Beaufort County’s baseball and softball teams came back from spring break last week with a lot of pressure on them. Washington and Northside’s baseball clubs both had conference championships on the line.

Neither was able to move into first place, but a top-two finish and favorable playoff seeding is still well within reach heading into this final week of the regular season. The Lady Panthers were able to lock up second place behind East Carteret.

Win or lose last week, most local teams take significant momentum into their last game or two of the season. Here are those that excelled this past week.

 

RACHEL LANG, NORTHSIDE

Northside picked up two wins by a combined 16-0 score last week to clinch second place in the 1-A Coastal Plains Conference. Rachel Lang led the way by controlling the opposing batters while also chipping in plenty on offense.

Lang struck out 10 batters and scattered two hits in seven innings at Jones Senior on Thursday. Bear Grass managed to get three hits off her, including a double, the following day, but she picked up another half dozen strikeouts. Lang, in the two games, went 4-for-6 with two runs and two RBI.

 

ALYSSA McLAWHORN, SOUTHSIDE

Alyssa McLawhorn excelled at the plate and on the mound in Friday’s close call at Pamlico County. Southside was coming off a two-week layoff. It’s last game was a lopsided 10-1 loss at home to the same Lady Hurricanes.

The Lady Seahawks committed five errors in that first meeting. They still had four miscues on Friday, but they resulted in only one unearned run. McLawhorn, who didn’t pitch in that first game, gave up four runs (three earned) on eight hits while fanning five. She was also 2-for-2 with a pair of runs batted in.

 

CODY GODLEY, WASHINGTON

Washington and North Johnston battled into extra innings in their first of two meetings last week. The Panthers emerged victorious, but Washington felt good about its chances to win on the road and tie for first place in the 2-A Eastern Plains Conference.

Cody Godley gave the Pam Pack the chance to win it. He threw a complete game, scattering two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out three. Frederick Holscher was a perfect 3-for-3 at the dish, but the Pam Pack only scored once on six collective hits.

 

ZACH GRIFFIN, NORTHSIDE

Northside was hoping it could stay in contention for the 1-A Coastal Plains Conference crown last week. The mission got off to a good start when the Panthers routed Pamlico County, which is right there in the top three in the league, 11-1.

Zach Griffin needed just 26 pitches to put in two innings of relief work. He gave up no runs on one hit and fanned five. He came in again on Thursday against top-ranked Bear Grass. He threw three more innings of shutout baseball, conceding a hit and a walk while picking up five more strikeouts, but the Panther bats couldn’t capitalize in a 3-1 loss.