Southwestern Randolph rallies to down West Stanly in Game 1 of 4A softball series

GREENSBORO, N.C. — For all of Game 1 of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4A softball state championship series, Southwestern Randolph held the lead.

But in a way, it won the game with its back on the wall.

Facing two outs in the bottom fourth inning with a 2-1 advantage, the Cougars scored four runs to blow the game open and held on to win 8-3.

Senior Maddie Strider was walked to begin the game-changing rally, then, seniors Katelyn West and Alyssa Harris hit consecutive singles to bring Strider and sophomore Bristol Marine home.

Immediately after, freshman Jada Freeland’s ground ball forced one of West Stanly’s five errors, scoring junior Sara-Kate Marion for another run.

Then, another error by the Colts’ defense on a ground ball from sophomore Chelsea Eudy allowed Harris to score and give the Cougars a 7-1 lead.

“I think the biggest thing for us at the plate is being disciplined,” Southwestern Randolph coach Toby Strider said. “And hitting a hitter’s pitch and not a pitcher’s pitch. I think we’ve done a great job with that all year.”

Live 2026 NCHSAA softball playoff brackets

Marine finished the game 3 for 3 from the plate with two runs. Harris, who went 2 for 2 with two runs, logged a team-high two RBIs. Senior Katelyn West, the Averett commit who pitched a complete game, went 3 for 4 with an RBI, including a double.

Southwestern Randolph wasted little time to get its offense in motion as the Cougars landed four hits in the opening inning. Junior Nauttica Parrish, the leadoff hitter and a Catawba commit, and Marine notched consecutive singles, and with one out, Strider laid down a sacrifice bunt to send Parrish home for the first run of the evening. Senior Katelyn West immediately followed with a single to score Marine, giving the Cougars an early 2-0 lead.

With bases loaded and one out in the top of the third inning, West Stanly senior Payton Watson hit a ground ball, scoring junior Madi Whitley for the Colts’ first run. On that same play, junior Kennedy Austin was thrown out at second base, and senior Neveah Alexander were thrown out at third for a double play.

• View photos: West Stanly vs. Southwestern Randolph softball (May 29, 2026). HSOT Insiders can download championship photos for free. Here's how.

That was the first of two double plays for the Cougars Friday night. On the final ground ball of the evening in the seventh inning, second baseman Kami Dunn threw to Strider, and Strider turned another out to Harris to end the game.

“I think the difference in the ballgame was defense,” Strider said.

Said Strider, “Outfield was great. Infield was great. Kate threw the ball well all night. We didn’t have a lot of free passes and just made plays.”

The Cougars avenged the Colts’ third inning run with an RBI-single by Eudy (Marion scored) in the bottom of the third.

In the top of the fifth inning, West Stanly logged two more runs thanks to back-to-back RBI singles from junior Kennedy Austin and Watson.

The Colts’ final error of the game, coming on a ground ball from senior Kinlin Hulin in the bottom of the sixth inning, allowed Harris to score the Cougars’ eighth run.

Start times revealed for NCHSAA baseball, softball, lacrosse, & girls soccer state championships

Southwestern Randolph is now one win away from its second softball title.

“It’s not over,” Strider said. “What we’ve talked about the whole time is don’t make the stage bigger than what it is. You’re playing here at UNCG, this wonderful facility. Tons of fans, but still, it’s a game. It’s a softball game. It’s supposed to be fun. You’ve just got to play it pitch to pitch, win every inning.”

The series will resume with Game 2 Saturday at UNCG at 11 a.m.

West Stanly, representing the West, is making its ninth state championship appearance and its fifth in seven seasons. The Colts have won six titles, including four consecutive state crowns from 2019-2023 (there was no champion in 2020).

Southwestern Randolph, the East champion, is making its eighth state championship appearance and its second in the three years. The Cougars last won a title in 2024.

West Stanly’s Makayla Crayton and Southwestern Randolph’s Chloe Eudy earned the Sportsmanship Award.

Box Score

Want to get your high school sports news faster? Download the new and improved HighSchoolOT app! You'll be able to find the content you want faster and have access to breaking news alerts.

Download the all-new HighSchoolOT App today