Webcast of Semi-Final Game vs. Holly Springs
Webcast of Championship Game vs. West Johnston
It wasn't always pretty, but the Lady Trojans got the job done as they defeated both Holly Springs and West Johnston on Saturday to win the Greater Neuse River Conference Softball Tournament.
In the first game of the day, Garner drew the number four seed in the Holly Springs Golden Hawks. After a scoreless first inning, Garner exploded for five runs in the bottom of the second as Ashley Carroll led off the inning reaching on a error, after a fly out, Halie Warner singled and on the play the center fielder over threw the cut off man allowing Carroll to score. After Kasey Hamrick was hit by a pitch, Meghan Strickland hit a sacrifice fly to plate Warner and give Garner a 2-0 lead.
The lead would grow when Nadia Jefferies singled home Hamrick and then, both Christie Wright and Kimmie Stewart had RBI singles to cap the second inning scoring.
Garner would pad the lead in the fifth when Stewart led off the inning with a double and scored on a Raven Smith base hit to make it 6-0. The final Garner runs of the game came in to bottom of the sixth when Jeffries led off with a triple to right, Wright then brought her in on a sacrifice fly. Stewart then singled and Anna Burton came off the bench in a pinch-hitting role to triple to right and bring home Stewart and give Garner the 8-1 lead.
Garner would then bring in Breanne Campbell to pitch the seventh and close out the Hakws and she did just that pitching a scoreless inning of relief to preserve the 8-1 Garner win, to advance to the finals.
Winning Pitcher: Christie Wright - 6 Innings, 4 Hits, 1 Run, 2 Walks, 1 Hit Batter, 8 Strikeouts
Losing Pitcher: Jenna Firestine - 4 Innings, 7 Hits, 5 Runs, 3 Earned Runs, 1 Walk, 1 Hit Batter, 1 Strikeout.
HLY 1 5 4
GAR 8 12 1
Webcast of Championship Game vs. West Johnston
It wasn't always pretty, but the Lady Trojans got the job done as they defeated both Holly Springs and West Johnston on Saturday to win the Greater Neuse River Conference Softball Tournament.
In the first game of the day, Garner drew the number four seed in the Holly Springs Golden Hawks. After a scoreless first inning, Garner exploded for five runs in the bottom of the second as Ashley Carroll led off the inning reaching on a error, after a fly out, Halie Warner singled and on the play the center fielder over threw the cut off man allowing Carroll to score. After Kasey Hamrick was hit by a pitch, Meghan Strickland hit a sacrifice fly to plate Warner and give Garner a 2-0 lead.
The lead would grow when Nadia Jefferies singled home Hamrick and then, both Christie Wright and Kimmie Stewart had RBI singles to cap the second inning scoring.
Garner would pad the lead in the fifth when Stewart led off the inning with a double and scored on a Raven Smith base hit to make it 6-0. The final Garner runs of the game came in to bottom of the sixth when Jeffries led off with a triple to right, Wright then brought her in on a sacrifice fly. Stewart then singled and Anna Burton came off the bench in a pinch-hitting role to triple to right and bring home Stewart and give Garner the 8-1 lead.
Garner would then bring in Breanne Campbell to pitch the seventh and close out the Hakws and she did just that pitching a scoreless inning of relief to preserve the 8-1 Garner win, to advance to the finals.
Winning Pitcher: Christie Wright - 6 Innings, 4 Hits, 1 Run, 2 Walks, 1 Hit Batter, 8 Strikeouts
Losing Pitcher: Jenna Firestine - 4 Innings, 7 Hits, 5 Runs, 3 Earned Runs, 1 Walk, 1 Hit Batter, 1 Strikeout.
HLY 1 5 4
GAR 8 12 1
Leading Hitters: Holly Springs: Krebs 1-3, Burt 2-3, Wantz 1-2
Garner: Jeffries 2-4(3B), Powell 1-3, Wright 2-3, Stewart 3-4(2B), Carroll 1-4(3B), Smith 1-4, Warner 1-3, Strickland 1-2
Garner Rallies to Win Title
It was the rubber match of the season series between Garner and West Johnston and intensity of the game was turned up about ten notches for the Championship game as Christie Wright and Abby Dupree went toe to toe.
West Johnston drew first blood in the top of the third as they put runners at second and third with two outs. That's when Wrights pitch bounced away from Kimmie Stewart allowing a run to score, and while Garner couldn't find the ball another run managed to cross and give West Johnston at 2-0 lead.
The outlook began to grow dim for the Lady Trojans who had left four runners on base through the first four innings, but in the bottom of the fifth, they managed to find some hot bats. Kasey Hamrick led off the inning with a single. After a strikeout, Nadia Jeffries came to the plate and sent a ground ball right back to the mound, Dupree went to second base but her throw was wide of the bag and everyone was safe. Mary-Scott Powell then laid down a sacrifice bunt and again Dupree threw it away allowing Hamrick to score and make it 2-1 Wildcats.
But Garner wasn't done as with two outs, Kimmie Stewart delivered a single back up the box to plate two and give Garner a 3-2 lead.
In the top of the sixth, the rains came and knocked out the web casting crew, but the game went on as Wright found some trouble as she loaded the bases but pitched out of the jam and the Lady Trojans would hold on for the 3-2 Victory to capture their first ever Conference Tournament Title. After the game, it was learned that this would be the final year of the Conference Tournament, so Garner wins is the last winner of the tournament
Winning Pitcher: Christie Wright
Losing Pitcher: Abby Dupree
Garner: Jeffries 2-4(3B), Powell 1-3, Wright 2-3, Stewart 3-4(2B), Carroll 1-4(3B), Smith 1-4, Warner 1-3, Strickland 1-2
Garner Rallies to Win Title
It was the rubber match of the season series between Garner and West Johnston and intensity of the game was turned up about ten notches for the Championship game as Christie Wright and Abby Dupree went toe to toe.
West Johnston drew first blood in the top of the third as they put runners at second and third with two outs. That's when Wrights pitch bounced away from Kimmie Stewart allowing a run to score, and while Garner couldn't find the ball another run managed to cross and give West Johnston at 2-0 lead.
The outlook began to grow dim for the Lady Trojans who had left four runners on base through the first four innings, but in the bottom of the fifth, they managed to find some hot bats. Kasey Hamrick led off the inning with a single. After a strikeout, Nadia Jeffries came to the plate and sent a ground ball right back to the mound, Dupree went to second base but her throw was wide of the bag and everyone was safe. Mary-Scott Powell then laid down a sacrifice bunt and again Dupree threw it away allowing Hamrick to score and make it 2-1 Wildcats.
But Garner wasn't done as with two outs, Kimmie Stewart delivered a single back up the box to plate two and give Garner a 3-2 lead.
In the top of the sixth, the rains came and knocked out the web casting crew, but the game went on as Wright found some trouble as she loaded the bases but pitched out of the jam and the Lady Trojans would hold on for the 3-2 Victory to capture their first ever Conference Tournament Title. After the game, it was learned that this would be the final year of the Conference Tournament, so Garner wins is the last winner of the tournament
Winning Pitcher: Christie Wright
Losing Pitcher: Abby Dupree
WJO 2 1 2
GAR 3 5 1
Leading Hitters: West Johnston: Partin 1-2
Garner: Jeffries 1-3, Stewart 1-3, Carroll 1-2, Hamrick 2-3
**The Trojan Sports Network apologizes for the incomplete broadcast of the Championship game. We were unable to finish the game due to the weather and could not get the equipment un-packed in time to finish the game. We appreciate your understanding**
Garner: Jeffries 1-3, Stewart 1-3, Carroll 1-2, Hamrick 2-3
**The Trojan Sports Network apologizes for the incomplete broadcast of the Championship game. We were unable to finish the game due to the weather and could not get the equipment un-packed in time to finish the game. We appreciate your understanding**
**Also thanks to Donna Powell for providing the picture for the web site!**
