FAIRMONT — A dominant pitching performance, clutch hitting, and an unrelenting offense powered the Scotland High softball team to the 2025 Robeson County Slugfest championship on Tuesday night, as the Scots shut out East Columbus 10-0 in a six-inning title game at Fairmont High School.
The win marks Scotland’s 20th straight victory and improves their season record to a staggering 21-1. It was a complete team effort—but make no mistake, this was Avery Stutts’ night.
The senior right-hander delivered a masterclass in the circle, striking out 14 Gators while allowing just one hit in six shutout innings. She faced only 19 batters and threw 52 strikes on 58 pitches—a mind-bending level of efficiency and control that earned her the tournament MVP title.
“Avery came out tonight in a different zone,” head coach Adam Romaine said. “She allowed their girls not to be able to put the bunt down—and that’s how they generate their offense.”
Slamming the Door on Small Ball
East Columbus, known for their small-ball tactics, posed a stylistic threat unlike any Scotland had seen this year. But Romaine and his squad did their homework.
“They’re a third- or fourth-round caliber team in their division,” Romaine acknowledged. “We worked on bunt coverage for an hour at practice. It paid off.”
The preparation showed early. After a scoreless first inning with just one hit between both teams, the Scots pounced in the second.
Scots Seize Control in the Second
The rally began with a walk from Emily Sampson and a double from Kinsey Hamilton, putting two in scoring position. A dropped fly ball and a two-RBI single from Khloe Radford brought in the first three runs for Scotland, establishing an early 3-0 advantage.
The offense cooled momentarily, and East Columbus finally broke up the no-hitter in the fourth with a two-out single from Aleigh Godwin—but it was too little, too late.
The Scots continued their methodical assault in the fifth, plating two more runs off a combination of aggressive base running and Gator errors. Then came the sixth inning—and the knockout punch.
Radford Sparks Sixth-Inning Surge
Radford opened the frame by smashing a solo home run, her second hit of the night. The Scots piled on four more runs in a dizzying sequence that included three singles, three walks, and two errors—all before a single out was recorded.
By the time East Columbus could record an out, the damage was done—and the Slugfest was over.
Radford finished the night 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBIs, and a run scored. Stutts chipped in offensively as well, going 1-for-4 with two RBIs. Addison Johnson and Dawson Blue both notched two hits and scored twice.
All-Tournament Honors and Bigger Goals
Scotland’s clean sweep of the Slugfest was punctuated by three players earning All-Tournament Team recognition: Johnson, Blue, and the MVP, Stutts.
For East Columbus, it was heartbreak for the second consecutive year in the final. Jenna King and Gracie Coyle were named to the All-Tournament Team for their efforts.
Still, Romaine kept his team focused on the bigger picture.
“The regular season is over,” he said. “We told the girls, put this behind us. The conference tournament starts a new season. The playoffs after that—it’s all about taking it one game at a time.”
With momentum peaking and their ace in top form, the Scots are poised for a deep postseason run. But for now, they’ll take a well-earned breather—and a moment to celebrate a title that was never in doubt.
