BURLINGTON – R-S Central forced across single runs in the second and third innings and got a phenomenal performance on the mountd from junior Trip Triplett to hold off Randleman 2-1 and push the 2A Baseball State Championship Series to a decisive Game 3 tonight.
Triplett limited the powerful Tiger offense to just one run on six hits while striking out seven. He did not issue a walk during his 6.1 innings of work before passing the baton off to Kael Snethen who got the save by picking up the final two outs.
Snethen also played a key role offensively for the Hilltoppers, going one for three out of the leadoff spot in the order, ripping a homer to left field to lead off the bottom of the third and put R-S Central back in front 2-1 after Randleman had tied the game in the top of the inning.
R-S Central scratched across the first run of the game in the second when Cameron Hill singled to open the inning and scored on an RBI single to center by Gavin Bright. Randleman got their lone run in the third after Kaden Ethier doubled to right and he came home on a two-out, RBI single to right by Trey Way that knotted the game at 1.
The 2A Championship Series will be decided this evening with Game 3 between R-S Central and Randleman at Burlington Athletic Stadium. The final game of the series will take the field approximately 40 minutes following the conclusion of the 4A Series between Fuquay-Varina and Reagan.
