Chatham Central softball wallops Union Pines

The Chatham Central softball team posted 14 hits and cruised to a 15-2 victory over host Union Pines on Wednesday in a nonconference matchup.

The win improved Chatham Central to 4-1 overall (the Bears are also 3-0 in the Central Tar Heel Conference). The Bears’ lone loss was to 4A Southern Alamance by one run.

The Vikings (8-2, 4-1 Cape Fear Valley 3A) lost for just the second time this season, as they could not keep pace with the hot-hitting Bears.

Junior Skylar Edwards earned the win for Chatham Central, allowing just three base hits.

“We came out of the gates swinging and playing good defense,” Edwards said. “We played a good game and stayed together.”

The Bears jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning and then scored five more in the third after the Vikings retired the first two batters of the inning.

Chatham Central led 11-2 after four, and then forced an early end to the game with four runs in the fifth.

Eight of the nine Bears starters belted a base hit, and the lone batter who was held hitless had what looked like a sure extra base hit denied by a great Kaylee Allred catch in left field.

Chesney Crowley went 2-for-3, scored four runs and had two RBI for Chatham Central. Senior Talli Poe (double) had the lone extra base hit for the Bears and also drove in two runs.

Katherine Little led Chatham Central with three RBIs, while senior Sammi Barker and Edwards also added two apiece.

Angel Johnson and Allred scored the lone Viking runs.

“They (the Bears) jumped out early and hit the ball really well,” said Union Pines coach Brandon Reynolds. “We just lost our composure after that.”

This story was originally published March 23, 2017 at 11:19 AM with the headline "Chatham Central softball wallops Union Pines."