East Lincoln High’s Garrett Michel hit three home runs on Friday night and tied two school single-game records — home runs in a game and RBIs with eight — as the Mustangs remained undefeated with a 17-0 conference win at home over West Iredell. Michel has announced he will sign to play college baseball at Virginia Tech./HOT STOVE LEAGUE PHOTO
Bumgarner pitches Bandys past Maiden
as Trojans hold onto share of first place
By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
Garrett Michel tied two East Lincoln High single-game records on Friday night, leading the unbeaten Mustangs past visiting West Iredell 17-0 in a four-inning Western Foothills 3A game.
Michel, a senior infielder, hit three home runs and drove in eight runs as East Lincoln (6-0, 3-0) held onto a share of first place in the league with North Lincoln and St. Stephens.
Michel is batting .467 this season with nine home runs, which ties him for most homers in a season with Scott Garrett. His three home runs on Friday tied him with Ethan Johnson for a single-game mark and his eight RBIs tied him with Clayton Dellinger.
For his career, Michel is hitting .461 with 15 home runs and 63 RBIs.
East Lincoln had 17 hits against West Iredell (1-5, 0-3).
Carson Dahle added three hits and drove in two runs, Evan Matile had two hits, two runs and drove in two runs, Gavin Houser had two hits and Trey Spees scored three runs and drove in one for the Mustangs.
Isaac Armstrong worked two innings, striking out three, and joined Logan Palmer, Aiden Perkins and Hunter Henson in no-hitting the Warriors.
East Lincoln scored 10 runs in the first inning and has outscored opponents 74-10 to start the season.
The victory was No. 250 for Mustangs head coach Chris Matile, in his 17th season (250-143).
The Mustangs have two key league games next week – at Fred T. Foard on Tuesday (6:30 p.m.), and at home on Friday at 6:30 p.m. against St. Stephens.
The three teams tied atop the standings at 3-0 are also each 6-0 overall.
North Lincoln beat North Iredell 4-0 on Friday night at North Lincoln.
Fred T. Foard is a half-game behind the trio at 2-0. The Tigers’ game at Statesville was rained out Friday and will be made up on Monday.
Bandys 10, Maiden 0, 5 inn.
Right-hander Terick Bumgarner — who signed this week to play baseball at Mars Hill University — threw a three-hitter as the visiting Trojans (5-3, 3-1) remained tied for first place in the Catawba Valley Athletic 2A.
Bumgarner walked two and struck out nine as Bandys won its third straight game.
The Trojans have outscored opponents 22-2 in the last two games and 30-5 in their conference games.
Maiden dropped to 3-4 overall and 2-2 in the league.
The win was the fifth in in the last six trips to Maiden for Bandys, which shares the CVAC 2A lead with East Burke, Lincolnton and West Lincoln. Maiden was part of a five-way tie for the league lead coming into the game.
Maiden swept Bandys a year ago and the Trojans have won the other four games at Maiden (8-3, 5-3, 7-4 in 10 innings, 9-5 in 10 innings) in the last four-plus seasons.
The Blue Devils lead the series 16-12, dating back to the 2007-2008 season.
St. Stephens 8, Hickory 1
Julien Peissel (3-0) settled down after a tough first inning and paced the Indians (6-0, 3-0) to a Western Foothills 3A victory.
At one point, Peissell retired eight straight batters.
St. Stephens went up 3-0 in the third inning when Justin Skewes and Peyton Young had run-scoring hits, and Josh Barkley drove in two runs in the fifth inning with a hit.
The Indians added two more runs in the sixth inning on a double by Silas Isenhour.
St. Stephens shares first in the league with East Lincoln and North Lincoln.
The Indians face North Lincoln on the road on Tuesday (6:30 p.m.) while Hickory is at home at 6:30 p.m. against North Iredell.
West Lincoln 13, Newton-Conover 3
The Rebels (3-4, 3-1) ran their win streak to three with a Catawba Valley 2A Athetic road win.
West Lincoln shares first place with Bandys, East Burke and Lincolnton.
The Rebels have scored 24 runs in their last two games.
Newton-Conover (3-4, 1-3) has lost three straight games.
West Lincoln faces West Caldwell at West Lincoln on Tiuesday night (7 p.m.) while the Red Devils visit Bandys (7 p.m.).
East Burke 2, Bunker Hill 1
The Cavs (3-3, 3-1) won, holding on to a piece of first place in the Catawba Valley 2A Athletic, with only three hits.
Hollan Cline had two hits and Cooper Greene doubled for East Burke. The Cavs’ runs were driven in by Nate Zimmerman and Collin Eckard.
Drew Moore and Mark Little had the only two hits for the Bears (1-5, 1-3), who have lost back-to-back games.
Preston Workman took a loss for Bunker Hill, pitching six innings and giving up one earned run. He struck out five.
Eckard threw a complete game for the Cavs, walking three and striking out eight.
East Burke plays at Lincolnton on Tuesday night (7 p.m.) while Bunker Hill will be at home (7 p.m.) against Maiden.
Lincolnton 25, West Caldwell 1, 5 inn.
The Wolves had a 12-run fourth inning and rolled to a win that kept them tied for the Catawba Valley 2A Athletic lead. They led 21-0 heading to the fifth inning.
West Caldwell (0-8, 0-4) got two hits each by Brian Sumpter and Ashton Minton and the Warriors, who have lost 30 straight games, used five pitchers.
Jace Bumgarner took a loss for West Caldwell after allowing one hit and six earned runs.
The Warriors have been outscored 87-11 in their last six games.
Lincolnton (4-3, 3-1) plays East Burke at Lincolnton on Tueseday (7 p.m.), and the Warriors have a non-conference game at Hibriten on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Alexander Central 5, North Davidson 0
The Cougars (6-0) stayed unbeaten, posting their first shutout of the season and going to 4-0 in home games.
Caleb Williams threw a complete game three-hitter with one walk and five strikeouts to lead Alexander Central.
Maddox Jack had two of the Cougars’ six hits and Mason Chapman, Grove Lowrance and Williams each drove in a run. Chapman walked twice and scored two runs.
The Cougars picked up (unofficially) their 90th win with Pete Hardee as head coach (in his seventh year) and he has 454 career wins.
Alexander Central plays a non-league game on Saturday (2:30 p.m.) at Davie County and opens Northwestern 3A-4A play on Tuesday with a 6 p.m. game at Ashe County.
Draughn 9, Black Mountain Owen 6
The Wildcats (5-2, 1-0 Western Highlands 1A-2A) scored three runs in the fifth inning to lead 5-2 and had four in the seventh inning.
Thomas Lambert had three hits, including a double, and drove in three runs to spark Draughn (nine hits).
Freshman Yates Jensen pitched six innings in relief and gained a win after throwing ix innings. He gave up three hits, four runs (one earned), walked four and struck out 10.
Draughn takes a four-game win streaking into Tuesday’s home game against Avery County at 6 p.m.
Charlotte Christian 2, South Caldwell 0
Jakeman Pendleton had two hits and checked the host Spartans on three hits as Charlotte Christian won in Hudson.
Pendleton walked two and struck out 13.
Calvert Clark and John Lash each drove in a run for Charlotte Christian, which had seven hits.
The game’s runs were scored in the first and seventh innings, denying South Caldwell head coach Jeff Parham (unofficially) his 445th career win.
The Spartans have a home non-league game Saturday (2:30 p.m.) against Waynesville Tuscola.
Hibriten 10, West Wilkes 0 (Thursday)
Sophomores Dillan Earp and Ryan Windler led the Panthers to a non-conference win at home.
Earp had two hits, one a double, and Winkler added three RBIs to back winning pitcher Jake Absher. Absher went 2 2/3 innings, allowing one hit, walking three and striking out four.
Hibriten had eight different players collect 11 hits.
The Panthers meet West Caldwell in a non-conference game at Hibriten on Saturday (2:30 p.m.).
SOFTBALL
Bandys 15, Maiden 4
The visiting Trojans (7-1, 4-0) overpower the Blue Devils to remain in first place in the Catqwba Valley 2A Athletic.
Bandys had 15 hits, five of them for extra bases and Riley Fox led the way with three hits — a double and home run among them – and she drove in two runs.
Owen Lyal went 3-for-3 with a double and two RBIs, Annie Andrews was 4-for-5 with five runs scored and three RBIs, Jada Spake had a double and two hits and drove in two runs and Caroline McIntosh doubled and drove in three runs for the Trojans.
Andrews is hitting .423 this season and Fox is hitting .381.
Lyal was the winning pitcher in relief, pitching 4 2/3 innings. She allowed six hits, four runs (two earned), walked six and struck out four.
Bandys’ only loss is to unbeaten Alexander Central (4A).
The Trojans face Newton-Conover on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Bandys while the Blue Devils, 2-2 in the league, play at Bunker Hill at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.
West Lincoln 16, Newton-Conover 0. 4 inn.
The visiting Rebels scored eight runs in the first inning, improving to 3-1 in the Catawba Valley 2A Athletic.
Anna Beierich had three hits and drove in two runs, Addisyn Robinson added three hits and two RBIs and Gracie Elmore had a double and another hit for West Lincoln.
Winning pitcher Harlie Burton worked three innings, allowing three hits and sriking out four.
West Lincoln is at home for a league game on Tuesday (5 p.m.) against West Caldwell while the Red Devils play at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at Bandys.
East Lincoln 8, West Iredell 1
Scoring four runs in the fifth inning to go up 6-1, the Mustangs won a Western Foothills 3A game at home with 13 hits.
Taliyah Thomas had three hits, including a double and triple, to ignite East Lincoln. Jaley Freeston had two RBIs and Betsy Eatmon hit a home run and drove in two runs for the Mustangs.
Leah Correll threw a complete game, allowing five hits, and she walked one and struck out 12.
Kaylee Chapman had a double and Megan Morrison had a hit for the Warriors.
Lindey Harpe took a loss after throwing six innings (nine hits, eight runs with four earned).
East Lincoln, 3-0 in the league after outscoring opponents 44-1, plays at Fred T. Foard on Tuesday (6 p.m.), and West Iredell goes to Statesville (5 p.m.).
South Caldwell 9, Lincoln Charter 0
Kadie Becker allowed one hit, struck out nine and walked none as the Spartans won a non-conference game at home. She had three hits and drove in two runs.
Liz Jordan went 4-for-4, Kaylee Anderson and Kennedy Crouch each had three hits and Syndee Bumgarner had two hits and two RBIs for South Caldwell.
The Spartans finished with 20 hits and led 5-0 after one inning and added three runs in the fifth inning.
South Caldwell starts Northwestern 3A-4A play on Tuesday at Watauga (6:30 p.m.).
Draughn 6, Black Mountain Owen 0
The Wildcats scored two runs in the first inning and three in the fifth inning en route to a Western Highland 1A-2A road win.
Draughn touched losing pitcher Addison Barnett, who tossed a complete game, for eight hits, six runs (five earned) with one walk and three strikeouts.
The Wildcats play a non-league game at home on Monday at 5 p.m., facing South Caldwell.
East Lincoln 7, Cramer 0 (Thursday)
Leah Correll struck out 12 and threw a complete game as the Mustangs won at home.
Tayina Thomas hit a home run and went 2-for-4 with three RBIs for East Lincoln. Betsy Eatman was 3-for-4 with an RBI and Taliya Thomas had a double among her two hits.
East Lincoln had 12 hits.
Madison Lee had two hits for Cramer.
East Burke 12, Bunker Hill 2 (Thursday)
The Cavs jumped to a 7-1 lead at home with five runs in the second inning and cruised past the Bears in a Catawba Valley 2A Athletic game.
East Burke had 12 hits, led by Grace Hammock going 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Kaylor Paige added two hits and drove in two runs, Catherine Hammack had two hits and an RBI.
Madyson Johnson and Katherine Greene each hit a home run for East Burke and Greene had two RBIs.
Freshman Addy Fortenberry picked up a win for the Cavs, pitching three innings. She allowed three hits, walked three and struck out two.
East Burke, 1-2 in the league, is at Lincolnton on Tuesday (5 p.m.) while the Bears, 0-4 in the conference, are at home (6 p.m.) against Maiden.
GIRLS LACROSSE
West Forsyth 14, Hickory 4
Three Titans scored three times each – Bailey Fox, Emily Brooks and Leach Myers – as West Forsyth rolled to a road victory.
Alivia Gurley and Laila Chambers each added two goals for West Forsyth, which had 24 shots on goal.
Morgan McDaniel made five saves to the Titans.
Hickory plays at St. Stephens on Tuesday at 5 p.m.
