Aria Wilson, Forbush’s shortstop, tags out North Wilkes’ Charity Hutchinson at second base.
HAYS — Forbush’s aspirations of a Foothills 2A Conference softball championship took a hit on Monday night.
With North Wilkes’ shocking 4-2 win over the Lady Falcons, West Wilkes (17-2, 10-1) earned no worse than a share of the conference championship with one game left in league play.
The game also saw extended streaks end as the Lady Vikings snapped a seven-game losing skid. The defeat ended Forbush’s six-game winning streak.
North Wilkes, who also scored its first conference win of the spring on Monday, led 1-0 going into the top of the third.
Forbush (14-6, 8-2) tied the game on Ellie Southern’s RBI double and then Aria Wilson put the visitors ahead 2-1 with an RBI single.
The Lady Vikings (5-11, 1-9) responded in the bottom of the fifth behind a pair of key hits from a pair of seniors.
Riley Berrier tied the game with an RBI single and then Charity Hutchinson put the hosts on top with a two-run single.
Hutchinson also picked up the win inside the pitching circle. She allowed eight hits and two runs while walking three and striking out four.
Down to their final out in the top of the seventh, the Lady Falcons had one last opportunity to force extra innings after Emma Sorrell singled to center field and advanced to third base on a fielding error.
That brought the tying run to the plate in the form of Arden Finney.
But Hutchinson buckled down as she got Finney to pop out to Savannah Johnson at third base to end the game.
Southern went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a pair of doubles to pace Forbush at the plate. Kiki Wall went 1-for-3 with a double and Wilson finished 1-for-2.
Finney suffered the loss as the sophomore allowed three runs (all earned) on six hits in 2 1/3 innings. Southern started the game and allowed one run and struck out four in 3 2/3 innings but earned a no-decision.
Despite the defeat, the Lady Falcons still have an outside shot to earn a share of the regular season championship with two games left.
Forbush traveled to Surry Central on Tuesday evening and then host Wilkes Central on Friday night.
If the Lady Falcons can win both games and North Surry can defeat the Lady Blackhawks on Tuesday, then Forbush would earn a share of conference championship.
The Lady Vikings, who hosted Wilkes Central on Tuesday and then travel to North Surry on Friday, were led at the plate by Ralee Bare (double) and Chloe Edwards —both players finished 2-for-4.
Forbush breezes past Lady Vikings, rally past North Surry
In Friday’s 17-0 win over North Wilkes in East Bend, the Lady Falcons racked up five runs in the bottom of the first. Finney and Wilson highlighted the inning with an RBI single and a sacrifice fly, respectively.
After Sorrell added an RBI sacrifice fly to lead 7-0 after two innings, Forbush erupted for double-digit runs in the bottom of the third to end the game via mercy rule.
Wall, who went 2-for-3 with four runs batted in, highlighted the inning with an RBI triple. She also ended the game with a bases-clearing triple; Virginia Crews also added an RBI single in the inning.
Finney also added two hits for the Lady Falcons. Inside the circle, Carley Joyner struck out six and allowed one hit in three innings to earn the win.
The Lady Falcons added a come-from-behind 5-4 win at home against North Surry last Tuesday.
Down 4-2 going into the bottom of the fifth after an RBI sacrifice fly from Marissa Casstevens, Forbush tied the game on an RBI single from Wilson. Sorrell also plated a run when the junior scored on a fielder’s choice from Southern.
Finney scored on a wild pitch to put her team ahead 5-4 after five complete.
The Lady Greyhounds had one last chance extend the game after Trista Berrier delivered a one-out double.
But Joyner, who relieved Southern inside the circle in the top of the fifth, induced a pair of fly outs to end the game and earn the save. Joyner allowed just one hit and a run in 2 2/3 innings of relief.
Southern picked up the win after pitching the first 4 1/3 innings.
Brooke Davis paced the Lady Falcons at the plate with a 3-for-4 performance — the only Forbush player with multiple hits.
In addition to the two conference victories, the Lady Falcons added an 11-6 nonconference win against former Western Piedmont 2A adversary West Stokes on Wednesday.
Forbush, which pounded out 14 hits in the game, jumpstarted its offense with nine runs in the first inning.
Southern (double) and Wilson each went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead the way. Davis and Sorrell finished 2-for-4 and Finney finished 1-for-4 with three RBIs.