From staff reports
Craige Lyerly (East Rowan) went 5-for-5 with three RBIs as Catawba’s baseball team won 10-4 at Belmont Abbey on Thursday.
Chris Ahearn and Josh Hohn hit two-run homers to help Catawba (4-4) stop a three-game slide. Ryan Query (A.L. Brown) had an RBI double.
Travis McSweeney was the winning pitcher in relief.
* Wilkes Community College won 15-11 at Walters State on Tuesday and is off to an 8-1 start. Lance Emert (Davie), Jacob Dobbins (North Rowan) and Daniel Welch (NW Cabarrus) had RBIs for Wilkes.
– Wonders win
A.L. Brown’s boys basketball team beat Marvin Ridge 55-53 in an SPC tournament semifinal on Thursday.
Jacob Newman and Demarcus Phifer led the third-seeded Wonders with 14 points each. Newman had 11 rebounds.
Brown (15-7) plays No. 1 seed Concord tonight at 7:30 p.m. at Sun Valley.
If Brown upsets the Spiders, it will secure a No. 2 seed for the 3A state playoffs and a first-round home game.
If Brown loses, it will play at the loser of tonight’s Lake Norman-West Rowan NPC title game in the first round.
– Livingstone hoops
Tayloe Taylor’s 3-pointer with two seconds left lifted Livingstone’s men to a 73-70 CIAA victory against Fayetteville State on Thursday.
William Bryant scored 18 points for the Blue Bears. Taylor had 17. Donte Durant scored 11 points, and Santonio Springs had 10 rebounds.
* In the women’s game, Livingstone fell to the Broncos 82-68. Brittany Wright scored 15 points for the Blue Bears. Brandie Shaw added 10.
– Catawba softball
Catawba beat Pfeiffer 11-6 and 1-0 on Thursday.
Erin Witalison (Gray Stone) broke a 6-6 tie in the first game with a fifth-inning single that scored Mack White (Carson).
Ryann Baker (East Rowan) had a bases-loaded double for the Indians (4-2). Allie Marshall and Brittany Murray homered.
Martina Bullard hit a grand slam for the Falcons (9-3).
* In the second game, Catawba’s Jamie Wells pitched a four-hitter and fanned nine. Brittany Thornburg’s triple and Kristyn Funderburk’s RBI single accounted for the run.
– 7th-grade hoops
Jaquan Boyd had 18 points to lead North Rowan’s boys to a 52-36 win against Knox. Michael Bost had 12 points, and Mike Connor added 11 for the Mavericks (5-1).
Nick Brown (14 points) and John Canipe (10) led Knox.
* Erwin’s girls beat Southeast 28-10. Erwin (7-0, 6-0) led 17-4 at halftime. Lauren Thomas had 13 points and four steals for the Eagles. Karleigh Wike had seven rebounds and six blocked shots. Katie Kepley had six rebounds.
* Southeast’s boys beat Erwin 55-17. Darius Gabriel and Colton Laws led the Patriots (4-2) with nine points each. Cody Dale, John Patella and Myquon Stout had six apiece.
Erwin (1-6, 1-5) was led by Chase Brown with 10 points and four rebounds.
– Prep girls hoops
Catawba signee Elizabeth Merritt scored 14 points to lead East Davidson to a 67-39 victory against Central Davidson in the CCC tourney on Thursday.
– Youth wrestling
Area wrestlers placed high in the AAU Championships held at Cabarrus Arena.
Ryan K. Smith, an eighth- grader, took first place in the middle school division at 100 pounds. Hunter D. Smith took first place in the 4th-5th-grade division at 55 pounds. Brady Argabright placed first in the 4th-5th grade division at 70 pounds. Lake Billings placed second in the middle school division at 70 pounds.
– Carolina Phenoms
The Carolina Phenoms will hold tryouts for 13-under/7th grade and 14-under/8th grade basketball teams.
Contact Andre Archie at 704-232-0801 for details.
– Rowan Y volleyball
Rowan County YMCA is accepting registrations for a middle school girls volleyball league through March 7.
Games will be played at YMCAs in the county.
Girls should sign up at Hurley YMCA if they attend Salisbury, North or West, at South YMCA if they attend South or Carson, and East YMCA if they attend East.
Fees are $36 for members and $60 for potential members.
Contact Gary Earnhardt at 704-857-7011.
– South Y programs
South Rowan YMCA is accepting registrations through March 21 for spring soccer and flag football.
Programs are open to boys and girls in kindergarten-eighth grade. Practice starts in late March. Games will begin April 25.
Fees are $36 members and $60 for potential members.
Contact Gary Earnhardt at South Rowan YMCA at 704-857-7011.
– College baseball
Mount Olive’s Craig Beasley (West Rowan) pitched three innings and allowed two runs in a 15-2 victory against Elizabeth City State on Wednesday. Beasley struck out one.
– Overseas basketball
Carlos Dixon (South Rowan) scored a season-high 26 points for his team in Argentina on Sunday.
Terris Sifford (West Rowan) had 21 points and 10 rebounds in his most recent game in Italy.
* Damien Argrett (South, Pfeiffer) had 13 points in his latest outing in Poland.