Roundup: Strong pitching from Dial helps Lady Scots roll through Hoke County

Mar. 8—LAURINBURG — Before the season began, Lady Scots softball head coach Adam Romaine said that pitching would give his team the best chance at winning games this year.

Wednesday night was an example of that, as Sydnee Dial took the mound and pitched a no-hitter through four innings, before allowing only three hits and striking out seven batters by the end of her complete game.

The effort helped the Lady Scots softball team (3-0, 1-0 Sandhills Athletic Conference) knock off the Hoke County Bucks (3-2, 0-1 SAC) in their conference opener 5-0 to stay undefeated on the young season.

"Sydnee Dial threw (57) pitches in seven innings; that's a great, great output there on the bump," Romaine said. "She hit her zones tonight; didn't really miss much of anything."

In the first four innings of the game, Dial sent the Bucks down in order each time. But, in the fifth inning with only one out, Hoke County's Adriana Miller doubled off a fly ball to deep left field to give the Bucks their first hit of the game.

However, the defense of the Lady Scots came through and forced the Bucks into another scoreless inning.

"Our defense held up good tonight," Romaine said.

Addison Johnson was the first Lady Scot to get on base in the contest, after she singled on a ground ball in the first inning off an 0-2 count from Hoke County pitcher Natalie Williams. After Johnson stole second base, a Madison Dixon line drive to center field scored Johnson for the first run of the game, but back-to-back outs ended the inning.

The Lady Scots didn't score again until the third inning, but scored their final four runs in the frame. Kinsey Hamilton was able to get on first with a ground ball, before stealing second base, and a Johnson fly ball double scored Hamilton to make the Lady Scots' lead 2-0.

After a Dawson Blue flyout, Dixon managed to get her second hit of the game with a ground ball to go on first base, before courtesy runner Chaslyn Clark came in for her. Avery Stutts singled on a line drive afterwards, which scored both Johnson and Clark, making the score 4-0.

Two pitches later, a Dial RBI-single to left field scored Stutts, and a Natalie Smith ground ball single put two on base, but Carleigh McKeithan would strike out to end the inning, after Miller came in to relieve Williams on the mound for the Bucks.

Johnson led the Lady Scots with two runs and had two hits, along with an RBI. Stutts finished with two RBIs, a run, and a hit.

Brianna Harrell, Kaylyn Lewis, and Miller were the only batters for Hoke County to tally a hit.

Williams pitched three innings and allowed five runs on seven hits, while Miller also pitched three innings, giving up a hit.

The Lady Scots head to Fayetteville to take on the South View Tigers in a nonconference matchup Wednesday night at 7 p.m.

Romaine feels the game will be a true test to see where his team is at currently.

"(South View is) a very good team, one of the top teams in the 4A east," Romaine said. "With this young team, we told them 'it's gonna be a test.' It's tough going right in there right out the gate with no practice for this team. We're gonna see great pitching; they've (South View) got a junior coming back from last year that pretty much controlled us...in that 1-0 game we won last year. We're expecting a great pitchers duel tomorrow night; we're gonna have Avery (Stutts) going right at her for us. It's gonna be a good test for us tomorrow."

Scotland baseball shuts out Hoke County in five innings

The Scotland High School baseball team (3-0, 1-0 Sandhills Athletic Conference) won their SAC opener in Laurinburg over the Hoke County Bucks (1-3, 0-1 SAC) by a final of 12-0 in five innings Wednesday night.

Scotland pitcher Blane Wagner played a huge part in the victory, allowing just three hits and striking out five Hoke County batters, while walking five.

Five runs in the fourth inning helped the Scots pull away, after they led 7-0 entering the inning.

Eli McCoy led the Scots with three hits in three at bats and had an RBI, Cadyn Graves finished with three runs, two hits, and an RBI, and Wagner notched three RBIs, two hits, and two runs in two at bats.

The Scots as a team had 10 hits.

Scotland will be back at home Wednesday night at 7 p.m. for a nonconference matchup against Jack Britt.