By Ryan Bisesi
rbisesi@salisburypost.com
GRANITE QUARRY ó With one championship evaded, itís time to move on and pursue another for the East Rowan softball team.
The Mustangs didnít need any pre-postseason pep talks coming into their first-round showdown with Northern Guilford Wednesday. They were eager to get on the field after last weekís North Piedmont Conference Tournament championship loss to North Iredell.
Their offense was efficient and Chelsea White was stellar as always in a 10-0 disposing of the Nighthawks Wednesday in the first round of the state 3A playoffs. East will host Central Cabarrus, a 7-3 winner against Parkwood in its playoff opener, in Fridayís Round 2 showdown.
White, who throws a ěriseballî fairly often, rose to the occasion with a one-hit, complete game shutout. The Elon signee needed just 61 pitches to get rid of Northern, who led the game off with a hit from Haleigh Epperson. The Nighthawks didnít reach afterwards as White stuck out the side in the second andretired the next 15 batters in a row. White struck out six total, walked none and threw 43 strikes and just 18 balls.
ěShe hits her spots perfectly,î said Northern Guilford coach Cynthia Jones of White. ěShe kept us on our toes in regard to what pitch she was going to throw. She found our weaknesses in our batters and capitalized on that.î
The Mustangs, who fell in the state championship last year at Walnut Creek Softball Complex in Raleigh, have a unified goal after last yearís disappointing ending.
ěItíd be crazy not to have that as a goal any year you start out,î Waddell said. ěWe just remind them of that at certain times. We kind of use it as a refocusing deviceî
It was the perfect way to forget according to sophomore Steffi Sides.
ěDefinitely better than the last game,î Sides said. ěWe kind of fell apart last game, but we knew we had to get it back together. We came out to win and have fun.î
Sides, 2 for 2 at the plate, got her first triple of the season on a smash down the left field line. The hit scored Meagan Kluttz to make it 6-0.
The top of the lineup for East had a ball, with leadoff hitter Ericka Nesbitt collecting three hits and scoring three times. Kayla Kirk went 2 for 3 and drove in a run while White helped herself out with a two RBI double off the fence in the second.
ěI felt like I was pretty much on today,î White said. ěMy curveball and my riseball were really on.î
Bobbi Thomas hit an RBI single to the opposite field in the first to score Nesbitt to get East (21-2) on the board in the first.
East second baseman Sydney Poole fouled a pitch from Ashton Dobbins off her kneecap in the second, halting play for several minutes. Poole was helped to the dugout and didnít return.
ěWe got ice on it as soon as possible and when we knew the score was 5-0, there was no need to risk bringing her back out there,î East coach Mike Waddell said. ěHopefully, itís just a bruise and sheíll be back at it Friday.î
In the bottom of the fifth, Jessie Rummage singled to lead off while Nesbitt followed with a bunt single. Josie McNeely coaxed a walk after 11 pitches to load the bases.
Heather Trexler, who filled in for Poole, blooped a single to right to score a pair and end the game.