a 3-2 victory against North Buncombe in Game 2 of the NCHSAA Class 3-A championship series Saturday afternoon at UNC Greensboro Softball Stadium. It makes the Eagles state champions for the second time in four years.
"COVID year and then losing last year to Southern Alamance, it was heartbreaking really," Helton said. "I think winning your freshmen year and tying it up your senior year, it's what you've got to do. It's the best feeling in the world."
Three years after winning the title, the Eagles accomplished the feat again, led by five seniors who were all members of the 2019 championship team.
Dark, the UNC signee, was dominant for a second straight game, allowing just one hit and one earned run with eight strikeouts.
"I've never been this emotional," Dark said. "Just knowing this is the second time and this is the last game in my career at Eastern Alamance. So, I was very emotional. I love this team so much and they've worked so hard for me. They've supported me when I'm on the mound. They've supported me in the field and with hitting. All of us love each other to death and I'm gonna miss this team so much."
The Eastern Alamance softball team poses with the NCHSAA Class 3-A state championship trophy and banner.
Times-News
David Kehrli / Times-News
In the two games, Dark allowed a combined two hits and one earned run, earning her MVP honors.
"Pressure is a privilege. As a pitcher, I can say I'm good under pressure," Dark said. "When I'm in those situations, I just stay calm. I don't get tense because I know if I do, I'm not gonna do the best I can and then I know my team is gonna kind of fall down because they know I'm falling down."
Each of the last three state champions in the 3-A classification have come from Alamance County. The Eagles won it in 2019, no title was awarded in 2020 because of COVID-19 and Southern Alamance won it last season.
Eastern Alamance's Kenna Raye Dark flashes a smile in Game 1 against Cape Fear.
Times-News
Devon Carson for The Times-News
Helton provided two runs and Dark scored the other for the Eagles (28-2).
Karlyn Pickens scored in the bottom of the sixth for the Black Hawks (25-3) to knot the score 2-2. Pickens ran home when a throw by Eagles third baseman Makiya Graves was off the mark to first.
Pickens, the Tennessee signee, allowed two hits, one earned run and sat down 14 Eagles batters on strikes.
Graves ripped the game's first pitch for a single and Dark followed with a walk. Helton hit into a fielder's choice and North Buncombe got an out at third. Third baseman Shayna Higgins's throw to first was errant, allowing Dark to score from first and Helton to reach third. Helton then scored on a wild pitch to give Eastern Alamance a 2-0 lead in the top of the first.
After working runners onto second and third in the bottom of the first, North Buncombe scored its first run on the series when Pickens scored from third on a wild pitch. Dark settled down and worked her way out of the inning without further damage, keeping the Eagles in front 2-1.
David Kehrli is a sports reporter at the Burlington Times-News and USA Today Network. You can reach him at david.kehrli@thetimesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @DavidKehrliTN. Subscribe to the Burlington Times-News here.
