Staff report

BOILING SPRINGS — Carson’s softball team may have turned its most impressive game of the season in Friday’s second round of the 3A state playoffs.

The Cougars pounded 15 hits and made no errors, giving great support to another outstanding pitching effort by Lonna Addison.

The 11th-seeded Cougars rolled 8-0 against sixth-seeded Crest.

Crest (19-4) wasn’t a run-of-the mill team. The Chargers went 14-0 in the Big South Conference to earn their lofty seed.

It was a tougher game than the final score indicates. Addison had to put up zeroes the first three innings just to keep Carson (17-8) level.

But the game swung Carson’s way with some “little ball” execution in the top of the fourth. A walk to Addison started the inning. Emily Kann bunted for a hit, and when Holly Stowe’s bunt was misplayed, the Cougars had a big inning snowballing. Cora Atwell, Laila Furr and Landry Stewart produced run-scoring singles, as the Cougars took a 4-0 lead.

In a three-run fifth, Carson used power to make it 7-0. Emma Woodlief singled in front of a line-drive. two-run homer by Addison. Then Stowe hit a solo blast.

Carson tacked on one more run in the sixth when Stewart singled, stole second and scored on a hit by Addison.

Addison, a senior headed to Lees-McRae, struck out 11, walked none and allowed three hits.

Stewart, a USC Upstate recruit who plays center field, went 4-for-5. Addison drove in three runs with her two hits.

Kann, Atwell and Woodlief had two hits each.

Who’s next for Carson?

It will probably be a home game against West Henderson. West Henderson, seeded 14th, had a huge lead against third-seeded Franklin when that game was stopped by weather on Friday.