EASTER CLASSIC: Hickory wins it, Alex Central captures third place (linescores)

HobbsDailyReport.com

Editor’s note: The basics from the two games today… game stories on both games will be posted as soon as possible. Please return to the website shortly for more in-depth reporting on those games.

CATAWBA VALLEY EASTER BASEBALL CLASSIC

(at Henkel-Alley Field, Legion Fairgrounds in Newton)

CHAMPIONSHIP

No. 7 St. Stephens 001 000 0—1 5 1

No. 5 Hickory 000 002 x—2 4 0

WP—Pierson Hanvey

LP—Weston Kerley.

Leading hitters: H: Macory Mitchell triple, game-winning RBI; SS: Noah Brown RBI single in third.

Records: St. Stephens 8-12; Hickory 13-8.

Notes: Sixth straight year that the highest seed team in final was a No. 2 or worse… St. Stephens won 2016 tournament as a No. 5 seed, beating No. 2 Hickory 1-0…. Hickory’s first title since beating Maiden in 2012… Hickory’s sixth title, tournament-best 18^th finish (of 27) in the top three.. Indians have been in top three 12 times… No school has won Classic back-to-back since Bunker Hill in 2010 and 2011.

THIRD PLACE

No. 8 N-C 000 000 – 0 2 3

No. 3 Alex Central 023 221 –10 15 1

WP–Zach Brsycky (6-2).

LP–Jake Hayman.

Leading hitters: AC Trae Starnes 3-4, 3 RBIs; Rhyne Johnson 4-4, 2 RBIs; Grayson Chapman 2-3, RBI; N-C: None.

Records: Alexander Central 14-8; Newton-Conover 4-15.

Notes: The Cougars gain their 13^th finish in the top three…. Their others: 7 titles, five second places… Newton-Conover’s only top three finish was a title in 2001… The top seed had gained third-place in each of the three previous tournaments… Newton-Conover had its fifth shot at finishing third (it advanced to the game two other times but those games were cancelled).

 

ALL-TOURNAMENT

Rhyne Johnson, Alexander Central

Devin Roberts, Bunker Hill

Brad Schmertzier, Hibriten

Tyler Ward, Fred T. Foard

Eli Wright, Newton-Conover

Dylan Burkey, W. Lincoln

Bryce Stober, Hickory

Bailey Pait, Hickory

Noah Brown, St. Stephens

Matt Cook, St. Stephens

Tournament MVP — Pierson Hanvey, Hickory