Easter Classic: Field includes teams led by some of area’s most experienced head coaches

By CHRIS HOBBS

HobbsDailyReport.com

NEWTON – If you enjoy watching baseball strategy from varying points of view, the 27^th annual Catawba Valley Easter Baseball Classic might be a good place for you starting Monday morning at the Legion Fairgrounds.

The tournament opens with an 11 a.m. game between seventh-seeded St. Stephens (6-11) and second-seeded Bunker Hill (12-6), and the head coaches of the higher seeds in the others games have coached the game a very long time.

Curtis

When they are done on Monday night, Marty Curtis of Bunker Hill, Channon Vogel of Fred T. Foard and David Craft of Hickory will have combined to (unofficially) log 1,781 high school varsity baseball games they’ve collectively coached in.

Looking ahead:

• At 11 a.m., Curtis coaches in his 837^th varsity game (430-406, 34^th year) when the Bears (12-6) battle No. 7 St. Stephens.
• The 4 p.m. game on Monday pits No. 8 Newton-Conover (3-13) against top-seeded Fred T. Foard (12-3-1), where Vogel calls the shots for the 222^nd time in nine seasons (1071-114-1). And opposing head coach Corey Nunley is no spring chicken (284^th game, head coach in 13^th year).
• 

  Craft

  Monday’s night cap, No. 5 Hickory (10-8) facing No. 4 Hibriten (11-6) includes former HHS baseball star Craft, now the head coach, going for his 443^rd career victory and 423^rd guiding the Red Tornadoes.

Craft, a catcher in high school who later starred in college at Wingate, is in his 29^th season (442-279, includes a stint as head coach at West Iredell). This is his 27^th season leading his alma mater (422-260).

TOURNAMENT TIDBITS: A No. 1 seed hasn’t reached the final – or won the tournament – since Bunker Hill did in 2011… St. Stephens is the defending champ as a No 5 seed, beating No. 2 Hickory 1-0 in last season’s title game… Top-seeded Foard won the tournament three years ago as a No. 2 seed, beating Hickory in the final 5-4… Alexander Central will be vying for a tournament-best eighth championship… Hickory has won the tournament five times and been second six times and third six times.

CATAWBA VALLEY EASTER BASEBALL CLASSIC

(all games at Henkel-Alley Field)

MONDAY

Game 1: No. 7 St. Stephens (6-11) vs. No. 2 Bunker Hill (12-6), 11 a.m.

Game 2: No. 6 W. Lincoln (8-9) vs. No. 3 Alexander Central (12-7), 1;30 p.m.

Game 3: No. 8 Newton-Conover (3-13) vs. No. 1 Fred T. Foard (12-3-1), 4 p.m.

Game 4: No. 5 Hickory (10-8) vs. No. 4 Hibriten (11-6), 6:30 p.m.

TUESDAY

Consolation

Game 5: St. Stephens-Bunker Hill loser vs. Newton-Conover-Foard loser, 11 a.m.

Game 6: W. Lincoln-Alexander Central loser vs. Hickory-Hibriten loser, 1:30 p.m.

Semifinals

Game 7: St. Stephens-Bunker Hill winner vs. Newton-Conover-Foard winner, 4 p.m.

Game 8: W. Lincoln-Alexander Central winner vs. Hickory-Hibriten winner, 6:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY

Third-place

Game 9: Semifinal losers, 4 p.m.

Championship

Game 10: Semifinal winners, 6:30 p.m.