From staff reports
New York Mets reliever Bobby Parnell (East Rowan) pitched two innings and allowed one run Monday in his third career appearance, which was his first in front of the home crowd at Shea Stadium. The Mets lost 9-5 to the Chicago Cubs and trail Philadelphia by 21/2 games in the National League East. New York leads Milwaukee by one game in the wild-card race.
Parnell, who got Alfonso Soriano and Derrek Lee to strike out swinging, threw 30 strikes and 11 balls. Coming into the game, Parnell had retired all five batters he’d faced as a member of the Mets, and his ERA is now 2.45.
Parnell entered in the fifth inning Monday with New York trailing 7-2. Mark DeRosa singled and Felix Pie reached on a fielder’s choice to Parnell, who threw to second for the first out. Pie moved to third on Ryan Theriot’s single. Jason Marquis hit a grounder to third, and the Mets got one out at second base as Pie scored. Soriano then struck out.
Parnell retired the side in order in the sixth. Ronny Cedeno lined out to right, Lee struck out on a 96 mph fastball and Aramis Ramirez popped out to short.
Before the game, Mets manager Jerry Manuel discussed the possibility of Parnell’s role increasing.
“With Bobby Parnell right now, he has shown the ability to throw strikes, which is very, very critical for a young reliever coming up,” Manuel told reporters. “He’s gotten outs, so I think that whether he’s ready for that or not, we can probably not afford to wait because of the uncertainty we have in that position right now. He will probably be given another test in a more stressful situation than what he’s been put in.”
n Prep tennis
East Rowan won 9-0 against county rival West Rowan in an NPC match Monday. Emilee Smith, Hannah Kovach, Brittany Honeycutt, Emily Beck, Caitlyn Fry and Devan Corpening won in singles for the Mustangs. Smith-Kovach, Honeycutt-Beck and Fry-Corpening claimed doubles victories.
East (5-0 NPC) will play host to conference co-leader Lake Norman, the fourth-ranked team in 3A, this afternoon. The Wildcats beat South Rowan by a 9-0 score Monday.
n Salisbury rolled to a 9-0 victory against Lexington in a CCC match Monday.
Brooke Johnson, Shea Comadoll, Joy Loeblein, Erika Nelson, Sierra Davis and Mary Margaret Mills took singles matches for the second-ranked Hornets (13-1, 10-0 CCC). Hannah Lebowitz-Kirstin Meyerhoeffer, Comadoll-Loeblein and Johnson-Nelson won in doubles.
The Hornets will visit second-place Ledford on Wednesday.
n North Rowan played without Corbin Bennett (illness) but picked up a 7-2 CCC victory over East Davidson.
Diamond Jackson, Caitlin Crawford, Kelli Berry, Kayla Morgan and Melinda Mitchell won singles matches for the Cavaliers.
n Salisbury soccer wins
Salisbury’s soccer team survived 2-1 against Ledford in a CCC matchup on Monday.
Salisbury is 5-0 in the CCC.
Randy Almeida scored on a 30-yard free kick, and Connor Miller set up a header for a goal by Oscar Bonilla to give the Hornets a 2-0 halftime lead.
Ledford scored with about five minutes left when Salisbury failed to clear on a routine situation. The goal set up a frantic finish, but Salisbury held on.
“It’s like Coach Bob Pharr used to say, ‘If you don’t play very well and you still win, then you’re pretty good,’ ” SHS coach Tom Sexton said. “No, it was not a typical, well-played Salisbury-Ledford game, but the result is we’re 5-0 in the CCC.”
n Catawba-Mars Hill fan bus
Catawba will attempt to fill a fan bus for Saturday afternoon’s game at Mars Hill.
Those interested need to contact the Catawba athletic department as early as possible to see how much interest there is.
Kickoff for the SAC opener is set for 1:30 p.m. The cost of the trip will be $35 for the bus. Money also will be needed for a ticket to the game and dinner following the game.
The bus will leave from the Shuford Stadium parking lot at 8:45 a.m. on Saturday and will arrive back at approximately 8:30 p.m.
Call the athletic department at 704-637-4474 or e-mail Peggy Mason at pmason@catawba.edu. Make checks payable to Catawba College.
n Foster at Walters State
Outfielder Erin Foster (West Rowan) is playing softball at Walters State Community College in Morristown, Tenn.
Foster’s West teammate, catcher Gina Loflin, starred as a freshman at Walter State last season.
n Middle school football
North Rowan Middle’s seventh-graders downed Erwin 36-0.
Kasaun Coney scored two touchdowns while Xhvier Robinson, JaQuan Boyd and Mike Connor scored one each.
Brandon Rabon made three fumble recoveries and led the defense along with Matt Tucker.
n North Middle’s eighth-graders beat Erwin 20-0.
T.J. Bates and Denzel Price scored offensive touchdowns, and T.J. Allen returned a fumble 35 yards for a TD.
Desmond Jackson rushed for 85 yards for the Mavericks.
Allen, Will Robertson, Hunter Walker, DeQuan Chawlk and DeQuan Miller sparked North’s defense.
n Police Athletic football
Salisbury’s first-year Police Athletic League’s varsity football team won 19-0 against an unnamed opponent.
Quavist Phillips had 146 all-purpose yards to lead the first victory for Salisbury (1-2). Shaun Alexander, Dearius Phillips, Preston Dalton and Darius Jackson sparked the defense.
n The Salisbury jayvees won 28-0.
The Wonder Twins, Desmond and Deandre Gray, led the way. Shaleek Williams had 90 yards and two TDs.
Other standouts were LaLa Oglesby, Tony Campbell and Montavio Rankin.
Brian Miller, Steve Robb, Rafeal Tillman, Cory Alexander and Troy Russell coach Salisbury, which travels to Statesville for its next game.
n Prep volleyball
Carson lost to West Iredell 25-22, 25-17, 25-16 and to Mooresville 25-20, 25-23, 25-19 in NPC varsity volleyball last week.
Carson’s jayvees lost to West Iredell but defeated Mooresville.
n GARS
Sixty-four GARS members played at Corbin Hills Golf Club on Monday.
Low ‘A’ Flight player was Les Loman, with a net of 66.78.
Low ‘B’ player was Tony LaBarbera, with a net of 65.00.
Low ‘C’ player was Ralph Luther, who had a net of 65.97.
Low ‘D’ player was Bob Gilland, with a net of 71.34.
Dale Cobb, on No. 2, and Buddy Barger, on No. 5, were closest to the pin.
Tom Talbert made the longest putt on No. 9.
n McCanless Couples
The McCanless Couples played their weekly nine-hole match on Sunday.
The format was Four-Man Texas Scramble.
David Huneycutt, Yvonne Barger, Beverly Cobb and Eileen Full shot 35 to win.
Norman and Lynn Carlton and Jeff and Tabitha Warren shot 36 for second place.
Ron and Jini Blythe and Walt and Kim Kincaid shot 37 for third place.
Jini Blythe made the longest putt on No. 10.