Walk-off seals game for Roanoke Rapids U-12

Contributed photo | Daily Herald Roanoke Rapids Under-12 all-star player Conner Massey slides in safe Thursday afternoon during District 1 Babe Ruth Softball tournament action. Advertisement

Jonas Pope IV, Herald sports editor

ROANOKE RAPIDS - After a day full of one-sided games and mismatches, the final game of the night between the Roanoke Rapids U-12 All-Stars and the Camden All-Stars was the perfect way to cap off day one of the District 8 Babe Ruth Softball tournament.

In a contest that had a championship feel to it, the two teams battled the entire way, with the final outcome lying in the balance until the last hit of the evening.

With the game tied at five in the bottom of the sixth inning, Caitlin Ewers' walk off single was enough to give the Roanoke Rapids team a 6-5 victory over visiting Camden.

Ewers' single set off a wild celebration in the Roanoke Rapids dugout, and the hit was worth cheering for. Roanoke Rapids was down 3-0 in the third inning before putting together three runs apiece in the last two innings.

Camden scored the first runs of the contest in the top of the third inning thanks to what at the time looked to be a fatal mistake for the home team.

With two outs, Camden's April Williams hit a single to Roanoke Rapids second baseman Paula Hardy. Instead of making the routine throw to first, Hardy threw home and Roanoke Rapids was unable to make the play, allowing a Camden player to score to make it 1-0.

Camden then got back-to-back singles from Kara Pipkin and Alexis Jones to make it 3-0. Camden added two more runs in the top of the fifth and more than likely had their eyes on the winner's bracket.

But the Roanoke Rapids squad was far from done.

In the bottom of the fifth, third baseman Veronica Edmonds scored Lindsey Polley with a single to start the rally. After Edmonds' hit, Hardy stepped to the plate and made everyone forget about her earlier blunder on defense.

Hardy took a perfect pitch and blasted a two-run in-the-park home run to make it 5-3 in favor of Camden.

Camden survived the rest of the inning without giving up any runs, but Roanoke Rapids had found new life.

In the top of the sixth, the Roanoke Rapids defense made an impressive stand when first baseman Haley Wood let a single slip past her. However, Caroline Sawyer tried to continue to second and was thrown out by Wood to end the inning and set up the final push by the Roanoke Rapids All-stars.

Connor Massey hit a double to start things off.

Then Kaleigh Copeland, a sub for the U-12 team, came off the bench and blasted an RBI double to pull the Roanoke Rapids All-stars within one, 5-4. After a single by Nicole Walker, Polley laid down a perfect bunt to load the bases for Roanoke Rapids.

Williams, who pitched for Camden, walked Hardy to tie the game before Ewers, who had a solid game on the mound for Roanoke Rapids, hit the game-winning run.

With the win Roanoke Rapids advances to the winners bracket where they will face Currituck today at 5 p.m.