From staff reports

MOUNT ULLA — Senior Lonna Addison enjoyed a dream day, and Carson beat West Rowan 6-1 in a big early South Piedmont Conference softball matchup.

Addison drove in four runs with two homers and a single. She also led the Carson defense. She was in the circle, striking out 13 and limiting a powerful West lineup to three hits.

“It wasn’t just me that had a great day, the team had a great day,” Addison said. “When West put the ball in play, my fielders had my back.”

A Lees-McRae signee, Addison got the scoring started in the top of the first with a single that drove in Landry Stewart.

Addison’s solo homer in the third made it 2-0.

Holly Stowe homered in the sixth to boost Carson’s lead to 3-0.

Emma Clarke, the Tennessee commit who is the reigning Rowan County Player of the Year, made her season debut for the Falcons after helping West win a state championship in softball.

Clarke had an infield hit with two outs in the third and stole two bases, but Addison got a strikeout to strand Clarke at third.

Clarke socked a 1-and-2 pitch over the center-field fence leading off the bottom of the sixth to end Addison’s bid for a shutout.

Phoebe Cole’s RBI single gave the Cougars (3-2, 1-0) a 4-1 lead in the seventh, and Addison answered Clarke’s blast with her second homer of the game.

Addison struck out the side in the seventh, ending the game on her 106th pitch. She walked one batter.

EA Nance had a single in the fourth for West’s only hit besides Clarke’s two.

Arabelle Shulenbeger pitched for the Falcons (2-1, 0-1), striking out five and walking two.

It was a nice win for Carson’s new head coach Hunter Gibbons, who was a two-time Rowan County Player of the Year in her days as West Rowan’s shortstop.

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LANDIS — South Rowan opened South Piedmont Conference play with a 9-6 home win against Northwest Cabarrus.

The Raiders (4-1, 1-0) scored in the first inning and led all the way. The Trojans scored three in the seventh to tighten things up some.

Kynlee Dextraze homered and drove in three for the Raiders. Carmen Thomas had two hits, homered and knocked in three.

South had 11 hits. Campbell Withers, Lexie Ritchie and  Danica Krieg had two each.

Ritchie pitched a complete game, allowing four earned runs. She struck out three and didn’t walk a batter.

Haylee Ellis homered and knocked in four for the Trojans (0-3, 0-1).

Northwest will host East Rowan on Friday. South plays at West Davidson on Wednesday and at West Rowan on Friday.