North Duplin advances to state championship

CALYPSO — The North Duplin softball team advanced to the championship series of the North Carolina 1A playoffs May 25 and 26 with wins over East Columbus. The Rebels had dropped the first game of the best of three series before coming back to win the last two.

They will face Union Academy from Monroe in the championship series June 2 and 3 at Dail Softball Stadium at North Carolina State University. The first game is scheduled for June 2 at 7 p.m. Game two is set for June 3 at 11 a.m. and game three (if necessary) will be played June 3 at 2 p.m.

On May 25 at East Columbus, North Duplin won 12-3. Addy Higginbotham had four hits, three runs, three RBI, one walk and one stolen base; Riley Hatch had three hits, three runs, three RBI; Reece Outlaw had two hits, one run and two RBI; M’chelle Jaco had two hits, two runs, one hit by pitch and one stolen base; Kasey Jones had one hit, one walk and one stolen base; Iala Overton had one hit, two runs, one sacrifice and one stolen base; Ady Spence had one hit, Sara Thomas Tucker had one hit and one run and Lilly Fulghum had one hit and one RBI.

Fulghum pitched all seven innings for the win.

On May 26 at home, the Rebels won 14-7. Outlaw had four hits, three runs and three RBI; Higginbotham had three hits, three runs, one RBI and one stolen base; Hatch had two hits, two runs, two RBI and a stolen base; Fulghum had two hits (including a home run), two runs and one RBI; Jones had one hit, one run, one RBI and one stolen base; Overton had one hit and one RBI, Spence had one hit, Tucker had one hit, one run and one RBI and Jaco had two runs and a stolen base.

Fulghum pitched a seven-inning complete game.

North Duplin is now 23-3 on the season.