HobbsDailyReport.com
HHS is in third place in the conference.
MORGANTON – Baylor Pait had two hits and threw a complete game three-hitter to help Hickory High down Patton 6-2 on the road Wednesday night.
The Red Tornadoes (14-8, 8-4 Northwestern 3A-4A) ran their win streak to four games and kept control of third place, sitting behind Fred T. Foard and South Caldwell.
Pait struck out four.
Pierson Hanvey had two hits for Hickory and Macory Mitchell doubled and drove in two runs.
At 8-4 in the league, the Red tornadoes can’t catch Fred T. Foard. South Caldwell beat the Tigers 3-2 in Newton on Wednesday night to keep the Tigers from winning the conference title outright.
The league plays a 14-game schedule and Foard had already locked up at least a share of the regular season title and the league’s No. 1 state 3A bid (because South Caldwell is 4A).
Foard wins the title outright if it beats St. Stephens on the road on Thursday night at 7 p.m. If St. Stephens wins that game and South Caldwell wins at home (6:30 p.m.) against Watauga, Foard and South Caldwell would share the conference crown.
Hickory ends its regular season schedule with games on Thursday – a home against Hibriten at 7 p.m. – and on Friday at Watauga (7 p.m.).
Patton is at home on Thursday at 7 p.m. to play Freedom and closes its regular season on Friday at 7 p.m. at Hibriten.
NORTHWESTERN 3A-4A STANDINGS
(through Wednesday)
x-Foard 11-2
S. Caldwell (4A) 10-3
Hickory 8-4
Hibriten 7-5
Watauga (4A) 5-7
St. Stephens 5-8
Patton 3-9
Freedom 1-12
x–clinched at least co-championship, No. 1 state 3A playoff bid.
–Reported by David Craft, Hickory head coach