Ashley – 0           Holly Springs -- 10

Holly Springs hosted Ashley in a Second Round matchup in the Eastern bracket of the 4A state playoffs. Senior NC State commit Matt Willadsen got the ball for the Golden Hawks. Willadsen briefly lost his command in the first, walking the second batter he faced, but quickly regained control and induced a double play ball to SS. Holly Springs didn’t allow another baserunner in the final 4 frames.

After 4 no hit innings from Willadsen, Coach Whitesell gave the ball to Patrick Trease. Trease needed only 12 pitches in a 1-2-3 inning to secure the win for Holly Springs. Willadsen struck out 6 and Trease added 2 more.

Senior right-hander Ashton Evans struggled to get in a rhythm for Ashley in the bottom of the 1^st. After walking the leadoff batter, Sam Kulasingam, Willadsen lined a single to left. Trease then squared up a ball that ate up the first baseman, scoring Kulasingam. Willadsen scored 2 pitches later on a passed ball. Cleanup hitter Trevor Sheehan doubled in the left center gap scoring Trease. Michael Groves doubled in Sheehan. Jayson Arendt then lined an RBI single through the drawn in infield. Arendt would later score on a passed ball, moving the early score to 6-0.

Holly Springs followed up their 6 run 1st with 5 more in the 2^nd. Ashley went to Tyler McNeill to start the 2^nd. After singles from Kulasingam and Trease, McNeil walked Sheehan to load the bases. Junior outfielder Riley Kenney picked up an RBI with a bases loaded walk. Then Groves drove in 2 with a single to right and Jayson Arendt finished the scoring with a 2 RBI double.

Holly Springs will host Cardinal Gibbons in the 3^rd round of the 4A NC State playoffs on Tuesday May 14th.

 

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