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The Southern Alamance softball team huddles in the outfield following its 5-4 victory against Eastern Alamance in the second round of the state playoffs Wednesday night.
The Southern Alamance softball team huddles in the outfield following its 5-4 victory against Eastern Alamance in the second round of the state playoffs Wednesday night.
Times-News
David Kehrli / Times-News
When her number was called Wednesday night, Hailey Carter picked up a bat and dialed up a hit for the Southern Alamance softball team.
At the time of the junior pinch-hitter’s base knock, perhaps it didn’t seem all that large of a deal.
Fast forward a couple of innings later, and the run she scored in that fourth inning, putting the Patriots ahead 4-0 via Greta Hessenthaler’s RBI single, proved to be a difference-maker.
“That was so exciting because (Carter) has been waiting for the opportunity and she finally got it and she really pulled through,” Southern Alamance senior pitcher Isley Duggins said. “It was just exciting for her, but it was even more exciting for all of us in the dugout that have been rooting for her.”
“Without (Carter’s hit and subsequent run), we don’t win,” Southern Alamance coach Jon Russell said. “She gets a pinch-hit base hit and then ends up scoring. That’s special for Hailey because things haven’t worked out quite like she has planned them, but she’s been ready when her number has been called.”
Carter’s ability to come off the bench and produce is part of what Russell and Duggins called a “we not me” mentality that the Patriots (13-3) possess. The at-bat was Carter's 12th this season through Southern Alamance's 16 games.
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“I'm really proud of us because I feel like we're doing it for each other,” Duggins said. “We're not doing it for anyone outside of the fence. It’s all of us together; we're doing it for each other. You can feel the difference between us getting down on each other or us even getting down on ourselves. If you get down on yourself when you mess up, then it kind of brings the team down.”
The Patriots hope that team approach will continue to produce success when they play at top-seeded Topsail (14-2) on Friday night in a third-round state playoff game.
The victory against Eastern Alamance took all hands on deck from the Patriots. After all, a significant portion of players on the Eagles’ 2019 title winning team remain on this season’s team.
“I think it's natural for everybody to be a little selfish, obviously, but I think that these girls are special,” Russell said. “They have good team chemistry and they have one goal in mind. So, whatever it takes to get to that goal.”
For Duggins, the game took on some extra meaning. As the Patriots’ only senior, she was on the mound the last time the two teams played in 2018. In that second-round state playoff game, Duggins was the pitcher when Southern Alamance relinquished a 5-1 lead in the final two innings. Eastern Alamance scored a combined eight runs in the final two innings to win 9-6.
“I know for her to come out here and perform the way she did was big for her, and moving forward for our team, as well,” Russell said. “To beat a team of that caliber, in this fashion, speaks volumes about how great they are and how resilient our ball club is. That's definitely a characteristic you want to have going through the playoffs. So super proud of my girls.”
This time around, Duggins pitched a complete game and earned the victory, striking out seven Eagles batters in the process. While she admitted she had something personal to prove, she was quick to credit her teammates for their role in her own success.
“I knew they were going to hit the ball because they’re a really good hitting team,” she said. “I knew that as long as I throw strikes, my defense has me, it’s fine. I honestly was thinking I just can’t throw any meat pitches, because if I do, it’s going over the fence. I have to prove to everyone that I can hold my own.”
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.
