Southeast Alamance softball suffers no-hit loss in East Region finals opener

Southeast Alamance took a blunt opening hit in the East Region finals, getting no-hit in a 5-0 home loss to West Carteret at Southeast Alamance High School in Haw River. The top-seeded Stallions were still alive in the best-of-three Class 5-A series, but they now had to answer quickly to keep a season that had already reached 26-2 from slipping away.

West Carteret pitcher Caitlin Dumarce controlled the game from the start, throwing a no-hitter with 17 strikeouts and four walks. Southeast coach Tiffany Helton said the Stallions did not adjust well to seeing a left-handed pitcher for the first time this season, a problem that showed up across the lineup as Southeast failed to put pressure on the sixth-seeded Eagles. Maiya Woody did her part in the circle with eight strikeouts, but the Stallions could not match that effort with enough offense to crack Dumarce.

The turning point came in the fourth inning, when West Carteret broke the game open with a two-out, three-run frame. The Eagles added insurance runs later and left Southeast chasing the score the rest of the way. For a team that had survived a tight postseason path, the quiet bats were the sharpest concern, especially with no margin left to waste in a regional final series.

Southeast reached the East Region final by beating Orange 10-0, C.B. Aycock 9-5 and Rockingham County 1-0. That win over Rockingham County was one of the Stallions’ most difficult postseason moments, ending a 10-game winning streak for a program that had already won a state title in 2025. West Carteret, which entered the series at 21-4, advanced by beating Croatan 1-0, Eastern Alamance 15-1 and Southern Nash 2-0, showing the matchup was between two strong teams, not a one-sided pairing.

The regional finals were scheduled for May 19-23, with the state championship series set for May 27-30. In this format, the higher seed hosts Game 1, the lower seed hosts Game 2 and, if necessary, the higher seed hosts Game 3. That meant Southeast still had a path: win Game 2 and bring the series back home for a decisive third game. Brooke Hardister said the Stallions would return to practice with a better mentality, and that response now carries regional-title stakes.