Wakefield Softball won the 2024 NAC-6 Tournament Championship

On Friday, May 3, Wakefield High School softball, the regular season conference champions, defeated the Wake Forest Cougars 7-3 to complete the NAC-6 tournament.

Wakefield and Wake Forest finished the regular season as the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds, respectively.

This was the third meeting between the two teams on the season, with Wakefield sweeping the regular season series and now the championship.

Wakefield is coming off a perfect conference season, sweeping the tournament after going 10-0 in conference play in the regular season, the only North Carolina 4 East team to go undefeated in conference play.

How did it happen

The first three innings went to Wakefield. The Wolverines scored five in the first three frames at the plate while holding Wake Forest scoreless.

The Cougars showed life in the top of the fourth. Paisley Meyers, Jazzmyn Ohlson and Mariah Ohlson had RBIs in the three-run drive, cutting the deficit to two and putting Wake Forest within striking distance.

That would be the only score Wake Forest would have, meanwhile. Wakefield added two more runs to win 7-3.

Key players

Dayna Bland and the Wolverine defense showed the historic mastery they’ve shown all season, holding the Wake Forest offense scoreless in six of seven frames.

Bland pitched all seven innings, striking out nine and allowing just six hits and three runs.

Brianna Riehle, Lauren McDonald and Brooke Masingale all had home runs in the game.

Riehle led the team in hitting, recording two hits for a home run, three RBIs and two runs scored.

It follows

Wakefield will prepare for the North Carolina High School Athletic Association softball tournament. Dates and opponents have yet to be announced.