SIZZLIN’ SPARTANS
South Caldwell High is off to a 10-0 start this season and is unbeaten the longest for Greater Hickory area teams for the fifth straight season and 14th time in 22 years. A look at the five-season run:
Year Win streak First loss
2019 10-0 —
2018 11-0 St. Stephens, 0-7
2017 8-0 Foard, 2-14 (6 inn.)
2016 12-0 Crest, 1-2
2015 26-0 Providence, 7-8
Notes: Other years South Caldwell stayed unbeaten the longest or shared that mark, records dating back to 1998 are: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012… The only other area school to date that at least twice are Bunker Hill (2010, 2011) and Alexander Central (2004, 2013).
SOURCE: HobbsDailyReport.com research and files.
HobbsDailyReport.com
South Caldwell High keeps doing what it has for many years in baseball under head coach Jeff Parham.
On Friday night, the Spartans toppled West Caldwell 11-1 in five innings on the road to stay undefeated (10-0, 6-0) and atop the Northwestern 3A-4A standings.
PARHAM
Avery Raynor hit two home runs and drove in four runs and Ian Moretz had a home run among his two hits and added four RBIs for South Caldwell, which finished with 12 hits.
Curtis Massagee and Austin Raynor also added two hits each for the Spartans, who are the only unbeaten left in the South Fork 2A, Northwestern Foothills 2A and Northwestern 3A-4A.
Isaac Bush, helped by an eight-run first inning, picked up a win for South Caldwell. He threw five innings, allowing three hits and an earned run, and he walked one and struck out 13.
West Caldwell (3-6, 1-5) had three hits, one each by Cy Smith, Holden Triplett and Nick Kidd. Triplett hit a home run.
Bailey O’Brien took a loss for the Warriors, going 4 1/3 innings. Have gave up 11 hits, 11 runs (all earned) and walked one and struck out eight.
South Caldwell has remained undefeated the longest in the Greater Hickory area for the fifth straight season (see graphic) and leads the area in that for the 14th time in 22 years.
The Spartans entered the season with the best record over the previous 10 years among area schools (233-43, .844 winning percentage).
West Caldwell has a non-league game at West Wilkes on Monday while South Caldwell is at home on Tuesday at 6 p.m. against Watauga.
The Spartans are one game up on Watauga and Alexander Central.
Alexander Central 5, Freedom 1
Dawson Elder (2-0) limited the host Patriots to four hits, throwing a complete game, as Alexander Central remained tied for second in the conference with Watauga by winning.
Elder gave up an earned run, walked three and struck out eight.
The Cougars scored twice in the fourth inning and three times in the seventh inning, and they finished with seven hits.
Jacob Bebber, batting third in the lineup, went 2-for-3 for Alexander Central and Byron Younts, batting fifth, went 3-for-4. Bryson Hammer homered and added two RBIs.
T.J. Twitty, Dylan Shelton, Michael Logan and Wesley Smith each had a hit for Freedom (5-5, 3-3) and Smith drove in a run.
Freedom starter Brandon Pieto worked 6 2/3 innings and took a loss. He allowed six hits, five runs (all earned), walked one and struck out five.
Watauga 8, St. Stephens 7
Andrew Dye struck out 11 and held the visiting Indians to two earned runs in a conference victory for Watauga.
Jackson Miller earned a save for the Pioneers (6-3, 5-1).
Jaxon Harmon and Mitchell Greene led Watauga with doubles.
For more in-depth coverage by The Watauga Democrat: https://www.wataugademocrat.com/sports/local_sports/watauga-s-baseball-team-holds-off-st-stephens/article_c78ac7dc-83f7-53b5-af34-6d1fd8a0edeb.html#utm_campaign=blox&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social
Hickory 4, McDowell 2
The Red Tornadoes (4-5, 1-5) snapped a three-game skid with their first conference win of the season.
Hickory scored a run in the first and second innings and was up 3-0 in the fifth inning.
McDowell (5-5, 1-5) scored twice in the sixth inning and the Red Tornadoes scored a run in the bottom of the inning.
McDowell had four hits, two by Bryce Seymore and Three Young, and Young drove in two runs.
Juan Campos took a loss for the Titans, who had a three-game win streak halted, after going five innings. He allowed three hits, three runs (two earned), walked four and struck out three.
Hickory is at West Caldwell on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in a league game while the Titans have a home game on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. against Freedom.
SOFTBALL
Alexander Central 22, Freedom 1, 5 inn.
Alexander Central scored 15 runs in two innings, winning 22-1 in five innings in a Northwestern 3A-4A game in Morganton.
The Cougars (7-3, 4-2) are in contention for a league title, tied with Watauga for third place behind South Caldwell and McDowell.
Lanie Goforth, batting leadoff, had two hits and four RBIs and Ashley Seagle, batting third, had three hits and drove in five runs to spark the Cougars.
Alexander Central had 23 hits with Faith Carrigan and Alea Seagle each adding three and Jasmine Parker and Alexa Rash each adding two.
Carrigan pitched two innings, allowing two hits and striking four to improve to 6-3.
Freedom, 2-4 in the league, had three hits – one each by Brandin Buchanan, Jade Lipsey and Avery Weaver – and Lipsey drove in the Patriots’ only run.
Alexander Central scored 11 runs in the first inning and was up 11-1 when it added four runs in the second inning.
Brittany Powell took a loss for Freedom, allowing 23 hits, 22 runs (18 earned), walking four and striking out one.
The Cougars play at non-conference game on Monday at 6 p.m. at home against West Rowan.
Watauga 5, St. Stephens 2
The Pioneers had nine hits and got two each by Marlie Stilwell and Taylor Lipford to beat the Indians in a league game in Boone.
Watauga scored two runs in the first and was up 3-0 before Indians got two runs in the fourth inning.
The Pioneers scored twice in the fifth inning to go up 5-2.
Baylee Bumgarner had an RBI for St. Stephens, 1-5 in the league.
Jada Wilson pitched four innings to gain a win for Watauga, 4-2 in the conference. She gave up four hits, two runs (none earned) with one walk and three strikeouts.
The Indians’ Mayson Lail took a loss after going six innings. She gave up four hits, five runs (none earned) with no walks and two strikeouts.
Watauga is at Patton for a non-league game on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
St. Stephens faces McDowell in a conference game on Monday at 6 p.m. in Hickory.
For more game details by The Watauga Democrat: https://www.wataugademocrat.com/sports/local_sports/watauga-s-softball-team-trips-st-stephens/article_1828c95a-aa2f-5fcb-99ae-e8ad02ded1b0.html#utm_campaign=blox&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social
GIRLS SOCCER
Hickory 9, McDowell 0
Izzi Wood scored three goals and Lauren Hayes had two, leading the Red Tornadoes to a home conference win over the Titans.
Ayden Vaughan, Jess LaFrancis, Blair McIntosh and M.G. Neill each added a goal for Hickory, 3-1-0 in the conference – 7-1-0 overall — and in second place behind Watauga.
Sarah Harding and Gloria Solis combined in goal for shutout for the Red Tornadoes.
Hickory plays a conference match on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at West Caldwell.
McDowell is at home on Tuesday (6;30 p.m.), facing Freedom in a league match.
Watauga 4, St. Stephens 0
The Pioneers won at home, moving to 4-0-0 in conference matches and staying atop the conference standings.
Lily Suyao scored three goals and Brelyn Sturgill had the other goal for Watauga, 6-2-0 overall.
The Pioneers face South Caldwell on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Hudson in a league match.
St. Stephens, 2-2-0 in league play, has a non-league match on Monday night at Lincolnton.
- Information for the roundup includes reports by Jonathan Watts, Alexander Central SID; Jim Bowman, South Caldwell baseball; and Brian Jillings, Hickory girls’ head soccer coach.
