Viking starting pitcher Brian York allowed three hits and struck out nine in a complete-game victory Tuesday in the semifinals of the 3A South Piedmont Conference Tournament. York didn’t face more than four Kannapolis batters in any inning as Central cruised to an 8-1 win at Staton Field.

“He struggled a little bit,”Tyson said of the Trojan junior. “I’ve seen him do better. I think because we had some long innings on offense he got a little stiff.”

That theory, though perhaps sounding somewhat suspect, actually proved true. Central scored three runs in the first inning, and Wonder Josh Lee opened the second with a homer. Kannapolis’ other two hits also came from the leadoff batters in the third and fifth innings.

But any kind of rally, especially the game-breaker Kannapolis relied upon in winning seven of its last eight games, was nowhere to be found.

“Eventually, we usually caught up with whoever it was, rallied for one big inning or came up with the big hit,”Kannapolis head coach Empsy Thompson said. “He changed speeds well, got ahead in the count, they played solid defense.”

Central did everything expected of the league’s No. 2 team, especially in advancing to Thursday’s title game against No. 1 EastRowan. The Mustangs topped No. 4 seed West Rowan 6-2 in the second game Tuesday.

In losing, Kannapolis and West Rowan found themselves still outside the state playoff picture. Had either team advanced to the finals, they’d be the No. 3 team from the SPC. Instead, a play-in game Thursday at 4 p.m. at Staton Field decides their fates. The title game will follow at 7.

The Wonders knew just how much Tuesday’s game meant, and getting down early didn’t help. Central connected for five straight hits in the first inning off Kannapolis starter Zach Ward. Brian Cairnes’ two-run single made it 3-0 after one, and he drove home another run in the bottom of the second for a 4-1 lead.

“That puts a lot of pressure on us, especially in the situation we’re in,”Thompson said. “We knew we had to win and the kids start pressing a little bit.”

Trying too hard against York meant, more often than not, striking out. York’s nine Ks came with no walks. He retired the side in order in the first, fourth, sixth and seventh innings.

Central’s offense kept up the attack. After the five hits in the first inning, the Trojans knocked Ward out in the third. Brandon Queen opened the inning with a solo blast to right field. Two more hits and an error brought home two more runs for a 7-1 lead.

“We’ve been waiting to break out,”Tyson said. “Even our outs were hard tonight.”

Some were puzzling. Central still had the bases loaded in the third when Cairnes hit a high popup to short. The umpires put their hands up to signify the infield-fly for an automatic out, but when Andrew Petty dropped the ball —quite accidentally, it appeared — York took off from second base, stopped when no one else ran and was tagged out to end the inning.