HobbsDailyReport.com
Newton-Conover High pulled off a late-season surprise for the second straight year on Tuesday night, slipping by visiting Lake Norman Charter 7-3 to snap a 17-game baseball losing streak.
The Red Devils scored all of their runs in the first two innings – three in the first and four in the second – en route to the 68th career win for Red Devils head coach Corey Nunley, who is in his 14th season as head coach.
No other game details were available.
The Red Devils (1-16, 1-10) had not won a game since their 2017 late-season stunner – a 6-4 road victory as a No. 8 seed over top-seeded East Lincoln in the first round of last year’s Southern District 7 Athletic 2A tournament.
The 17-game losing streak began with a 10-8 loss to West Caldwell in a semifinal of the SD-7 2A tournament last season at the Legion Fairgrounds.
Lake Norman Charter (9-9, 6-5) is in fourth place in the South Fork 2A, and Newton-Conover remains in last place.
The Tuesday victory was the first in the regular-season since another tournament win by the Red Devils, 5-4 over Fred T. Foard in mid-April of 2017 at the Catawba County Easter Baseball Classic at the Fairgrounds.
The Red Devils were scheduled to play a non-league game Wednesday at Fred T. Foard but it has been cancelled. On Friday, they visit league-leading North Lincoln for a 7 p.m. start.
Lake Norman Charter is scheduled to face Lincolnton in a league game on Thursday at 4 p.m.
Alexander Central 13, Watauga 6
Four Cougars drove in two runs each – Josh Lafone, Josh Jacobs, Jacob Bebber and Bryson Hammer – as they won a Northwestern 3A-4A game in Boone.
Bryon Younts, Lafone, Jacobs and Nate Moretz each had two hits for Alexander Central (15-5, 9-2), still in second place in the league race behind South Caldwell.
Alexander Central outhit Watauga 12-10 and was helped by five Pioneers errors.
Gabe Morgan went 3-for-4 to lead Watauga with Jonathan McClannon and Hayes Henderson each adding two hits.
Cougars starter Justin Cook (5-1) picked up a win after pitching six innings. He gave up 10 hits, six runs (five earned), walked none and struck out seven.
Watauga starter Travis Hamrick took a loss, going three innings. He gave up six hits, seven runs (all earned), walked none and struck out one.
The Cougars had a four-run first inning and were up 6-2 through three innings. They extended the lead to 10-2 before the Pioneers scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Alexander Central plays Freedom in Taylorsville at 6 p.m. on Friday.
Watauga’s non-conference game scheduled Wednesday at home against Ashe County has been cancelled, with the Pioneers going to Hickory for a conference game on Friday at 6:30 p.m.
The Cougars are a win (or a St. Stephens loss) away from locking down the conference’s No. 1 3A state playoff berth. With three league games to go, Alexander Central is three games ahead of St. Stephens (9-7, 6-5) and the rest of the league’s 3A teams each have at least six conference losses.
The Indians are still currently mathematically alive because their remaining schedule still includes facing Alexander Central on April 26 at St. Stephens to close the conference schedule.
Hickory 7, Freedom 2
Pierson Hanvey threw a complete game, striking out nine, as the Red Tornadoes beat the Patriots in Morganton in a Northwestern 3A-4A game.
Hanvey allowed five hits.
Jacob Surbaugh hit a solo home runs, Brody Scarborough doubled in a run and Bryce Stober was 2-for-3 with a double for Hickory (11-7, 5-6).
Hickory shares fourth place with Freedom (10-9, 5-6), both a game back of St. Stephens.
Freedom plays a non-conference game at home Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. against Draughn and goes to Alexander Central for a league game Friday at 6 p.m.
Hickory will be at home on Friday at 6:30 p.m., facing Watauga, as head coach David Craft coaches in his 750th career game (712th at HHS).
SOFTBALL
Alexander Central 11, Watauga 3
Ashley Seagle drove in three runs and Chesney Millsaps threw a complete game and gained her 15th win of the year as the Cougars (15-3, 9-2) stayed within a game of the league lead in the Northwestern 3A-4A by winning in Boone.
Alexander Central outhit Watauga 13-5, led by Gracie Rhoney’s three hits. Lanie Goforth, Alexis Walter, Kelsea Dejarnette and Seagle each added two hits.
Marlie Stilwell drove in two runs for Watauga, 2-8 in the conference.
The Pioneers led 3-2 until the Cougars scored three runs in the top of the third inning to take the lead for good.
Millsaps (15-3) allowed five hits, three runs (two earned), walked three and struck out 11 and survived three Alexander Central errors.
Jada Wilson, Watauga’s starter, took a loss. She pitched four innings, giving up 10 hits, nine runs (eight earned) with five walks and two strikeouts).
Alexander Central has a non-conference game at home on Thursday at 6 p.m. against Mooresville before playing a league game Friday at home against Freedom (6 p.m.).
Watauga meets Patton in a non-league game Wednesday at 6 p.m. in Boone then plays Hickory on the road in a conference game on Thursday at 6 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Lake Norman Charter 1, North Lincoln 0
Lake Norman Charter stayed atop the South Fork 2A standings with a road victory, improving to 9-0-0 in league play.
Olivia Masterston, who moved from forward to striker, had the only goal of the match on an assist by Alex Behnke with three minutes to play. She made a left-footed kick as Lake Norman Charter improved to 12-0-1 overall.
Lake Norman Charter had a 30-5 edge in shots (10-2 on shots on goal), and Kaela Rasenberger had two saves in goal.
Lake Norman Charter is ahead of Lincolnton (7-2-0) and East Lincoln (5-3-0) in the South Fork 2A, which plays a 14-match schedule.
Lake Norman Charter entertains Maiden on Thursday at 6 p.m. in a conference match while North Lincoln travels to East Lincoln for a league match on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.
BOYS GOLF
Indians win by 4 strokes
St. Stephens won a Northwestern 3A-4A match at Lenoir Golf Club with three players firing rounds of 80 or less.
The Indians finished at 329, four strokes better than West Caldwell, after Trent McLauchlin shot 78, Bryce Hull shot 79 and Caden Powell shot 80.
Noah Bumgarner of West Caldwell was medalist at 74 as the Warriors shot 329 and finished 13 strokes up on third-place Alexander Central.
St. Stephens leads the conference standings after six of seven scheduled conference matches at 1,937 with West Caldwell second at 1,961 and Hickory in third (1,976).
Bumgarner is the individual leader with a league match to go at 374, three strokes ahead of Hull.
NORTHWESTERN 3A-4A
(at Lenoir Golf Club)
Team scores: 1. St. Stephens 325; 2. W. Caldwell 329; 3. Alexander Central 342; 4. Hickory 344; 5. S. Caldwell 349; 6. Freedom 355; 7. Watauga 360; 8. McDowell 398.
Top 10 individuals at Lenoir: 1. Noah Bumgarner (WC) 74; 2. Jared Clontz (F) 77; 3. Trent McLauchlin (SS) 78, Ben Nichols (H) 78, Eli Wyatt (H) 78; 6. Bryce Hull (SS) 79; 7. Caden Powell (SS) 80; 8. Andy Townsend (SC) 81; 9. Noah Harris (F) 82, Lexton Ford (WC) 82.
Other team leading scores at Lenoir: Cameron Millsaps (AC) 83; Jordan Austin (W) 86; R.J. Stanley (M) 88.
Team scores through six league matches: 1. St. Stephens 1,937; 2. W. Caldwell 1,961; 3. Hickory 1,976; 4. Alexander Central 1,977; 5. Watauga 2,080; 6. S. Caldwell 2,152; 7. Freedom 2,193; 8. McDowell 2,405.
Top 10 individuals through six league matches: 1. Noah Bumgarner (WC) 374; 2. Bryce Hull (SS) 377; 3. Jared Clontz (F) 383; 4. Eli Wyatt (H) 387; 5. Ben Nichols (H) 392; 6. Garrison Millsaps (AC) 393; 7. Caden Powell (SS) 397; 8. Lexton Ford (WC) 398; 9. Trent McLauchlin (SS) 399; 10. Matthew Gurnsey (WC) 401.
BOYS LACROSSE
Lake Norman Charter 15, Southlake Christian 10
The Knights improved to 9-4 with a victory highlighted by five goals by Will Kastel. Micah Stechmiller and Luke Mostert each added three goals for Lake Norman Charter, and Nik Young had 18 saves in goal.
Lake Norman Charter plays South Iredell on Wednesday at 7 p.m.