DEEP RUN — Members of South Lenoir’s softball team haven’t forgotten what took place on March 15, especially its two seniors.
The Blue Devils have a chance to erase the memory — or at least ease the pain of it — tonight.
South Lenoir will host Topsail in a key East Central 2A Conference softball game at 7 with the hopes of making things right after the Pirates 10 run-ruled it in a 13-0 win last month.
Not only were the second-place Blue Devils (12-2, 6-1) embarrassed by what happened, but they’ve made sure to turn their last loss into motivation in their current nine-game win streak.
“We remember how it felt, and it wasn’t a good feeling,” said senior pitcher Taylor Sandlin. “It was embarrassing to be 10-runned. We weren’t going to let it happen again.”
While South Lenoir hasn’t lost since, the first-place Pirates (12-2, 7-0) have been a problem for the Blue Devils since they became conference foes three school years ago.
Tonight will mark the ninth time the two have met as members of the EC2A and Topsail has won eight of them, including the last six. The last time South Lenoir beat the Pirates was a 5-4 extra-inning win in the second round of NCHSAA state 2A playoffs in 2010 — Sandlin’s freshman year.
“They’re a really good team, but we’re a really good team, too,” said senior outfielder Brittany Lassiter. “We maybe just get too hyped to play them.”
In their first meeting this year, South Lenoir committed five errors and its pitching yielded 14 hits while managing only two hits itself. Following the game, coach Lisa Smith had very few words for her team.
She could tell the game’s impact was felt immediately after it was over.
“I just told them to remember how it felt, and they have,” Smith said. “They learned a lesson that night, and it’s obviously helped since.”
With Sandlin anchoring the pitching circle, the Blue Devils have thrown six shutouts and outscored their last nine opponents 83-7. But today’s opponent is a bit tougher than the last nine.
The Pirates, who have won 21 straight conference games, have won each of their seven league games this season by at least four runs.
To knock them off will take a complete effort and near-perfect softball from the Blue Devils.
“We’re going to have to do the little things — locate pitches, run the bases, play defense, play small ball,” Sandlin said.
While Sandlin will start today’s game in the pitching circle, her lone senior teammate will most likely begin the contest on the bench.
Lassiter, who has played varsity since her sophomore year, she said, is an outfielder who knows it’s her job to keep her teammates focused and to cheer them on.
She’s ready to be a big motivator in the season’s biggest game thus far.
“It’s my job to make sure everybody’s playing their hardest and staying in the game,” Lassiter said. “We’re all going to have to do our part if we want to win.”
Ryan Herman can be reached at 252-559-1073 or Ryan.Herman@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter: @KFPSports.