CLAYTON – The Cashie 15U softball team wrapped up its second straight Tar Heel League state championship here at Community Park Sunday with a 12-7 win over Shelby. 

The Windsor-based ladies swept to the crown with a 14-8 win over Tarboro in Friday’s opener; then took down Western Harnett 14-1 in a game shortened to five innings before beating Shelby for the repeat.

“Experience helped,” said Coach Steve Castelloe. “Most of the girls played on the 14U championship team last year and it just carried over.”

Cashie surrendered seven runs and trailed 7-1 Friday in the opening round game with Tarboro.  However, they rallied with seven runs in the sixth inning behind Stephanie Castelloe, Rebecca Goodwin, Kaleigh Freeman, and Sarah Connor, who all collected three hits apiece for the game to spark the rally.  In the circle, Lindsey Todd came on in relief in the third inning and allowed only one more run while giving up three hits and registering four strikeouts.

Saturday’s game featured a gem of a pitching performance from Todd, who went the five-inning distance and collected six strikeouts in a five-hitter where she just gave up a single earned run.

Todd, Maddison Knowles, Castelloe, and Bailee Dunlow, each had two hits each in the rout which sent Cashie on to the title match on Sunday.

Todd made it a trifecta in the circle on Sunday, this time going seven strong innings and giving up seven runs on 10 hits while striking out nine. Rebecca Goodwin led the way at the dish with three hits, while Lindsey Todd, Knowles, Dunlow, and Sara Lassiter had two hits apiece.