GRANITE FALLS, N.C. – Lyla Mayberry’s first taste of the heated softball rivalry between Alexander Central and South Caldwell is one that she will not forget.

The Cougars’ freshman catcher laid down a perfect squeeze bunt in the top of the ninth inning to score Alivia Smith and break a 7-7 tie.

Alexander Central’s 8-7 victory handed South Caldwell its first loss of the season.

The two conference foes entered the season ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in HighSchoolOT’s preseason statewide Top 25. On Tuesday, they opened the 2025 chapter of their rivalry, both ranked in the top five spots.

A big second inning helped the Cougars break the ice. Jenna Mason started the top half of the frame with a solo home run to right.

The first four Alexander Central players to bat in the second reached base via hit. Alyssa Chapman’s one-out double pushed the lead to 4-0 and chased South Caldwell starter Zalee Brown from the game.

Kyla Hamby added a double to cap off a five-run frame that inflated the Cougar advantage to 5-0.

With plenty of time to work with, South Caldwell’s offense began to chip into its deficit.

Mckenna Yount got a run back in the bottom of the second, and Sydnee Bumgarner launched a towering home run in the third to cut the Alexander Central lead to 5-2.

In the fourth, Hamby answered back with a two-run blast to grab a 7-2 lead.

From that point on, Maddy Moore buckled down in the circle. The Spartan reliever turned in 7.2 innings of work and allowed three runs on six hits. At the plate, Moore kick-started a five-run fourth to tie the game at 7-7.

The lefty opened the bottom of the inning with an opposite-field solo shot. When the lineup turned over to the top, Sydni Woodward launched a three-run home run to narrow the gap to 7-6.

Bumgarner, who finished a double short of the cycle, tripled and scored on Holland Weisner’s run-scoring single to make it a brand-new game.

The 7-7 score held until deep into the night. With two outs in the top of the ninth, Smith drew a walk for Alexander Central.

Mason kept the line moving with a hard-hit ball up the middle to put runners on the corners for Mayberry, whose bunt was just far enough up the line to beat out the throw and allow Smith to cross.

South Caldwell went down in order in the bottom of the inning to end the game.

The two teams are now a combined 21-2 overall this season. Their next regular season meeting is April 11 in Taylorsville.

Bumgarner and Yount both had three-hit games for the Spartans. Hamby, Mayberry, and Laney Wike had multi-hit efforts for Alexander Central.

In relief of Wike, Cougar pitcher Macy Law spun 5.1 innings with one run allowed on five hits. She was credited as the game’s winning pitcher.