NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
STATE 1-A BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES—GAME ONE
CHERRYVILLE SHUTS OUT TOPSAIL 2-0
GREENSBORO — Nate Thornburg’s two-run double in the fourth inning drove in the only runs of the game as Cherryville shut out Hampstead Topsail 2-0 in the opening game of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 1-A baseball championship series at UNCG Baseball Stadium on Friday.
Senior Seth Freeman pitched six shutout innings for the Ironmen, yielding just four hits while walking one and striking out one in earning his ninth victory of the season and also had two hits at the plate. Cherryville improved its record to 23-7 with its ninth straight victory and snapped a 10-game Topsail winning streak.
Brock Jaeger had two of Topsail’s four hits. Thomas Jones went the distance on the mound for the Pirates and was charged with his third loss against eight victories, striking out six and walking three.
Topsail, now 24-7 overall, threatened in the seventh inning with a couple of runners on base against closer Cory Parks, but the Ironmen turned a game-ending double play to preserve the victory.
Cherryville, with six NCHSAA state baseball titles since 1980, moved to within one game of the state championship. Game two in the best-of-three series is set for Saturday morning at eleven o’clock. Game three, if necessary, would be played Saturday afternoon at 5 p.m.
The Greensboro Sports Commission is assisting with this championship series. Wendy’s and the Carolina Ford Dealers are the presenting sponsors of the NCHSAA sports program.
NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
STATE 1-A BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES—GAME ONE
UNCG Baseball Stadium. Greensboro
Hampstead Topsail 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 4 3
Cherryville 0 0 0 2 0 0 x — 2 6 1
WP—Seth Freeman (9-2). Save—Cory Parks. LP—Thomas Jones (8-3).
NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
STATE 3-A BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES—GAME ONE
ROCKY MOUNT HOLDS OFF EAST ROWAN 7-4 IN FIRST GAME
ZEBULON – A balanced Rocky Mount offensive attack banged out 10 hits and the Gryphons held off East Rowan 7-4 in the first game of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 3-A baseball championship series on Friday at Five County Stadium.
East Rowan jumped in front 2-0 in the bottom of the first, but Rocky Mount tied it in the second when a run scored on a double play and then Collins Cuthrell delivered a run-scoring single to tie the game.
The Gryphons took a 5-2 lead with three in the fourth, with Gabe Brown’s two-run single the key blow, but East battled back to slice it 5-4 on Zack Smith’s two-out, two-run double.
Rocky Mount then added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth after a two-out error, a triple by William Barringer that scored a run and then an RBI single by Grant Johnson.
Chris Berry was the only Gryphon with two hits. Senior righthander Jim Leggett went the route on the mound for the winners, allowing just three hits and getting his 28th career victory, a Rocky Mount school record, while Corbin Shive was charged with the loss.
Smith provided the offensive punch for East Rowan with two hits in three trips and three runs batted in. The Mustangs dropped to 28-4 overall while Rocky Mount improved to 26-5.
Game two in the best-of-three series is set for Saturday morning at eleven o’clock as Rocky Mount seeks to close out the series and win its first NCHSAA baseball title since 1980. Game three, if necessary, would be played Saturday afternoon at 5 p.m.
The Raleigh Sports Consortium and Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau are serving as host city sponsors for this championship series. Wendy’s and the Carolina Ford Dealers are the presenting sponsors of the NCHSAA sports program.
NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
STATE 3-A BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES—GAME ONE
Five County Stadium, Zebulon
Rocky Mount 0 2 0 3 0 2 0 – 7 10 1
East Rowan 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 – 4 3 1
WP—Jim Leggett (8-3). LP—Corbin Shive (11-2).
