Here's how grit and unity are keying Kings Mountain softball's run at a Big South 3A title

Little worth having comes easily. So it came as no surprise to the Kings Mountain softball team it was in a dogfight last Wednesday with rival Crest, the teams vying for control of Big South 3A.

Much of the night was a struggle for the Lady Mountaineers, stymied by Charger pitcher Aidan Ledbetter who carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning. Despite such stomach-churning moments associated with the scoreless, high stakes matchup, the Kings Mountain dugout remained loose, even making time for a personal rendition of Chris Stapleton’s hit single “Tennessee Whiskey.”

“I’m having a lot of fun; this season has been one of the best seasons I’ve had (for high school softball), and we have an amazing group that is very tight,” said Kings Mountain softball junior standout Paige Fleming. “We haven’t had any conflicts and it’s really helped us grow as a team.”

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Kings Mountain has put such growth on display this season, the Lady Mountaineers undefeated through 13 games. Such mettle came in handy against Crest, Fleming’s RBI double in the bottom of the seventh allowing her team to walk off with a 1-0 victory. Matching Ledbetter for Kings Mountain was sophomore Maddie Huffman, who allowed no runs on two hits in pitching a complete game, finishing with 17 strikeouts.

The Lady Mountaineers’ victory snapped Crest’s 76-game win streak over Big South 3A opponents. Kings Mountain has tacked on wins over North Gaston and Stuart Cramer in the week since, uppings its league record to 9-0. While happy with where his team is, coach Kevin Cruise emphasized there is still work left to be done.

“We can’t stay the same; in the grand scheme of things, one game means very little,” he said. “You have to get better every single day or someone is getting past you. I guarantee (Crest softball coach Gregory Earl) and his team will be doing that, so we have to do the same because we haven’t done anything yet.”

Though not yet in a celebratory mood, Cruise and the Kings Mountain softball team have barely been challenged to this point of the 2024 season. The Lady Mountaineers have outscored opponents 138-8 through 13 games, not allowing more than three runs in any game thus far.

Holes are hard to find in the Kings Mountain lineup, batting .395 as a team with 47 extra-base hits, 16 of them home runs.

Three batters are hitting .500 or better to this point, including Kayla McSwain who leads with a .548 average, a home run, three doubles and 12 RBIs. Huffman is hitting .500 with two home runs, 10 doubles and 15 RBIs, while senior standout Kali Weaver has a .500 average with two home runs, three doubles and nine RBIs. Fleming leads the Lady Mountaineers with seven home runs and 26 RBIs.

Huffman has also been stellar inside the circle. She is 10-0 with an ERA under 1.00, along with 140 strikeouts in 60 innings pitched. The sophomore hurler also has a four-inning perfect game and a five-inning no-hitter under her belt.

Weaver and Anna Wooten also combined for a three-inning perfect game March 25 against Ashbrook.

According to Cruise, the team’s success has much to do with “good things happening to good people.”

“We’re just fortunate here at Kings Mountain to have young ladies who aren’t only good softball players, but also great people,” he said. “I’m almost more proud of that than how they play on the softball field. We talk all the time about being good people, and good things happen to good people. And this group really does a good job of showing that on a daily basis.”

Kings Mountain has several hurdles in its path to perfection, starting Friday night with a trip to Forestview. Next Wednesday, the Lady Mountaineers host Western Foothills 3A leader Foard, with a rematch looming against rival Crest on May 3.

“We have high expectations at Kings Mountain for all our athletics. We’re just happy to be taking steps toward catching up with our peers in other programs,” Cruise said. “Hopefully we can continue to make our community proud.”

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Kings Mountain softball seeking elusive Big South 3A title