HobbsDailyReport.com
Taiven Canipe and Weston Kerley combined for six hits and eight RBIs on Sunday night as West No. 8 Hickory Post 48 surprised East No. 1 seed Union County 12-2 in the opening game of an Area IV American Legion baseball playoff series.
Canipe had two doubles among his three hits and drove in five runs, and Kerley added a single, double and home run to drive in three runs in Game 1 of a best-of-5 series at the Legion Fairgrounds in Newton.
The next two games of the series will be played Monday, starting at 2 p.m., at Marvin Ridge High. Game 4 will be Tuesday night at 7 p.m. in Newton.
Caleb Lutjens pitched a complete game, going seven innings, to get the win for Post 48 (9-14). He handcuffed Union County (15-2), which lost for only the second time this season, on 111 pitches. He gave up five hits, walked four and struck out seven.
Hickory had a 4-0 lead through the fifth inning and went up 10-0 with six runs in the sixth inning.
Union County’s runs came in the top of the seventh inning, both unearned.
Post 48 scored twice in its last at-bat when Canipe singled with the bases full to score Pierson Hanvey, who had walked, and Hayden McGraw, who had singled.
The game included eight errors, five by Union County.
Bryce Stober and McGraw had two hits for Post 48, with Canipe and McGraw each scoring three runs and Kerley and Stober each scoring twice.
Kerley hit a two-run home run, one of four extra base hits for Hickory.
Macklin Ohs took the loss. He allowed seven runs (four earned), gave up six hits, walked three and struck out nine in 5 1/3 innings.
Taylorsville 9, Maiden 2: Taylorsville Post 170 rode a six-run third inning in the first game to beat visiting Maiden.
Taylorsville had 12 hits — three by leadoff hitter R.J. Conner and two each by Trae Starnes, Jerry Hubbard and Tyler Campbell – and Starnes did not give up a run as the starting and winning pitcher for Post 170.
Taylorsville broke a scoreless tie with six runs in the bottom of the third inning and scored its other three runs in the fifth inning.
Starnes (2-0) pitched six innings, giving up six hits. He walked one and struck out seven before being relieved by Grayson Chapman, who gave up two hits, two runs (both earned) and walked two over the final two innings.
Jay Sipe, batting clean-up, had two hits for Maiden and drove in a run and Tibbs had the other Post 240 RBI.
Maiden starter Chantz London took the loss after throwing five innings. He allowed 11 hits, nine runs (seven earned) with five walks and three strikeouts.
Taylorsville 4, Maiden 1: Taylor Waddell (2-1) pitched a complete game three-hitter to beat Maiden. He issued one walk and struck out one while pitching with an early three-run lead after Post 170 scored those runs in the first inning.
Taylorsville scored a run in the third inning, and Waddell cruised. He gave up hits to Sipe, Ty Williams and London, and the only other Maiden baserunner was Williams, who was hit by a pitch.
Kyler Fairchild went 2-for-3 and drove in two runs and Matt Wilkinson went 2-for-3 for Taylorsville, which had seven hits off Post 240 starting and losing pitcher Cy Spencer (six innings, seven hits, four runs, one walk and one strikeout).
East No. 7 seed Maiden (5-17) is at home Monday night at 7 p.m. and must win Game 3 to stay alive.
AREA IV PLAYOFFS UPDATE (as of 9:20 p.m. Sunday)
(First round, best-of-5, records are at beginning of series)
WEST NO. 1 CHERRYVILLE (21-3) vs. EAST NO. 8 KINGS MOUNTAIN (3-13)
Game 1, Saturday at Cherryville: Suspended, second inning, Cherryville leading 3-0
Game 1 completion, Sunday at Cherryville HS: Cherryville 11, Kings Mountain 0, 7 inn.
Game 2, Sunday at Kings Mountain: Cherryville 12, Kings Mountain 1, 7 inn.
Game 3: Monday, 7 p.m. at Fraley Field, Cherryville
Game 4 (if necessary): Tuesday, 7 p.m. at Lancaster Field, Kings Mountain HS
Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday, 7 p.m. at Fraley Field, Cherryville HS
EAST NO. 4 GASTONIA (11-7) vs. WEST NO. 5 BURKE COUNTY (8-9)
Game 1, Saturday at Shuey Park, Morganton: Suspended, fifth inning, Gastonia leading 2-0
Game 1 completion, Sunday at Sims Park, Gastonia: Gastonia 4, Burke County 2
Game 2, Sunday at Sims Park: Gastonia 6, Burke County 4
Game 3: Monday, 7 p.m. at Sims Legion Park, Gastonia
Game 4 (if necessary): Tuesday, 7 p.m. at Shuey Field, Morganton
Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday, 7 p.m., at Sims Legion Park, Gastonia
EAST NO. 2 GASTON BRAVES (14-4) vs. WEST NO. 7 RUTHERFORD COUNTY (7-9)
Game 1: Saturday at Belmont Abbey Yard, ppd.
Game 1, Sunday at Rutherford County: Gaston Braves 5, Rutherford County 4
Games 2-3: Monday, 5 p.m., Game 3 to follow at Belmont Abbey Yard
Game 4 (if necessary): Tuesday, 7 p.m. at E. Rutherford HS
Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday, 7 p.m. at Belmont Abbey Yard
WEST NO. 3 CALDWELL COUNTY (9-7) vs. EAST NO. 6 MINT HILL (8-10)
Game 1, Saturday at M.S. Deal Stadium, Granite Falls: Suspended, fifth inning, Caldwell County leading 7-3
Game 1 completion, Sunday at Independence HS: Caldwell County 9, Mint Hill 6
Game 2, Sunday at Independence HS: Mint Hill 8, Caldwell County 0
Game 3: Monday, 7 p.m. at M.S. Deal Stadium, Granite Falls
Game 4 (if necessary): Tuesday, 7 p.m. at Matthews Field, Independence HS
Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday, 7 p.m. at M.S. Deal Stadium, Granite Falls
EAST NO. 1 UNION COUNTY (15-1) vs. WEST NO. 8 HICKORY (8-14)
Game 1, Sunday at Legion Fairgrounds, Newton: Hickory 12, Union County 2, 7 inn.
Games 2-3: Monday, 2 p.m., Game 3 to follow at Marvin Ridge HS
Game 4: Wednesday, 7 p.m. at Legion Fairgrounds, Newton
Game 5 (if necessary): Thursday, 7 p.m. at Marvin Ridge HS
WEST NO. 4 ASHEVILLE (8-9) vs. EAST NO. 5 LINCOLN COUNTY (9-10)
Game 1, Saturday at TC Roberson HS: Suspended, 0-0 tie, second inning
Game 1 completion, Sunday at E. Lincoln HS: Asheville 8, Lincoln County 5
Game 2, Sunday at E. Lincoln HS: Asheville 13, Lincoln County 3
Game 3: Monday, 7 p.m. at TC Roberson High
Game 4 (if necessary): Tuesday, 7 p.m. at E. Lincoln HS
Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday, 7 p.m. at TC Roberson HS
WEST NO. 2 TAYLORSVILLE (13-3-1) vs. EAST NO. 7 MAIDEN (5-15)
Game 1: Saturday at Alexander Central HS, ppd.
Game 1, Sunday at Alexander Central HS: Taylorsville 9, Maiden 2, 7 inn.
Game 2, Sunday at Alexander Central HS: Taylorsville 4, Maiden 1, 7 inn.
Game 3: Monday, 7 p.m. at Maiden HS
Game 4 (if necessary): Tuesday, 7 p.m. at Maiden HS
Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday, 7 p.m. at Alexander Central HS
EAST NO. 3 SHELBY (13-5) vs. WEST NO. 6 HENDERSON COUNTY (11-10)
Game 1, Saturday at Shelby HS: Suspended, fifth inning, Shelby leading 2-1
Game 1 completion, Sunday at E. Henderson HS: Shelby 12, Henderson County 1, 7 inn.
Game 2, Sunday at E. Henderson HS: Shelby 17, Henderson County 4, 7 inn.
Game 3: Monday, 7 p.m. at Keeter Stadium at Veterans Field, Shelby
Game 4 (if necessary): Tuesday, 7 p.m. at E. Henderson HS
Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday, 7 p.m. at Keeter Stadium at Veterans Field, Shelby
QUARTERFINALS
(best-of-5, Thursday thru July 11)
West-1/East-8 winner vs. East-4/West-5 winner
East-2/West-7 winner vs. West-3/East-6 winner
East-1/West-8 winner vs. West-4/East-5 winner
West-2/East-7 winner vs. East-3/West-6 winner
SEMIFINALS
(best-of-5, July 12-16)
West-1/East-8/East-4/West-5 winner vs. East-2/West-7/West-3/East-6 winner
East-1/West-8/West-4/East-5 winner vs. West-2/East-7/East-3/West-6 winner
FINALS
Semifinal winners, one game, July 17
UPCOMING GAMES
N.C. state tournament at Pitt County Community College: July 21-26
Southeast Regional tournament at Asheboro (at McCrary Park): Aug. 2-6
World Series at Shelby: Aug. 10-15