Bandys rolls past Foard in softball, posts 11th victory of season
By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
There are no more unbeaten high school baseball teams in the Greater Hickory area.
Alexander Central slipped by St. Stephens 2-1 in eight innings on Wednesday night in Hickory, the first loss of the season for St. Stephens (10-1).
The Cougars (11-1) were dealt their first loss on March 25 at Watauga, leaving the Indians the only team with an unblemished record.
Each team had five hits on Wednesday and in a non-conference game that was tied 1-all after the Indians scored in the second inning and the Cougars scored in the fifth inning.
Caleb Williams, who hit a walk-off three-run home run Tuesday to beat South Caldwell, had two hits for Alexander Central and an RBI. J.D. Little, Mason Chapman and Gage Weaver each added a hit for the Cougars.
Will Everett had two hits for St. Stephens and an RBI, and Elec Marvin, Julien Peissel and Justin Skewes each had one hit for the Indians.
Little, the Cougars’ starter, picked up a win after going seven innings. He allowed four hits, an earned run, walked one and struck out 11. Maddox Jack pitched the final inning for Alexander Central.
St. Stephens starter Peyton Young went seven innings, allowing five hits, two runs (one earned) with one walk and four strikeouts.
The Cougars’ pitching staff has now allowed one or fewer runs in five games this season.
The Indians came in having scored at least three runs in every game and in double figures six times. They are 1-1 in 1-run games this year.
Alexander Central is in a four-way tie for first place in the Northwestern 3A-4A and plays Hibriten in Taylorsville on Friday (6:30 p.m.)
St. Stephens leads the Western Foothills 3A by a game over Fred T. Foard and North Lincoln and plays at Foard on Friday (6:30 p.m.)
Hickory 6, Bunker Hill 2
Hickory (5-5) won for the third time in four games, edging the visiting Bears in a non-league game.
Sammy Nexsen threw a complete game for the Red Tornadoes, going seven innings and allowing five hits, two runs (both earned) with one walk and six strikeouts.
Hickory had six hits, two by Isaiah McDowell (home run), and McDowell and Boone Herman each drove in two runs.
Bunker Hill (3-8) got two hits from Drew Moore and Paxton Holden hit a home run and drove in two runs.
Braden Huffman took a loss for the Bears, pitching six innings. He gave up six hits six runs (four earned), walked none and struck out six.
Hickory is at home Friday (6:30 p.m.) for a Western Foothills 3A game against Statesville while Bunker Hill plays Lincolnton in a Catawba Valley 2A Athletic game on Friday (7 p.m.) in Claremont.
Lincolnton 10, West Iredell 0
A six-run first inning helped the Wolves roll to a non-conference home victory.
West Iredell (2-9) had only two hits – one by Eli Josey and one by Freeman Wallace.
Tyler Rebbick took a loss after pitching two innings for the Warriors. He allowed five hits, six runs (three earned) and had no walks or strikeouts.
Lincolnton (7-5) has scored 10 or more runs in four games this season and gained its first shutout of the year.
The Wolves go to Bunker Hill on Friday (7 p.m.) for a Catawba Valley 2A Athletic game while the Warriors play North Iredell on the road in a Western Foothills 3A game at 7 p.m. on Friday.
North Lincoln 14, West Lincoln 2
The Knights (9-1) had nine hits and won a non-league game on the road.
Matt Heavner had three hits and drove in two runs, Maddux Walker added two hits (one a double) and drove in three runs and Caden Holbrooks drove in three runs for North Lincoln.
Timmy Shafer added two hits, including a triple for the Knights, who have won three straight games.
Freshman Kellen Karr went four innings, allowing four hits, two runs (one earned) with two walks and five strikeouts to get a win for North Lincoln.
North Lincoln scored three runs in the first inning, four in the second inning to lead 7-2, and five in the fifth inning.
The Knights play a Western Foothills 3A game on Friday (6:30 p.m.) at home against East Lincoln.
The Rebels, in second place in the Catawba Valley 2A Athletic and one game back of Bandys, are at home (7 p.m) to battle the Trojans.
North Iredell 9, West Wilkes 4
Freshman Cole Johnson had a home run and two hits, drove in three runs and was the winning pitcher for the visiting Raiders (4-6).
North Iredell snapped a three-game losing streak as Thomas Shumaker had a triple and two hits, Dan Lloyd drove in two runs and Colby Umbarger hit a home run.
Johnson worked six innings, allowing six hits, three runs (all earned) with two walks and five strikeouts for a win.
The Raiders are at home Friday (7 p.m.), playing a Western Foothills 3A game against West Iredell.
North Surry 10, Ashe County 3
The Greyhounds scored four runs in the fifth inning for a 5-3 lead and added five runs in the sixth inning to win a non-conference game at home.
Ashe County (2-10) lost for the ninth time in 10 games and has allowed 10 or more runs in eight games this season.
The Huskies return to Northwestern 3A-4A play on Friday (6:30 p.m.) with a visit by South Caldwell.
Watauga 10, A.C.Reynolds 9
Jacob Dilley, the second of four pitchers used by Watauga, gained a non-conference win in Boone.
Cade Gardner took a loss for the Rockets.
Watauga (8-3) reached double-figure runs for the seventh time this season.
The Pioneers improved to 3-0 at home this season. They will be on the road Friday (6:30 p.m.), playing Freedom in a Northwestern 3A-4A game.
R-S Central 11, Freedom 3
The Hilltoppers won a non-conference game at home, dropping the Patriots to 5-7.
Freedom has allowed 10 or more runs in five games this season.
The Patriots play a Northwestern 3A-4A game Friday (6:30 p.m.) in Morganton against Watauga.
SOFTBALL
Bandys 3, Fred T. Foard 1
Annie Andrews hit a home run and Caroline McIntosh had two hits as the Trojans (11-2) won a non-league game at home.
Riley Fox and Bailey McClelland had RBIs for Bandys.
Fred T. Foard’s hits were by Kaitlyn Leonhardt, Reagan Willis and Karlee Thomas.
Fox was the winning pitcher, going seven innings. She gave up two hits, one run, walked one and struck out four.
Foard’s Alyssa Smith took a loss after working six innings. She allowed seven hits, three runs (all earned) with three walks and five strikeouts.
Bandys scored in the first and third innings for a 2-0 lead, and the Tigers scored in the fifth inning. The Trojans then scored a run in the sixth inning.
Bandys is 7-0 in the Catawba Valley 2A Athletic and in first place as it heads to second-place West Lincoln on Friday (6 p.m.)
Draughn 9, East Burke 3
The Wildcats improved to 8-2 with a non-conference win in Icard.
Kaylee Paige had two hits and Grace Hammack added a triple for East Burke (3-6).
Paige took a loss after pitching four innings. She allowed seven hits, four runs (all earned), walked none and struck out three.
Draughn plays a Western Highlands 1A/2A game Friday at 4 p.m. at Rosman while the Cavs go to Maiden on Friday (6 p.m.) for a Catawba Valley 2A Athletic game.
South Caldwell 11, Hickory 0
Scoring seven runs in the first inning and four in the third inning, the Spartans (6-1) cruised past the visiting Red Tornadoes in a non-league game.
Hickory (2-9) had only two hits, by Monnie Byrd and Maddie Jones, and Carlee Logan took a loss after going five innings. Logan allowed five hits, 11 runs (all earned), walked three and struck out one.
Hickory faces Statesville at Hickory on Friday (4 p.m.) in a Western Foothills 3A game, and the Spartans meet Ashe County on Friday (6;30 p.m.) in Hudson in a Northwetern 3A-4A game.
Lake Norman 11, North Iredell 6
The Wildcats (9-1) scored five runs in the fourth inning, extending their lead to 9-1.
Martha Parlier had three hits and an RBI for the Raiders (3-8) and Maicie Earnest added two hits and an RBI.
Earnest took a loss, going six innings and giving up 14 hits, 11 runs (eight earned) with two walks and one strikeout.
North Iredell is at home Friday (6;30 p.m.) for a Western Foothills 3A game against West Iredell.
Patton 9, West Caldwell 0
The Panthers scored four runs in the fourth inning for an 8-0 lead en route to a non-conference victory at West Caldwell.
Emma Grindstaff led Patton, with two hits and three RBIs. Bridgett Patrick had three hits, Kadence Clontz added two hits and Cierra Lail drove in two runs for the Panthers (7-2).
Marleigh Carswell threw a complete game, going seven innings, to get a win for Patton. She allowed four hits, no runs, no walks and struck out 12.
West Caldwell (4-7) goes to Newton-Conover on Friday (5 p.m.) for a Catawba Valley 2A Athletic game while the Panthers go to Brevard (5:30 p.m.) for a Mountain Athletic 8 2A game.
Burns 18, Freedom 8
The Bulldogs (9-1) outlasted the Patriots in Morganton in a non-league game.
Freedom scored five runs in the first inning for a 5-3 lead before Burns scored twice in the second inning for a 5-all tie.
The Patriots scored three runs in the third inning before the Bulldogs scored five runs in the fourth inning to lead 10-8.
Burns added three runs in the fifth inning and five in the sixth inning.
Sarah Arementrout had two hits and drove in four runs for Freedom with Abigayle Jerningan adding two hits for the Patriots.
Lani Billings worked four innings for Freedom, allowing 10 hits, 10 runs (six earned) with one walk and five strikeouts.
The Patriots are at home Friday (6:30 p.m.), playing a Northwestern 3A-4A game against Watauga.
GIRLS SOCCER
East Burke 7, Bunker Hill 0
Ashley Hernandez scored four goals, leading the Cavs (3-2, 2-1-0 Catawba Valley 2A Athletic) to a home conference win.
Karen Puac Castillejos had one goal and two assists and Ana Gonzalez added a goal for East Burke, which scored five goals in the second half.
The Cavs play a league match on Tuesday (6:30 p.m.) at home against Lincolnton.
The Bears are at West Caldwell (5 p.m.) on Monday for a conference match and face Maiden on the road on Tuesday.
Bandys-Maiden match rescheduled
Bandys’ match at Maiden, scheduled on Wednesday, was postponed and reset for Monday (4:30 p.m.).
The Trojans are 1-1-0 in the conference and the Blue Devils are 3-0-0 and in first place.
Contributing to this roundup: Jonathan Watts, Alexander Central SID; David Craft, Hickory baseball; Mark Andrews, Bandys softball.
