From staff reports
New York Mets Manager Jerry Manuel said Friday Bobby Parnell (East Rowan) might be useful to his team in a relief role this season.
The 24-year-old right-hander tossed 22/3 scoreless innings in a 9-3 victory against the Detroit Tigers Friday. Parnell entered the game in the third inning and was credited with his first win this spring. He didn’t allow a hit. He walked one and struck out two.
Manuel told Newsday: “Parnell was very, very, very impressive today. He could really be a good piece for us if it works out that way. That type of arm, that type of stuff, you might find where that could work for us, you know? For us, if he’s to make this squad out of spring training, it would probably be as a reliever.”
n Indians tackle Pacers
Catawba’s men’s basketball team plays USC Aiken in a Southeast Regional semifinal in Augusta, Ga., today at 5 p.m.WSAT-Memories 1280 will broadcast the game.
No. 6 seed Catawba topped No. 3 seed Armstrong Atlantic 74-67 Saturday.
USC Aiken is the No 2 seed and beat Lenoir-Rhyne 88-70 Saturday despite 24 points by the Bears’ Josh Rudder.
Chris Commons, a 6-foot-8 all-region player who averages 17.3 points a game, leads USC Aiken’s Pacers (24-7) who have a roster dotted with 6-7s and 6-8s. Josh Dollard, also 6-8, scores 15.2 points a game.
Commons shot 12-for-15 from the field and scored 27 points to lead the way against L-R. Javonte Clayton went 11-for-11 from the line. The Pacers shot an amazing 67 percent against Lenoir-Rhyne.
n Top seed Augusta State eliminated Tusculum 62-60 despite 23 points by SAC Player of the Year Kyle Moore.
n In the Atlantic Regional, J.C. Smith lost 92-83 to the Battlers of Alderson-Broaddus. Tavaris Little scored 20 points for the Golden Bulls, who finished 23-8.
n Also in the Atlantic Regional, Virginia Union was upset by Indiana (Pa.) 69-63. Gregg Thondique scored 18 points for the Panthers, who finished 21-7.
n Women’s hoops regional
In the women’s Southeast Regional in Hickory, Clayton State bounced Tusculum 79-68 despite 18 points by Jasmine Gunn.
n Francis Marion eliminated top-seeded Lenoir-Rhyne 93-74. Cameron Sealey led the Bears with 18 points.
n Catawba swimming Catawba junior swimmer Patrik Drakes swam to All-America honors at the Division II National Championships on Friday in Houston. Drakes finished eighth in the 100 breast to earn Catawba’s first All-America honors in swimming.
In preliminaries, Drakes set a school mark in both the 50 (25.90) and the 100 (55.73). In the final, he lowered his 100 breast record time to 55.51. On Saturday, Drakes added another school mark in the 200 breast.
n Catawba baseball
Today’s rescheduled Catawba-Mars Hill baseball doubleheader has already been postponed.
The teams now hope to play a doubleheader on Monday, starting at 1 p.m.
All SAC baseball was washed out on Saturday.
n College baseball
Rudy Brown (South Rowan) allowed two runs in the eighth inning and was the losing pitcher in UNC Pembroke’s 4-3 setback at Columbus State on Saturday. In 12/3 innings, Brown allowed two hits and two walks while striking out one. It was the first loss for Brown (3-1).
n Matt Ingold (South) was 1-for-3 for UNC Pembroke and scored a run.
n Whit Merrifield (Davie) had two hits for South Carolina in a 13-6 loss against Mississippi State on Saturday.
n College softballMaryland’s Devon Williams (West Rowan) had two hits in an 11-1 romp against Seton Hall Friday and was 1-for-2 in a 4-3 win against Delaware on Saturday. Williams started a two-run, game-winning rally in the seventh with a two-out walk.