Cape Fear softball comes out ‘hacking,’ advances to NCHSAA 3A East regional final

The Cape Fear softball team walked onto Doris Howard Field with a different look Friday evening. 

Whether it was the sweltering heat or adrenaline, the Colts came out of the gate on fire at the plate. 

By the end of a 10-0 run-rule win against Harnett Central, Cape Fear coach Jeff McPhail wasn’t sure what to make of the turnaround from Tuesday night’s 1-0 win in extra innings. 

“We didn’t change anything dramatic. … I just told them, ‘Let’s just come out and start hacking at it,’ ” McPhail said. 

“They did and we executed. … I don’t know, they just came out hacking.” 

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The offensive onslaught helped the third-seeded Colts (24-4) roll into next week’s NCHSAA 3A East regional championship. The best-of-three series against top-seeded Eastern Alamance (24-1) is scheduled to begin Tuesday. 

Cape Fear scored in five of six innings against No. 7 Harnett Central (22-6), a team the Colts had beaten 4-0 in the regular season. 

In the rematch, Cape Fear had four players finish with multiple hits as the team sprayed 14 all over the field. 

Noni MacFadden, who McPhail called Cape Fear’s “backbone,” opened the scoring in the first inning with a two-run homer over the left-field fence. 

“I felt so good because it was a changeup. Usually, I’m swinging for the fences on changeups and I’m missing ‘em,” MacFadden said. 

Her second home run of the season ignited Cape Fear’s offense as the Colts followed with runs in the second, third, fifth and sixth innings. 

“I think it’s just the adrenaline of it being the fourth round,” MacFadden said. “I think everybody was just pumped up and we were ready. … Everyone was so ready to play.”

Macie Matney and Hannah Lovick, a pair of seniors, had two hits each and sophomore Alex Serbio added two of her own. Lovick also had two RBIs. 

Junior pitcher Lex Glemaker, who pitched another shutout to continue her impressive run in the circle, had three hits and sophomore Olivia Melvin had three RBIs in the No. 9 spot in the lineup. 

“After Tuesday, I had kind of a rough performance, so my goal here was to just get it in play, move a runner, do anything I can to just better the team,” said Melvin, who had a run-scoring groundout and two-run double.

That was the theme throughout the roster Friday as each player seemed to make a play that helped the Colts make it a short game.

Olivia Fann had a pinch-hit single in the sixth. The senior crossed the plate for the game-ending run when Serbio lined a hit to right field. 

“We were definitely excited, pumped and confident,” Melvin said. 

“I think we were just more pumped up with more energy (than Tuesday). Run-ruling twice in the playoffs, that really pumps us up.” 

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com.