FINAL from Walnut Creek: South Lenoir 3, Canton Pisgah 1

It’s flatlands vs. mountain girls today as the Blue Devils and Bears take on each other in an elimination NCHSAA 2A softball championship game. The winner of this game faces undefeated Central Davidson at 1:30 p.m.

Here are the starting lineups for both teams:

CANTON PISGAH (22-6) visiting team

Haley Pace, C

Taylor Willis, P

Hali Worley, SS

Ellese Lawrence, CF

Taylor Trull, 2B

Nicole Smith, RF

Jamie George, DP

Holly Kuykenhall, 1B

Robyn Burnette, LF

Casey Clark, Flex

SOUTH LENOIR (20-5)

Kayla Cole, P

Leigh Smith, LF

Kayla Lane, DP

Kara Tucker, 3B

Lorri Cole, C

Louise Davis, 2B

Taylor Williams, SS

Faith Turner, 1B

Jessica Greer, CF

Melissa Moore, Flex

The first pitch, a ball by Cole, is delivered at 11:03 a.m.

Middle of first inning: PHS 0, SL coming up to bat — Pace leads off inning with infield single, steals second and reaches third on a bad throw to pick her off — all without an out. But Cole gets the next three batters 1-2-3 to end the threat

End of first inning: PHS 0, SL 0 — Devils go 1-2-3

Middle of second inning: PHS 0, SL 0 — Cole gets ’em 1-2-3, the last two by K

End of second inning: PHS 0, SL 0 — Tucker singles to left field to begin inning and is sacrificed to first by Davis. She’s stranded at 2B

Middle of third inning: PHS 0, SL 0 — Burnette gets a one-out double and is followed by a walk issued to Pace. Willis advances the runners with a groundout, but Cole ends the inning by snaring a line drive at her noggin

End of third inning: SL 2, PHS 0 — Turner and Greer reach base on errors and Turner scores on an infield bunt single by Kayla Cole. Greer comes around to score on a throw to get Kayla Cole at home. Smith sacrifices Kayla Cole to third and Lane is out at first on a bunt attempt. Kayla Cole is caught between third and home for the final out following Lane’s out

Middle of fourth inning: SL 2, PHS 1 — Lawrence leads off inning with walk and is followed by an infield single by Trull. After getting the next two outs, Kuykendall singles to center to score Lawrence. Cole walks Burnette to load the bases but coaxes a flyball to right field to end the inning

End of fourth inning: SL 2, PHS 1 — Lorri Cole hits a one-out single to right field, but her courtesy-runner, Tyquilla Graham, is caught stealing at second. Davis ends the inning on a groundout

Middle of fifth inning: SL 2, PHS 1 — Cole gets ’em 1-2-3, two by K

End of fifth inning: SL 3, PHS 1 — Williams leads off inning with infield single and is sacrificed to second by Turner. Kayla Cole singles her home and is subbed by Tyquilla Graham (who will be subbed back by Cole to start the next inning). Leigh Smith reaches on fielder’s choice when the PHS defense goes to second to try to get Graham out. Lane singles but Graham is thrown out at home on a perfect throw from the outfield

Middle of sixth inning: SL 3, PHS 1 — Cole gets ’em 1-2-3 on 5 pitches. Faith Turner had a spectacular catch at first base, executing a split to make the catch

End of sixth inning: SL 3, PHS 1 — SL goes down 1-2-3

FINAL: SL 3, PHS 1 — Cole gives up a one-out single to Burnette but retires the next two for the win.

South Lenoir will face Central Davidson at 1:30 p.m. The Blue Devils need to beat CD twice to win their first state title. Of course, I’ll be blogging, so y’all come back now, you hear?