HPCA softball fought through to state title
May 28—WELCOME — High Point Christian kept fighting — which was fitting considering the venue.
The top-seeded Cougars, after trailing big early in game 2, clawed back within reach before falling 11-10 and again rallied in game 3 to overcome an early deficit to win 12-7 against second-seeded Hickory Grove on May 21 at North Davidson's Mike Lambros Field.
Following its 3-0 win in the opener the previous evening, HPCA clinched the best-of-three series 2-1 and captured the NCISAA 3A softball championship — the program's second ever and first since 2013.
The series was originally scheduled to be played at Parrott in Kinston. But, with both teams coming from the western half of the state, they agreed on the neutral site named for North's legendary coach who died from cancer in 2017.
"It's hard to describe right now — especially doing it here," Cougars coach Lin Hayworth said. "I helped Mike for years. I started out here, and I helped coach slow-pitch softball. Mike and I were really good friends.
"We continued to be friends after I left and took another job. He was one who encouraged me to take this job. That was right around the time he got sick. So, to do it here and know that he might've helped us a little bit, it's just really special."
HPCA, trailing by eight in the fifth inning of game 2, was a hit away from being mercy-ruled. But a seven-run sixth quickly brought it within reach. And even though it couldn't quite even the score, it shaped the rest of the afternoon.
The Lions, who were on track for an easy win, needed to bring in their primary pitcher to finish the game. And the Cougars — who had a couple opportunities to tie the game in the last couple innings — got a sudden boost.
But that wasn't out of character for HPCA — it'd come back to beat Hickory Grove in the final inning in late March, just a few days removed from a dramatic come-from-behind win in extra innings against Montour as well.
"We just knew we had to keep fighting," said Lexi Hall, a junior pitcher/infielder. "We knew everyone had our backs. We had to get our bats going, and just the momentum and keeping the energy up in the dugout was the main thing.
"Getting the bats started was the big thing, because hits are contagious," she added. "Once you get one, then the rest follow. And trusting each other and the defense was big as well."
In game 3, the Cougars fell behind twice in the opening two innings but evened the score 5-5 in the third. A four-run fourth and a three-run sixth gave them a 12-7 lead, and that was enough of a cushion.
HPCA — led by seniors Sarah Blackman and Sarah Carter but largely featuring players in the ninth grade or younger, including six of the starting nine — secured the final outs on defense and sealed the win.
The Cougars (17-7-1), in the finals for the second straight year, won seven of their final eight games, including playoff wins against eighth-seeded SouthLake Christian 15-0 and fifth-seeded Fayetteville Christian 10-3 in reaching the finals.
"I can't even think about what all went on — it's just a blur. I know the last inning Lexi caught a pop-up. That's about the only thing I can remember," Hayworth said with a smile, recalling the final out.
"I have a great coaching staff that does a great job. We all have certain things we're good at. And we just work really hard. We push them hard in practice — I learned that from Mike. You expect high-level play, you get high-level play.
"And they did that. All these kids have played at a high level. These moments — they're big moments, but sometimes they're just too big for you. We were fortunate. The kids delivered when they needed to."
mlindsay@hpenews.com — 336-888-3526 — @HPEmichael
