Ashbrook pitcher Allie Short struck out 14 batters and smacked a three-run homer in the seventh for her win.
Brad Coville/Special to The Gazette
Ashbrook’s Allie Short celebrates with her team after hitting a 3-run homer over the left field wall Tuesday night.
Brad Coville/Special to The Gazette
South Point's Taylor Mahaffey throws a pitch to an Ashbrook batter on Tuesday.
Brad Coville/Special to The Gazette
Ashbrook blanks Red Raiders in Big South softball tourney opener
GASTONIA - It's the simple things in life that motivate Allie Short.
Listen to what her mom said before the junior pitcher smacked a three-run homer in Ashbrook's 8-0 win over South Point on Tuesday.
"She was like, ‘If you hit this one, I'll take you out to eat,'" Short said.
Short had much to celebrate over dinner after not only breaking out the big stick but also dominating in the pitcher's circle. She struck out a career-high 14 batters and tossed a complete-game two-hitter as Ashbrook (14-9) opened the Big South 3A/4A Conference tournament with a win.
The fourth-seeded Green Wave advances to today's 6:30 p.m. final against top-seeded and host East Gaston, which received a first-round bye.
Only four total runs separated these teams in two previous meetings combined, but Ashbrook dominated this time.
Short allowed only two base runners, as Stevie Phillips and Brooke BaLiles each recorded singles. Short didn't walk a single batter and afterward declared her performance the best of her high school career.
"I was really energized and ready to go," she said.
Ashbrook coach Gabby Carnes said Short executed every pitch he called, including her curveball, drop curve, fastball, rise ball and changeup.
"When she wants to go out and really buckle down and pitch, she can be dominant at times," Carnes said.
She had plenty of run support from an offense that churned out 12 hits against South Point freshman Taylor Mahaffey, MVP of The Gazette Softball Slam a month ago.
Heather Carnes, the coach's daughter, batted 3-for-3, drove in a run and scored a run with her future Averett University coach in attendance. Andreya O'Brien, Macey Eldridge and Nicole Currence added two hits each. Short finished 1-for-3 and drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in addition to her homer.
The game was in all likelihood the last at Ashbrook this season, as the Green Wave will travel to East Gaston for the remainder of the conference tournament and hope for a wild-card state playoff berth after that.
"We made sure everyone (on the team) was aware that this was our last game here this year," coach Carnes said. "It would be a miracle for us to get back here to Ashbrook."
Ashbrook handed East Gaston its only Big South loss, 4-3 in March 21, but the Warriors won the rematch 7-3. The rubber match will begin at 6:30 at East Gaston, following the first semifinal between second-seeded Crest and third-seeded North Gaston.
"I feel like we have a good chance," Short said. "We beat East Gaston the first time. I don't see any reason why we can't do it again."
South Point (10-15) now awaits the release of the softball playoff pairings. The Red Raiders earned the Big South's No. 2 Class 3A seed.
North Gaston 6, Hunter Huss 3 - Jordan Vanderford's double highlighted an opening-round Big South tournament win for North Gaston.
Sidney Mitchell pitched the first three innings and Keely Russell closed it out for the Wildcats (12-8), who face second-seeded Crest 4:30 today at East Gaston in the first semifinal. Crest won both previous meetings, 8-0 and 7-2.
You can reach Phillip Gardner at 704-869-1843.
