Here's how a whirlwind week ended on a high note for Cherryville softball
CHERRYVILLE — Cherryville softball understands all too well how swiftly things can change.
The Town of Cherryville and much of Gaston County were in the line of fire Wednesday, dual rounds of severe weather bringing tornadoes, high winds and heavy rainfall to the area. Fresh reminders remain at every turn, town residents removed debris large and small Friday afternoon while relishing the return of power to their households.
Much like fellow Cherryville residents, the Lady Ironmen softball team spent much of Friday afternoon waiting for someone to flip the switch on their vaunted offense. Eastern Randolph pitcher Addie Flinchum held Cherryville in check for five innings, striking out 12 while allowing only three runners on.
In the sixth, however, the lights finally flickered on for the Cherryville offense, and not a moment too soon. Down two runs to No. 12 Eastern Randolph, the fifth-seeded Lady Ironmen scored three in the bottom of the sixth to rally for a 3-2 victory in their NCHSAA 1A West second round game.
PLAYOFF HUB: Here are Gastonia, Shelby area NCHSAA, NCISAA baseball and softball schedules, scores
COACHES CONFIDENTIAL: Gastonia, Shelby baseball, softball coaches talk NCHSAA realignment
PLAYOFF TOP PERFORMERS: Crest's Sara Rose Warlick hits two home runs in opening round playoff win
However, all the Lady Ironmen needed was a break. Cherryville got it in the sixth inning, scoring three runs and holding off Eastern Randolph in the seventh to secure a 3-2 win in their NCHSAA 1A West second round game.
“Just super proud of how we hung in there. That pitcher is a great pitcher, probably one of the best ones I’ve seen (all year),” Cherryville softball coach Jonathan Beam said. “I keep (my scorecard) and I mean, the first time we went through the lineup and halfway through the second, and (Flinchum) had 10 strikeouts. But then all of a sudden, I started seeing a couple hits, a couple walks, a couple errors; we just kept battling and fighting, doing enough to get the win.”
Eastern Randolph took a 2-0 lead in the fifth, buoyed by a pair of Cherryville errors. After stranding a pair in the bottom of the fifth, the Lady Ironmen loaded the bases following a Landyn McBride walk, a Krista Davis double and an Alexis McSwain base hit.
With senior Laila Davis at the plate, a Flinchum wild pitch allowed McBride to trim Eastern Randolph’s lead to 2-1. Admittedly feeling the pressure ahead of her at-bat, Laila Davis said she was calmed by the bases no longer being loaded.
“At first it was bases loaded, and I was like, ‘Oh man!,” she said. “Then we got a run in, and I was like, ‘I got this!’ (My teammates) were hyping me up and everything, and I knew the third pitch was mine, and I hit it.”
Laila Davis’ double to left field scored two runs to give Cherryville a 3-2 lead. In addition, she pitched 2 ⅓ innings, allowing no runs on one hit with two strikeouts. She was one of three pitchers for the Lady Ironmen, including starter Rylei Gidney and Krista Davis, who combined to allow a total of five hits.
“I didn’t want to end (my high school career) like this; I wanted to keep going and see how far we can go,” she said.
Riley Bryant and Chloee Stroupe also were credited with base hits for the Lady Ironmen, who take to the road Tuesday against No. 4 Robbinsville. “I don’t really care where we have to go; I’m super happy (for the girls),” Beam said.
This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: NCHSAA softball: Cherryville downs Eastern Randolph, 1A West playoffs
