After winning the State-Wide Activities Committee State Softball Tournament championship earlier in the month, the Bladen County 10U All-Stars went on to finish fifth in the national tournament.
“We did pretty well,” said Jerry Hill, an uncle of one of the team’s players. “I thought we had a pretty strong team right from the start.”
Rylee Chadwick led the Bladen County team to the state title by twirling a no-hitter against Edenton. She reportedly allowed only two balls to be put in play and walked just two batters in the 6-0 win.
At the plate, after a scoreless first inning, Bladen County scored twice behind walks to Lainey Hughes and McKenzie Singletary and passed balls moved them up one base and, moments later, both runners scored on a throwing error.
In the third inning, Bladen County all but put the game away with four runs. A walk to Lena Trinidad got things started, followed by a stolen base by pinch-runner Laci Storms, a single by Addie Bowen, a sacrifice fly RBI from Chadwick and three straight RBI singles by Emma Turbeville, Singletary and Hughes for a 6-0 lead.
The next two innings were scoreless.
Members of the state champion Bladen County team — coached by Matt Chawick, Barry Priest and Brad Turbeville — were Addie Bowen, Rylee Chadwick, Molly Evans, Gracie Faircloth, Lainey Hughes, Karli Priest, McKenzie Singletary, Zoe Smith, Laci Storms, Madison Taylor, Lena Trinidad and Emma Turbeville.