Junior 1-hits Spartans, strikes out 11 to
help create 3-way tie for league lead
HobbsDailyReport.com
COVERAGE BY THE WATAUGA DEMOCRAT: https://www.wataugademocrat.com/sports/local_sports/hamrick-pitches-pioneers-past-south-caldwell/article_f170f08f-8c6f-5e70-8236-a64ceec09fdc.html
Watauga High junior Travis Hamrick threw a complete game — holding South Caldwell to one hit and striking out 11 — as the Pioneers won 2-0 in Hudson and handed the Spartans their first baseball loss of the season.
Watauga (7-4, 6-1) scored is runs in the fourth inning and created a three-way tie for first place in the Northwestern 3A-4A at the halfway point of a 14-game conference schedule.
The Pioneers share the top spot with South Caldwell (10-1, 6-1) and Alexander Central (7-6, 6-1).
South Caldwell, for the fifth straight season, went deeper into its schedule without a loss than any other Greater Hickory area team in baseball.
Clay Canadle took the loss for the Spartans, going seven innings. He allowed five hits, two runs (both earned), walked none and struck out 10.
Watauga’s next game is at home Friday at 7 p.m. against West Caldwell in a league battle while the Spartans face Alexander Central on the road Friday at 6:30 p.m. in a key conference game.
St. Stephens 17, Draughn 7, 5 inn.
The Indians scored 10 runs over two innings and beat the visiting Wildcats in a non-conference game.
St. Stephens (4-7) scored five runs in the first inning and Draughn (2-10) matched that in the top of the second inning.
The Indians scored a run in the bottom of the second inning to go up 6-5 but the Wildcats got a run in the top of the third for a 6-all tie.
St. Stephens broke it open with four runs in the bottom of the third inning and six more in the bottom of the fourth, leading 16-6.
Chance Benfield went 2-for-3 with a triple, scored three runs and drove in six to lead St. Stephens. Owen VanSickle had two hits, one a double, and drove in five runs and J.D. Everett added two hits and scored three runs for the Indians.
Draughn had five hits, two by Daniel Melton.
St. Stephens survived making five errors.
Gavin Marley threw two innings for the Indians, giving up two hits, six runs (one earned) with four walks and two strikeouts. Reliever Cody Smart worked three innings, allowing three hits, one run (earned), walking one and striking out three.
Draughn starter Denver Treadway gave up six runs (all earned) on three hits with four walks and Maxon Mozeley went 2 1/3 innings and allowed five hits, seven runs (five earned) with four walks.
St. Stephens is at home Friday at 6:30 p.m., facing McDowell in a Northwestern 3A-4A game.
Draughn’s next game is a Northwestern Foothills 2A matchup with East Burke on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Alexander Central 5, St. Stephens 2 (Tuesday)
Bryson Hammer threw a complete game, holding the visiting Indians to two hits, and struck out 14 in a Northwestern 3A-4A game in Taylorsville.
Hammer gave up two runs (one earned) and walked five, pitching with an early lead.
The Cougars (7-6, 6-1) scored one run in the first inning and three in the third inning for a 4-0 lead.
St. Stephens got two runs in the fourth inning.
Alexander Central finished with nine hits, three by leadoff hitter Easton Rhoney and two by Dawson Elder. Jacob Bebber had a hit and drove in four runs for the Cougars.
Jake Speaks and Benfield had the Indians’ hits and Benfield drove in a run.
Everett took the loss, going five innings. He gave up eight hits, four runs (all earned) with two walks, six strikeouts and two wild pitches.
Alexander Central’s next game is at home on Friday at 6:30 p.m. against South Caldwell, which shares first place with the Cougars and Watauga.
SOFTBALL
Alexander Central 2, West Rowan 0
The Cougars (9-3) got a complete game from Faith Carrigan (8-3) to win a non-league game in Taylorsville.
Carrigan pitches seven innings, allowing two hits and no runs, and she walked three and struck out nine.
The Cougars had four hits, two by Alexa Rash, and Mattie Starnes drove in the two run in the sixth inning.
Kaylin Downing and Whitley Arnott had the two hits for the Falcons (7-2).
Arnott went six innings, allowing four hits, two runs (one earned) with no walks and 11 strikeouts.
Alexander Central faces South Caldwell in Taylorsville in a league game on Friday at 6 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Fred T. Foard 9, Alexander Central 0
Abby Walker had three goals and four assists, leading the Tigers’ non-conference win at home.
Alexis Woglemuth added three goals and an assist for Foard, which had a 33-7 edge in shots, led 20-7 on shots on goal and had a 7-0 advantage in corner kicks.
Charity Crutchfield, Cameron Ekonomon and Ana Schmidt each had one goal for the Tigers and Woglemuth, Ekonomon, Schmidt and Katie Tice each had an assist.
Alexander Central plays South Caldwell at home Friday at 6 p.m. in a conference match.
Hickory 9, West Caldwell 0 (Tuesday)
Madeline Pitts, Izzi Wood and Ayden Vaughan each had two goals, sparking the Red Tornadoes’ conference win in Lenoir.
Jeff LaFrancis, Addie Barrier and Caroline Moore added a goal each for Hickory (8-1-1, 4-1-0).
Sarah Harding and Taylor Rose combined in goal for a shutout for the Red Tornadoes.
Hickory has a home non-league match against West Forsyth on Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
West Caldwell goes to Watauga on Friday for a 6:30 p.m. conference match.
BOYS GOLF
West Caldwell wins at Catawba Springs (Tuesday)
Lexton Ford’s medalist round of 74 led West Caldwell to a victory by 29 strokes over Hickory.
The Warriors closed at 319 and Hickory (348) and Alexander Central (359) were next, respectively.
Eli Wyatt’s 78 led the Red Tornadoes while Cole Carrigan’s 78 paced the Cougars.
West Caldwell’s lead in the team standings is extended to 30 strokes (637-667) over Alexander Central.
Team scores: 1. W. Caldwell 319; 2. Hickory 348; 3. Alexander Central 359; 4. S. Caldwell 368; 5. St. Stephens 370; 6. Watauga 390; 7. Freedom 392; 8. McDowell 434.
Individual scores, winning team: W. Caldwell 319 (Lexton Ford 74, Matthew Gurnsey 77, Noah Bumgarner 82, Jordan Bumgarner 86, Hunter Baker 88).
Top 10 individuals: 1. Lexton Ford (WC) 74; 2. Matthew Gurnsey (WC) 77; 3. Eli Wyatt (H), Jared Clontz (F), Cole Carrigan (AC) 78; 6. Noah Bumgarner (WC) 82; 7. Jackson Graham (H), Caden Powell (SS) 85; 9. Brent Perkins (F), Jordan Bumgarner (WC), Calvin Foster (SS) 86.
Other top scores by team: Jacob Dooley (SC) 88; Ben Critcher (W) 94; Evan Grisby (M), Noah Duncan (M) 107.
Current individual top 10: 1. Matthew Gurnsey (WC) 226; 2. Jared Clontz (F) 230; 3. Eli Wyatt (H) 232; 4. Cole Carrigan (AC) 234; 5. Noah Bumgarner (WC), Lexton Ford (WC) 237; 7. Caden Powell (SS) 241; 8. Jackson Graham (H) 248; 9. Landon Dula (AC) 252; 10. Kamden George (AC) 266.
Current team standings: 1. W. Caldwell 637; 2. Alexander Central 667; 3. Hickory 691; 4. St. Stephens 702; 5. S. Caldwell 738; 6. Freedom 739; 7. Watauga 753; 8. McDowell 793.
- Information for the roundup includes reports by: Brian Jillings, Hickory girl soccer; Adam Windham, St. Stephens baseball; Sophia Elliott, Fred T. Foard girls’ soccer; Jonathan Watts, Alexander Central SID; Rob Scott, Freedom boys’ golf.
