HobbsDailyReport.com
Spencer Miller flirted with a perfect game — tossing a no-hitter with 16 strikeouts – as Fred T. Foard High nipped visiting East Burke 1-0 on Wednesday night in Northwestern Foothills 2A baseball.
Only two batters reached base against Miller – one via a walk and one via an error – and the Tigers came up with the hits they needed in the bottom of the seventh inning to win.
With two outs and no one on base, Dalton Lutz singled to center and was then replaced by pinch-runner Dallas Pena. Pena went all the way to third base on a single down the right-field line by Tate Beaver.
That brought up leadoff hitter Caleb Peschel, who delivered a game-winning hit to center as the Foard players rushed the field.
The Tigers (6-3, 6-1) won their fourth straight game, and they’re tied for first place in the conference with Hibriten (7-4, 6-1).
East Burke fell to 3-8, 2-5 with its second straight loss.
Foard is headed to the Catawba Valley Easter Classic (Legion Fairgrounds, Newton) as the No. 3 seed and faces No. 6 Hickory in a first-round game at 1:30 p.m.
East Burke begins play at the Tony Causby Classic at Patton on Monday.
St. Stephens 7, South Caldwell 0
Owen Vansickle went 3-for-3 with a home run, scored twice and drove in three runs as the Indians stunned visiting and previously unbeaten South Caldwell in a Northwestern 3A-4A game.
St. Stephens (4-5, 3-5) had 12 hits – Justin Bullock and Cole Chapman each added three – and Bullock drove in three runs and Chapman scored twice.
Indians starter Clay Canale and reliever Daniel Dye limited the Spartans (11-1, 7-1) to two hits – a double by Hunter Ingle and single by Curtis Massagee.
St. Stephens scored four runs in the third inning and added three runs in the fourth inning.
In the third inning, Matt Walker led off by walking and stole second base and took third on Chapman’s hit. Walker scored on an errant throw home before Vansickle walked to load the bases. Bullock’s single drove in two runs and Vansickle scored on an error on the same play.
Chapman singled in the fourth inning and, after an error allowed another runner on base, Vansickle hit a three-run home run to center on the first pitch.
Jake Speaks went six innings for South Caldwell, giving up one hit, walking five and striking out four.
The Indians have a non-league game Thursday at 7 p.m. against Bunker Hill.
South Caldwell will play Christ School at home on Saturday at 7 p.m. before participating in the Shelby Easter Tournament on Monday through Thursday.
Alexander Central 8, Hickory 1
The Cougars ran their win streak to eight games and moved into a tie for first place in the Northwestern 3A-4A with South Caldwell by beating the Red Tornadoes on the road.
Alexander Central improved to 11-1 overall and is 7-1 in the conference, sharing first place after St. Stephens stunned league-leading South Caldwell 7-0 on Tuesday at St. Stephens.
South Caldwell is 7-1 in conference play.
No other game details were available.
Alexander Central will play in next week’s Catawba Valley Easter Classic at the Legion Fairgrounds in Newton as the top seed, facing eighth-seeded Newton-Conover in a first-round game on Monday at 4 p.m.
Hickory is the No. 6 seed for the Classic and meet No. 3 Fred T. Foard on Monday at 1:30 p.m. in a first round game.
Lincolnton 4, Newton-Conover 0
Robbie Cowie sparked the Wolves to a home South Fork 2A victory over the Red Devils with his bat and arm.
Cowie went 2-for-3 with a home run and drove in four runs and threw a complete game four-hitter with 15 strikeouts.
Lane Hoover scored twice and had two hits for Lincolnton (7-3, 5-3).
Newton-Conover dropped to 0-10 overall and 0-8 in the league.
The Red Devils are the No.8 seed for next week’s Catawba Valley Easter Classic at the Legion Fairgrounds in Newton, playing Monday against top-seeded Alexander Central at 4 p.m.
SOFTBALL
Alexander Central 17, Hickory 0, 4 inn.
Visiting Alexander Central had six players drive in two or more runs and rolled past the Red Tornadoes in a Northwestern 3A-4A game.
The Cougars (11-2, 7-1) scored seven runs in the first inning and six more in the second inning, and they finished with 12 hits.
Alea Seagle had two hits and drove in four runs to spark the Cougars, who also got three RBIs by Ashley Seagle and Alexis Walter and two each from Julie Gast, Mattie Starnes and Alexa Rash.
Starnes went 3-for-3 and Rash, Alea Seagle and Gracie Rhoney each had two hits for Alexander Central.
Chesney Millsaps (11-2) gained a win for the Cougars, pitching four innings. She gave up three hits, walked one and struck out eight.
Alyssa Newman, Jaiden Sipe and Mikayla Hill, batting 1-2-3 in the Hickory order – each had a hit for the Red Tornadoes.
Hickory starter Karissa Atapovich took the loss, going 1 1/3 innings. She gave up nine hits, 13 runs (all earned) with four walks and no strikeouts.
Alexander Central shares the conference lead with South Caldwell and Hickory fell to 0-8 in conference games.
The Cougars and Spartans play in Hudson on April 10 at 6 p.m.
Bunker Hill 14, Patton 2
The Bears scored 13 runs in the first two innings, including nine in the second inning, en route to a four-inning victory that kept them tied for first place in the Northwestern Foothills 2A.
Bunker Hill had 12 hit and held Patton to one, and the Panthers made four errors.
Payton Goble (6-0) picked up a win for the Bears, 6-0 in the conference.
Bunker Hill shares the conference lead with Fred T. Foard, also 6-0 in the league, and they play on Thursday at 6 p.m. at Bunker Hill.
Lake Norman Charter 4, East Lincoln 3
Visiting East Lincoln scored a run in the sixth inning and another in the top of the seventh for a 3-all tie, but the Knights scored in the bottom of the seventh inning to win a South Fork 2A game.
East Lincoln, 5-2 in the league, finished with six hits and Lake Norman Charter, 2-6 in the conference, had nine hits and overcame making five errors.
The Knights scored two runs in the first inning.
Emily Stolzenback took the loss for the Mustangs.
Lake Norman Charter returns to league play April 10 with a 6 p.m. game at North Lincoln while East Lincoln has a 5 p.m. home league game on April 10 against Lincolnton.
BOYS GOLF
St. Stephens wins by 6
The Indians shot a 321, edging Hickory by six shots and West Caldwell by seven, in a Northwestern 3A-4A match at Catawba Springs.
Hickory’s Eli Wyatt was medalist with a round of 73.
Bryce Hull’s 74 led St. Stephens.
Hickory continues to lead the league race after three conference matches, shooting 950 with West Caldwell next at 972 and St. Stephens in third at 974.
NORTHWESTERN 3A-4A
(Wednesday at Catawba Springs)
Team scores: 1. St. Stephens 321; 2. Hickory 327; 3. W. Caldwell 328; 4. Watauga 344; 5. Alexander Central 352; 6. S. Caldwell 386; 7. Freedom 389; 8. McDowell 420.
Medalist: Eli Wyatt (H) 73.
Individual scores, winning team: St. Stephens 321 (Bryce Hull 74, Trent McLauchlin 81, Caden Powell 81, Nolan Medley 85, Andy Bowman 100).
Other top rounds: Noah Bumgarner (WC) 76; Lexon Ford (WC) 78; Jared Clontz (F) 78; Jackson Graham (H) 80; Karson Decker (W) 83.
Team standings, current: 1 Hickory 950; 2. W. Caldwell 972; 3. St. Stephens 974; 4. Alexander Central 994; 5. Watauga 1,031; 6. S. Caldwell 1,092; 7. Freedom 1,102; McDowell 1,207.
Top 10 individuals, current: 1. Noah Bumgarner (WC) 142; 2. Bryce Hull (SS) 147; 3. Eli Wyatt (H) 148; 4. Jared Clontz (F) 149; 5. Cole Carrigan (AC) 154; 6. Ben Nichols (H) 155; 7. Garrison Millsaps (AC), Trent McLauchlin (SS) 157; 9. Matthew Gurnsey (WC) 159 Lexton Ford (WC) 159.