Staff report

MOUNT ULLA — Tennessee recruit Emma Clarke homered in her first softball game of the season, and West Rowan beat Central Cabarrus 15-6 on Saturday afternoon.

EA Nance powered her second homer for the Falcons, while Arabelle Shulenberger pitched a lot better than the score sounds.

West had to come from behind in the South Piedmont Conference game after the Vikings took advantage of errors to score five runs in the first inning.

West’s eight-run third inning turned the game around. The Falcons scored six in the sixth to put it away.

It was the first loss for the Vikings (4-1, 2-1), who got three hits from Chloe Phillips.

It was the first SPC game for West (2-2, 1-0), which was able to delay its league games until Clarke was available following the basketball season.

Clarke had a good weekend, as she had 13 points and 12 rebounds in Friday’s 3A basketball state championship game.

Clarke went 2-for-3 with four RBIs and three steals. Nance was 2-for-2 with three RBIs.

Shulenberger, Reese Poole and Taylor Keller had two hits each. Ella Doby, Riley Haggas and Lacey Houghton scored two runs apiece.

Shulenberger pitched a complete game with five strikeouts and one walk.