Northern Nash softball coach Greg Tharrington sensed his team's overconfidence Tuesday before its NEW 6 Conference semifinal game.

He also heard it.

Just minutes before the Knights' first pitch against Wilson Fike, Tharrington said he heard one of his players say the festivities felt like a practice.

Maybe the warmups did not get Northern Nash's attention, but its largest deficit to any conference opponent did. The top-seeded Knights rallied from a four-run deficit and held on to beat No. 4 Wilson Fike, 5-4.

Northern Nash will face No. 3 Southern Nash at 7 p.m. Thursday for the NEW 6 title at Nash Central.

Tharrington said he was not pleased with the early deficit. Wilson Fike scored four runs in the third inning, including a pair off an inside-the-park home run by Lindsey Orr.

The Knights showed some fight in the bottom of the inning. Raven Lee cleared the bases with a two-out triple to right. Northern Nash went ahead for good in the fourth by taking advantage of two Wilson Fike errors.

Lee, starting for the first time in more than two weeks, escaped trouble in the fifth and sixth innings to hold on for the win. A third victory over Wilson Fike did not come easy.

"That can happen in the playoffs," Tharrington said of the early deficit. "They have the experience now and know they can come back."

Lee did not dispute her coach's claim of overconfidence.

"I'm glad we pulled through," Lee said. "We got our heads back down to earth."

Southern Nash 4

Nash Central 1

Southern Nash's discipline at the plate is a big reason why it is playing for the NEW 6 Conference title Thursday.

The third-seeded Ladybirds worked counts and the arm of opponent Ashley Bone in defeating No. 2 Nash Central, 4-1.

Bone threw a combined 60 pitches in the decisive second and third innings. Southern Nash drew three walks in those frames, scoring a pair of unearned runs in the second.

It scored two more in the third after a two-run single by Olivia Lamm.

Lamm's at-bat in the third defined the Ladybirds' effort at the plate.

She fell behind 0-2 before working the count back even and driving a single to center.

"We had to be patient and see the ball," said Lamm, who finished with two singles and double. "With that approach we all got on base."

Bone walked three batters in the third inning.

She finished with 11 strikeouts, but received little help offensively as the Bulldogs fell to Southern Nash for the first time this season. Nash Central picked the wrong game to do so.

They will begin the first round of the NCHSAA 3-A state playoffs on the road. Southern Nash has moved into the NEW 6 Conference's second-place slot and will receive a first-round home game.

Southern Nash starter Taylor Braswell did not allow a run after the first inning.

She struck out the side in the fifth inning and allowed only three hits to the Bulldogs' top five batters.

"We knew it was going to be a pitcher's game," Ladybirds coach Christy Bailey said. "We were in the box ready to hit."

Jessie H. Nunery can be reached at 407-9951 or jhnunery@coxnc.com

Northern Nash 5

Wilson Fike 4

WF 004 000 0 – 4 7 2

NN 003 200 x – 5 6 2

WP: Raven Lee (7IP, 7H, 4R, 3ER, 2BB, 7K). LP: Katelyn Suggs (6IP, 6H, 5R, 4ER, 2BB, 4K).

2B: Haley Hart (WF). 3B: Raven Lee (NN). HR: Lindsey Orr (WF).

Southern Nash 4

Nash Central 1

SN 022 000 0 – 4 4 2

NC 100 000 x – 1 6 1

WP: Taylor Braswell (7IP, 6H, 1R, 1ER, 2BB, 8K). LP: Ashley Bone (6IP, 4H, 4R, 3ER, 3BB, 11K).

2B: Olivia Lamm (SN); Megan Murray (NC).