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Lady Devils Maddie Bird and Makenzee Bird share a celebratory high-five during the win against Hiwassee Dam last week.
Gary Ayers
news@thesmokymountaintimes.com
The excitement was high Tuesday at Swain High as the Lady Devils softball team won in extra-inning dramatic fashion and the Maroon Devil baseball team added some drama of their own with a 4-3 win over North Stokes in the first round of the NCHSAA 1-A state baseball playoffs.
With two out in the bottom of the seventh inning of regulation play and the bases loaded for the Maroon Devils, Will Holden smashed a shot into deep right field that scored the winning run from third base for the walk-off win as Swain fans celebrated first round playoff victories.
The Vikings of North Stokes jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but the Maroon Devils quickly answered back with two runs in their bottom half of the second to knot the game at 2-2. Swain would take a 3-2 lead with one run in the bottom of the fifth in the tightly contested playoff game. North Stokes would tie things up at 3-3 in the seventh with their first score since the first inning to set up the potential for extra innings.
But the Maroon Devils top of the line-up batting order loaded the bases for the game winning hit by Holden.
Bradyn Ruais, Corey Stillwell, Carter Hayes and Rowan Ellis all delivered key hits in the contest as Stillwell drove in two Swain runs with a double and Ellis added a double of his own for another big RBI. Aggressive base-running proved positive with Hayes stealing two and Stillwell adding a stolen base.
Ruais and Lawson Woodard combined for the win on the mound, giving up only seven hits while striking out three Vikings.
Swain will travel to Valdese Friday to take on #4 seed Draughn in the second round of the state playoffs. Draughn shut-out Bessemer City 18-0 in their first round playoff game.