WINDSOR — After consecutive one-point games, spectators figured Sunday’s Eastern North Carolina District 1 U16 championship game between Roanoke Valley and Cashie would be a nail bitter, a contest that would probably come down to the wire, down to the last out and perhaps, like Friday, go into extra innings. The Roanoke Valley all-stars weren’t going to let that happen. Lead-off batter Stephanie Rose started the game with a triple, a sign of good things to come, as the Roanoke Valley squad won the district title for the second year in a row with a, 4-1, victory over Cashie.

Bailey Robinson gets ready to let one fly during the U16s victory over Cashie Sunday in the District 1 softball tournament. Randy Wrenn | Daily Herald Advertisement

With the victory the ladies move onto the state tournament to be held July 8 in Williamston.

Roanoke Valley beat Cashie by one on Friday, then lost to the host team, 5-4, Saturday morning, so a three-point win seems like a blowout for the all-star squad. “It was a little bit of a relief,” Roanoke Valley Head coach Billy Smith said. “They (Cashie) can put runs on the board fast, but we knew four or five (runs) was the key for us.”

Rose came home on a passed ball to put Roanoke Valley ahead one after the first inning and the local squad gave themselves some breathing room in the top of the second. Bailey Robinson and Rose drew walks and Paige Lockamon got on base with a single, setting the stage for Kallie Smith. With two outs, Smith nailed a three RBI triple for the Roanoke Valley squads final run of the day. Cashie scored on a single in the bottom of the inning, but the could not manage anymore runs thanks to some excellent defense for the Roanoke Valley all-stars and solid pitching from Robinson who only gave up two hits after the second inning.

“Bailey Robinson is a good pitcher,” Smith said. “She really gave up one run yesterday (Saturday), the defense failed her and today a little bit. But we got on their pitcher today. We’ve got a solid team.”

Smith said the Roanoke Valley’s only loss on Saturday was in no way any fault of his team. “We got out coached (Saturday) and I take full responsibility for that,” he said. “Today they came out to play and I came out to coach ... we did all right.”

Right from the beginning Rose sent a message to Cashie that the Roanoke Valley squad did in fact come out to play with her triple. Smith acknowledged he knew it was going to be a good day when Rose made the hit. “The way Stephanie Rose goes is the way this team goes,” the coach said. “She was 9-13 for the tournament.”

And the rest of her teammates followed suit in the victory, picking up timely hits against Cashie. “Putting the ball in play was the key today,” Smith said. “We had nine strikeouts (Saturday), we might have had one or two today. You got to put the ball in play. We tried to play small ball today to make them make mistakes and that’s what they did. That was the difference in the game, they made mistakes and we didn’t.”