The South Stanly softball squad went on the road Friday night as the No. 5 seed and lost to the top seed in the 1A Western Region, the North Stokes Vikings, 6-5.

Autumn Martin earned the win for the Vikings (25-0) allowing five earned runs on six hits with one walk and three strikeouts.

Sadie Lee took the loss for the Bulls (22-3) allowing five earned runs on five hits with three strikeouts.

North Stokes jumped out to a 2-0 lead with two hits including a double and one South fielding error. The Vikings added to the advantage with three runs including a Martin triple.

Singles from Emma Campbell and Kaitlyn Tucker got the Bulls on the board in the third inning, cutting the lead to three runs, 5-2. Both runners scored on a Huntley Rummage RBI sacrifice fly to center field.

In the top of the fifth, Adrianna Efird drove in a run with a single followed by Adison Campbell’s two-RBI hit to tie the game, 5-5.

Sydney Mabe answered for the Vikings in the bottom of the fifth with a two-out, RBI single to put the hosts back up.

North Stokes set six of the next seven batters down over the final two innings, with Emma Campbell’s single the lone exception, to win and advance to this week’s 1A Western Regional Series against No. 3 Robbinsville, who won Friday night over North Stanly, 11-3.

South head coach David Poplin said 2019 was a “great year winning the conference and tournament, (going) undefeated (in conference play) and had a lot of fund doing so. This is a great team with an awesome work ethic and attitude.”

The Bulls graduate three seniors from this year’s team: Adison Campbell, Makayla Poplin and Taryn Tucker.