The New Bern Bears' historic 2026 softball season came to an end Friday night at home, as the third-seeded Heritage Huskies from Wake Forest handed the second-seeded Bears a 7-2 defeat in the fourth round of the NCHSAA 7A playoffs.

 

Heritage jumped on top early and never looked back, plating runs in the first four innings to build an insurmountable 7-0 lead. New Bern managed single runs in the sixth and seventh but could not mount a comeback against a stingy Heritage pitching effort.

 

Standout Performances for Heritage

Freshman pitcher Scarlett Ellis delivered a complete-game gem, tossing all 7 innings. She allowed just 4 hits and 2 earned runs while walking 3 and striking out an impressive 15 New Bern batters on 121 pitches. Her dominance kept the Bears' potent offense in check all night.

 

At the plate, several Huskies delivered:

• Senior Janiah Vargas went 2-for-3 with 3 RBIs, including a home run and a double.
• Sophomore Gianna DeVerna added 2 hits and 4 RBIs, including a homer.
• Senior Hayden Callahan collected 3 hits in 4 at-bats.

The Huskies finished with 9 hits total, including 2 doubles and 2 home runs, while drawing 5 walks. They also played error-free ball.

 

Season Context

The loss snapped a strong five-game winning streak for New Bern and ended their deepest playoff run in program history. The Bears entered the game with a stellar 19-3 overall record (8-2 in the Big Carolina 6A/7A Conference) and were ranked among the top teams in the state. They had just defeated rival South Central to advance to the fourth round for the first time.

 

Heritage improved to 22-2 on the season and continued a dominant postseason showing. The Huskies now advance in the 7A bracket.