Cougars roll

past Watauga

From staff reports

TAYLORSVILLE — Alexander Central scored five unearned runs in the second inning and never looked back in its 14-1 victory over Watauga in a Northwestern 4-A Conference game Saturday played in a light rain.

The Cougars staged their five-run rally in the bottom half of the second inning. Watauga answered with its only run in the top of the third inning off Alexander Central pitcher Chelsea Wilkinson when Jennifer Ballew scored on a wild pitch. Ballew and Kayla Kincaid walked to get on base and Breanna Steinke moved them over one base with a single.

Watauga looked like it would collect more runs in the inning, but Chandler Butler’s ground ball was fielded and Butler was thrown out at first base.

“We had some positives come out of this game,” Watauga coach Brian Vannoy said. “Chelsea Wilkinson had only given up one run all season coming into the game, and we loaded the bases on her. It’s a shame we weren’t able to get a couple more runs across in the third inning.”

Watauga won’t play again until Friday when the Pioneers play J.I.. Burton (Va.) at 3 p.m. in the Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett Eastman Tournament. Watauga plays Dobyns-Bennett at 9 p.m. Friday night.

Saturday, they’ll face Cumberland County (Tenn.) at 10:30 a.m. and Bearden (Tenn.) at 3 p.m. The event is a 40-team tournament that includes teams from Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Kentucky. West Forsyth is also in the tournament.

Watauga’s games Saturday against McGuffey (Pa.) and Hickory Grove, both to be played at Shuey Field in Morganton, were rained out.

Vannoy hopes the Pioneers can correct mistakes made Saturday during the team’s off-week.

“We're still hurting ourselves defensively. We have the week off until Friday at Kingsport, so we'll focus hard on defense and see if we can get things straightened out there.”

Girls’ soccer
WILSON — Watauga lost both of its games in the Brittany V. Tournament held in Wilson Friday and Saturday.

Jacksonville beat the Pioneers 1-0 Friday night in Watauga’s first game. In their second game, the Pioneers took a 1-0 halftime lead, but could not hold on to it and lost 2-1 to Wilmington Laney Saturday.

Katelyn Mullenix scored the Pioneers’ goal off an assist from Skylar Hicks.

Watauga plays at Alexander Central on Wednesday. The Pioneers’ game with Ashe County was postponed because Ashe has to make up a conference game.