Ayden-Grifton’s Blake McLawhorn and the Chargers hope to knock off their second straight conference foe in the playoffs, facing Washington Friday after defeating North Lenoir Tuesday. Photo by William ‘Bud’ Hardy / Neuse News

By Junious Smith III

The number of Eastern Carolina 2A teams in playoff action has dropped significantly after one round.

Having several conference teams play each other didn’t help (thanks, NCHSAA), but in the postseason teams have to be ready for nearly any circumstance. These ECC teams have advanced to the second round and here are their matchups.

BASEBALL

No. 20 Ayden-Grifton (17-8) at No. 4 Washington (17-5), 7 p.m., Friday

The Chargers will look to dispatch their second straight ECC foe in the playoffs after beating North Lenoir 11-1. Ayden-Grifton may have finished tied for third in the conference, but gave the ECC champs one of two losses during the slate, defeating the Pam Pack 12-0 on March 19. Washington did get a 5-2 home victory April 12 and defeated South Columbus 5-2 in the first round to get to this stage.

The teams are relatively comparable in raw numbers — the Chargers average 7.6 runs per game and allow 4.0 while the Pam Pack score 7.0 runs per game and allow 3.9. All signs point to a great matchup in Beaufort County. 

SOFTBALL

No. 22 Greene Central (12-7) at No. 6 Currituck County (17-3), 6 p.m., Friday

The Rams dropped four of their last five heading into the postseason, but two matches were against top teams in the state — No. 8 South Central and No. 1 Greenville Conley. Greene Central came out with a vengeance in a 13-7 win over South Lenoir on the road in the first round and look to do the same against Currituck County, which defeated Walkertown 2-0.

The Knights dominate on paper, averaging 10.7 runs per game (to the Rams’ 8.3) and allowing 2.5 (to GC’s 5.9) but the Northeastern Coastal 2A conference had only one team with a winning record and Currituck won its 10 conference games by a combined score of 111-3. The teams had one mutual opponent in Ayden-Grifton, and while the Rams split their season series (winning 7-6 April 2, falling 12-8 May 2), the Knights lost to the Chargers 8-4 on April 20.

No. 16 Bunn (12-3) at No. 1 Washington (20-0), 6 p.m., Friday

The Pam Pack aren’t the No. 4 team in the state without reason and rolled past West Bladen 15-1 in the first round to remain undefeated. It was Washington’s eighth victory by double digits, but the team can also win close matches, picking up four straight one-run decisions in mid-April. The Pam Pack allow just 1.6 runs per game, but the offense is very capable, averaging 9.2.

Still, the Wildcats matched the Pam Pack’s run average and only allowed 1.8 per game themselves. The chances of a pitcher’s duel between Washington’s Abbi Tucker and Bunn’s Caroline White is certainly high after the Wildcats defeated Thomasville Ledford 2-0 in the first round. The teams have a mutual opponent, with Washington beating Roanoke Rapids 10-0 on March 27 before Bunn beat the Yellow Jackets twice — 5-4 on April 3 and 11-1 May 2.

GIRLS’ SOCCER

No. 17 South Lenoir (10-5) at No. 1 Croatan (19-3), 5 p.m., today

All eyes are on the Blue Devils, who are the lone ECC team to get out of the first round with a 2-1 road win over East Montgomery. South Lenoir have won a school-record 10 games for the second consecutive season and while it seemed rocky after dropping three of four heading toward the postseason, the Blue Devils did something last year’s team couldn’t — advance to the second round.

South Lenoir is led by Candace Pierce (22 goals, eight assists) and Skarlett Gonzalez (seven goals, seven assists), who total 83 percent of the team’s goals.

The task gets more daunting against the top-seeded Cougars, who won their first round matchup over Wilson Beddingfield 9-0 and have allowed just 14 goals all season. Croatan averages 4.9 goals per game and boasts five double-digit goal scorers, led by Haley Cousins (23 goals) and Logan Howard (18 goals).

This is the only second-round ECC matchup where the teams have no mutual opponents.