PITTSBORO — The Northwood softball team split a pair of games early last week with a 17-1 drubbing over rival Chapel Hill in 3A Big Eight Conference action and an 11-0 loss to Union Pines in non-conference play.
The Lady Chargers (3-1 overall, 1-0 conference) began with a 17-1 victory over Chapel Hill March 4. Northwood broke open a 2-0 game with 12 runs in the bottom of the third before adding three more in the fourth to close out the easy triumph.
Throughout the lineup Northwood proved to be potent in the victory which saw the locals batter Chapel Hill pitching for 15 hits while also drawing six walks.
Jamie Christensen, a junior, paced the Chargers offensively with a perfect 4-for-4 afternoon at the plate which included scoring three runs, driving in three more, stealing two bases in as many attempts and belting a double.
Adding a 3-for-3 day was Hannah Weigle who scored three times, drove in a pair of runs, walked once, and ripped a double. For good measure, the senior Weigle also picked up the win on the mound after going all four innings while allowing just one hit, an unearned run, walking two, and striking out 12.
Other top hitters for the Chargers versus the Tigers were Emma Douglass and Chloe Lineman who both went 2-for-3. Lineman scored three times, walked once, blasted a triple and scored two times while Douglass scored a pair of runs while driving in another.
Closing out the offensive attack for Northwood was Lauren Davis who went 2-for-4 with a run, three RBI, and two stolen bases in two attempts, Erika Sells who was 1-for-3 with a run scored, Allison Coker who went 1-for-1 with two RBI, two runs, and two walks.
Also for the Chargers, freshman Grace Leonard scored a run and walked while sophomore Caroline Dorshimer walked in her one plate appearance.
Against Union Pines March 5, the wheels just fell off the wagon for Northwood as the visiting Vikings erupted for eight runs in the fourth inning to blow open a 1-0 game, eventually resulting in the 11-0 UP triumph.
Samantha Allred, just a sophomore for the Vikings, stole the show on Tuesday as the UP hurler went the distance, hurling the shutout in six innings while allowing just two hits, no runs, a walk, hitting a batter, and whiffing nine.
Mayci Springle was 1-for-3 in the loss for the Chargers while Weigle collected the other Northwood safety on the way to a 1-for-3 day. Christensen drew a walk for the locals in the loss while later being hit by a pitch from Allred. Northwood committed nine errors in the field during the contest.
Weigle suffered the loss after going six innings, yielding 12 hits, 11 runs (three earned), one walk, and striking out seven.
Kaley Evans paced Union Pines offensively with a 3-for-4 outing that included three runs scored, two RBI, and a double while Allred was 2-for-4 with two runs, an RBI and a double, Payton Ring 2-for-4 with an RBI, Taylor Parker 1-for-4 with a run and a two-run triple, Megan Foster 2-for-4 with a run, an RBI and a triple, C. McCutchen 1-for-2 with a run, a double and two walks, Skylar Lilly 1-for-3 with a run, and Faith McLean 1-for-1.