Emereau Holds Off Clarkton in Wild 22-21 Thriller

Emereau Softball team photo.

Elizabethtown, NC - Fans were treated to a thrilling back-and-forth battle on Tuesday as Emereau Charter edged out Clarkton School of Discovery, 22-21, in a middle school softball showdown full of big plays and clutch performances.

Clarkton came out swinging, with Ronnae McLean setting the tone early by drawing four walks and scoring three times. Kynzlee Wood added to the rally, delivering a single, a double, and a walk, crossing the plate twice to keep pressure on Emereau’s defense.

Emereau, however, matched Clarkton’s energy at the plate. Angelina Jones led the Aviators’ offensive explosion with a standout performance, collecting a walk, a single, two doubles, and a triple while scoring five times. Right behind her, Harper Allen showcased a patient and powerful approach, reaching base four times and crossing home plate four times to fuel Emereau’s scoring runs.

Camryn Wood answered for Clarkton, roping a double and a triple, and working a walk to add two more runs. Meanwhile, Khloey Smith kept Clarkton’s momentum going, earning three walks and scoring three times. Kynslie “KK” Kinlaw turned in one of the biggest games of the afternoon for Clarkton, hitting a single, two doubles, and a triple while touching home plate four times herself.

Chloe Merritt helped Emereau stay steady at the plate with three key at-bats, consistently putting pressure on Clarkton’s fielders. Mollie Sasser added production for the Aviators, reaching base with a walk and a single while scoring twice, and later took the circle, striking out eight Clarkton batters over four innings.

On the flip side, Clarkton’s Trinity Davis made her impact felt from the designated player position, drawing two walks and smashing a double, resulting in two more runs for the Lady Blue Devils. Zariah Dill showed patience at the plate, earning two walks and a single while adding two runs.

Emma Adams kept Emereau’s offense moving, collecting two singles, a double, and a walk, and tacking on a run. Mackynzee Thompson chipped in with a single, a walk, and two runs scored, while Keri Burgess mirrored the effort with a single, a walk, and two runs of her own.

Clarkton continued to get production from throughout its lineup. Isabel Gardner picked up a walk, a single, and scored once, while Shenandoah Fowler worked three walks, crushed a double, and crossed home twice.

Emereau’s Khloe Campbell stayed hot at the plate, hammering two doubles and drawing a walk while scoring three times. Rylee White added a key double to the Aviators' total, while Sierra Thompson played a critical role by reaching base four times — three walks and a reached-on-error — and scoring twice. Thompson also came in to pitch an inning of relief, striking out one.

Late in the game, Clarkton’s pitching staff, which totaled four strikeouts, tried to hold off Emereau’s persistent offense, but the Aviators found ways to manufacture runs. Chloe Merritt closed the door on Clarkton’s final rally with a strong inning on the mound, striking out two.

When the dust finally settled, Emereau escaped with a narrow win, thanks to consistent production across the board and clutch pitching late. Clarkton, despite the tough loss, showed resilience and firepower, making it a memorable contest for everyone who watched.

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Emereau Holds Off Clarkton in Wild 22-21 Thriller