South Caldwell struck first but could not hold the lead Friday night as Southern Lee rallied for a 7-2 victory in Game 1 of the NCHSAA 6A Baseball State Championship Series at Burlington Athletic Park.

The Spartans wasted little time getting on the board, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning. Carson Cardwell reached base and later scored, while Jake Smith and Luke Church each drove in a run to give South Caldwell an early 2-0 advantage.

Cardwell paced the Spartans offensively, going 2-for-2 with two walks and a run scored. Smith finished 1-for-2 with a double, an RBI and two walks, while Church added a hit and an RBI. Nolan Hall also contributed a hit for South Caldwell, which totaled five hits in the contest.

Southern Lee answered in the bottom of the third inning, scoring twice to tie the game at 2-2. The Cavaliers then broke the game open with a five-run sixth inning to take control.

Hall went the distance on the mound for the Spartans, pitching six innings while allowing seven runs on 12 hits. He struck out two and walked one over 102 pitches.

Despite the loss, South Caldwell put runners on base throughout the night, drawing six walks and leaving 11 runners stranded. Smith reached base three times, Cardwell reached four times, and Kyle McCall added a walk and a stolen base.

Southern Lee was led offensively by Sam Taylor, who went 3-for-3 with a run scored, while Parker Bloedorn finished 2-for-4 with a triple and an RBI. Mason Sercy added two hits and an RBI, and Dylan Patton drove in two runs for the Cavaliers.

Southern Lee starter Brock Harrington earned the complete-game victory, allowing two runs on five hits over seven innings while striking out eight.

South Caldwell finished with two runs on five hits and no errors, while Southern Lee recorded seven runs on 12 hits. The Spartans will look to even the best-of-three championship series Saturday afternoon.