Spartans score all their runs in seventh inning,
snap Red Tornadoes’ 5-game win streak
HobbsDailyReport.com
Hunter Ingle’s two-run single in the seventh inning netted South Caldwell High a 3-2 home victory on Wednesday night over visiting Hickory, widening the Spartans’ lead in Northwestern 3A-4A baseball.
The game was originally scheduled for Friday and moved up because of a forecast for rain on Friday.
Hickory (8-6, 4-6) came in riding a five-game win streak and scored two runs in the first inning to challenge the Spartans (9-1, 13-1).
South Caldwell got a run in the seventh and used two walks and a hit batter with two outs to close within 2-1. Ingle’s single scored Curtis Massagee and Austin Raynor as the Spartans beat the Red Tornadoes for the second time this season (6-0 at Hickory on March 12).
Isaac Bush threw a complete game for South Caldwell, allowing nine hits, two runs (both earned) with two walks and 13 strikeouts.
Hickory’s William Stewart gained no decision after pitching six innings, allowing one hit and one run (unearned). He walked two and struck out 11.
South Caldwell is now 1 ½ games up on second-place Alexander Central and Watauga with four conference games to go.
The Spartans’ next game is Saturday at 2:30 p.m., a non-league game at Charlotte Christian. South Caldwell is 6-0 on the road this season and also has a neutral field win.
Hickory, 1-1 in one-run games this season, goes to Watauga on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. for a league game.
Freedom 13, East Burke 1
The Patriots (9-6) won their second straight game and for the fourth time in five games, winning a non-conference game on the road.
Freedom has outscored its last two opponents 26-3.
Logan Greene singled and drove in a run for East Burke ( (1-12, five straight losses).
Emery Propst gave up six runs and five hits, pitching an inning for the Cavs. Reliever Cooper Greene worked three innings, giving up no hits or runs and walked two and struck out two.
Freedom goes to St. Stephens for a conference game on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. The game was moved up from Friday.
East Burke’s next game is Saturday at Burns, a non-league game at 5 p.m.
Crest 9, St. Stephens 8
Jack Millen scored the game-winner at Crest, leading off the seventh inning and eventually scoring on a single by C.J. Mayhue.
St. Stephens (4-10) scored three runs in the third inning and five in the sixth inning to tie it 8.
Michael Greene and Lawson Harrill led the Chargers with two hits and two RBIs each.
The Indians’ Chance Benfield hit a home run and drove in runs but they fell for the third straight game and have dropped nine of their last 10, including five one-run losses in that stretch.
St. Stephens has a conference game at home on Thursday (moved up from Friday) with a starting time of 6:30 p.m. against Freedom.
Alexander Central 14, Watauga 3 (Tuesday)
The visiting Cougars (9-7, 7-2) scored six runs in the second inning and five in the fifth inning, winning at Watauga (8-6, 7-2) to tie the Pioneers for second place.
Jacob Bebber, batting third in the Alexander Central lineup, went 2-for-5 – including a home run — and drove in three runs. Byron Younts had two hits and an RBI and Dawson Elder had a hit and two RBIs for the Cougars.
Watauga was limited to six hits, two by Andrew Dye.
Alexander Central starter Bryson Hammer (4-1) worked five innings, allowing five hits, three runs (all earned) with four walks and seven strikeouts.
Sterling Sauls, the Pioneers’ starter, took a loss. He pitched four innings, allowing eight hits, seven runs (all earned) with two walks and three strikeouts.
Watauga gave up a season-high in runs and lost on its home field for the first time this season (1-4).
The Cougars have a home league game on Thursday at 6 p.m. against West Caldwell (moved up from Friday) while the Pioneers face McDowell on the road on Friday at 6 p.m. in a league battle.
South Caldwell 5, McDowell 0 (Tuesday)
Clay Canale had two hits and handcuffed the Titan six innings, allowing three hits, no runs, walking three and striking out nine as the Spartans posted their fourth shutout victory of the year.
Owen Foxx had three RBIs for South Caldwell, which had six hits, and the hits for McDowell were two by Josh Maddox and one by losing pitcher Brice Seymore.
Seymore went 5 2/3 innings, allowing six hits, five runs (all earned) with seven walks and four strikeouts as the Titans fell to 2-7 in the league.
GIRLS SOCCER
Hickory 5, South Caldwell 0
The Red Tornadoes shut out the Spartans in Hudson in a conference match moved up from Friday’s schedule.
Amy Herfurth, Lauren Hayes, Izzi Wood, Jess LaFrancis and Ayden Vaughan each scored a goal for Hickory, 11-2-1 overall and a half-match back of Watauga in the conference standings.
South Caldwell is 3-5-0 in the conference and in fifth place.
Hickory plays a league match at Watauga on Tuesday at 6 p.m., and South Caldwell will play a conference match at Freedom on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
East Burke 0, Freedom 0 (tie)
The Cavs and Patriots played to a scoreless tie in a non-conference match at the Catawba River Soccer Complex.
Senior goalie Arianna Hawkins had 19 saves for East Burke, 2-4-0 and in fifth place in the Northwestern Foothills 2A.
Freedom, 4-3-0 in the Northwestern 3A-4A, shares third place with St. Stephens.
East Burke has a conference match on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at West Iredell.
Freedom plays a league match, moved up from Friday, at St. Stephens on Thursday at 5 p.m.
SOFTBALL
Alexander Central 6, Lake Norman 2
The Cougars (11-4) overcame a two-run deficit, scoring all of their runs over the final two innings, to win a non-league game over the Wildcats (14-3).
Lake Norman scored its runs in the first inning and led until the Cougars tied it with two runs in the sixth inning.
Each team had seven hits and Lake Norman made three errors and Alexander Central made two.
Alea Seagle, Ashley Seagle and Peyton Price each had a hit and an RBI for the Cougars.
Faith Carrigan (9-3) was the winning pitcher, throwing a complete game. She allowed seven hits, two runs (none earned), walked one and struck out seven.
Samanthat Ladowski and Carley Christopher each had two hits for Lake Norman and Amber Locasto drove in a run for the Wildcats.
Linda Moore threw all seven innings for Lake Norman, taking a loss after allowing seven hits, six runs (two earned), walking one and striking out four.
Alexander Central, 6-3 in the Northwestern 3A-4A, plays a home league game on Thursday at 6 p.m. against West Caldwell (moved up from Friday).
Alexander Central 11, Watauga 1 (Tuesday)
Ashley Seagle went 2-for-3 and drove in three runs and Alea Seagle added two hits as the Cougars won a conference game in Boone.
Alexander Central had 12 hits and Watauga had four errors.
The Cougars led 9-0 through three innings and had a five-run first inning.
Leadoff hitter Marlie Stiwell went 3-for-4 for the Pioneers and Taylor Replogie added two hits.
Reliever Kara Hinkle (2-1) gained a win, going five innings. She gave up five hits, one run (one earned), walked one and struck out two.
Bug Noble took the loss for Watauga. She lasted 1 1/3 innings, giving up six hits, six runs (all earned) with no walks and a strikeout.
Watauga, 5-4 in the league and in fourth place, plays McDowell on the road on Friday in a conference game.
- Information for the roundup includes reports by: Brian Jillings, Hickory head soccer coach; Sabrina Powell, E. Burke girls’ soccer head coach; Brian Baker, E. Burke baseball head coach; and Jonathan Watts, Alexander Central SID.
