From staff reports
West Rowan lefty Zack Simpson pitched a three-hitter as the Falcons beat Statesville 6-0 for their sixth straight victory on Monday.
West’s baseball team climbed back to 3-3 in the NPC after starting 0-3.
Shortstop Philip Miclat had a double, two steals and a great defensive play up the middle for the Falcons. Brantley Horton also doubled. Hernan Bautista had two hits.
West plays at North Iredell tonight.
* The feature game in the NPC tonight is Carson at Mooresville.
* West Davidson beat Eastern Randolph 7-5 on Monday.
Jon Jarvis and Zach Burkhart had three hits each. Burkhart knocked in three runs. Alex Grubb had two hits, including a triple.
– Prep girls basketball
South Rowan principal Dr. Donald Knox announced that Jim Brooks, girls basketball coach the past four seasons, has decided to step down.
A story on Brooks is upcoming. South has started the process of hiring a replacement.
– College baseball
The Catawba-Tusculum doubleheader scheduled for Newman Park on Monday was postponed to Wednesday at 4 p.m.
* Mount Olive’s Craig Beasley (West Rowan) was the winning pitcher in relief in a 17-4 victory against Limestone Saturday.
Beasley (2-1) pitched three scorelesss innings. He allowed two hits and struck out one.
* North Carolina’s Kyle Seager (NW Cabarrus) hit a grand slam, the first of his college career, Sunday in a 9-8 loss against Florida State.
* In the strange-but-true category, Montreat freshman Ryan Bostian (South Rowan) scored runs on consecutive at-bats by teammates in a game against Berry College in Rome, Ga.
NAIA rules permit a courtesy runner for the catcher whenever he reaches base. Bostian entered the action for Montreat in the fifth inning to run for the catcher and immediately scored on a single.
As soon as Bostian crossed the plate, he was officially inserted into the game, replacing the runner at first base as a pinch-runner. The next batter doubled, and Bostian scored again.
Two at-bats ó two runs for Bostian. It may not happen again for 20 years.
* Charlotte freshman shortstop Justin Roland (East Rowan) has been out of the lineup in recent weeks after tearing the meniscus in a knee.
– College track
Bellarmine’s Zach Pittman (North Rowan) was eighth in the 400 (52.56 seconds) in the recent Centre Invitational and ran on the fourth-place 4×400 relay team.
In the Hanover Invitational, Pittman was fourth in the 200 (23.28).
* Livingstone’s Bryan Aycoth (West Rowan) was fifth in the javelin (146 feet, 10 inches) at the J.C. Smith Invitational.
* Tim Handy (Salisbury) ran on Livingstone’s third-place 4×100 relay unit (44.74) at J.C. Smith.
– Women’s basketball
Catawba senior Brittany Higgins was named to the North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association All-State women’s basketball second team.
– Minor leagues
The Kannapolis Intimidators lost 2-1 at Lexington (Ky.) on Monday. Kannapolis scored in the ninth on a wild pitch and had the tying run at third when it made the final out.
Garrett Johnson took the loss for the Intimidators (3-2), working five innings and giving up two earned runs.
* Asheville’s Christian Friedrich, a first-round draft pick by Colorado last summer, combined with two relievers on a one-hitter and beat the Intimidators 5-0 on Sunday.
* Baltimore’s top pitching prospect Chris Tillman led the Norfolk Tides to a 7-0 victory over the Charlotte Knights on Monday.
* Ft. Myers lefty Spencer Steedley (East Rowan) allowed two hits but no runs in an inning of work Monday in a 5-3 loss to Port Charlotte.
* New Britain right-hander Zach Ward (A.L. Brown) pitched around two walks and worked 11/3 scoreless innings Monday in a 10-6 loss to Portland.
– GARS outing
GARS members played golf at Lexington Country Club on a wet Monday.
Butch Adams paced ‘A’ Flight players with a net of 67.75. Leading ‘B’ players was Dick Hatoway with a net of 63.79. Top ‘C’ player was Norman Schenk with a net of 66.01. Leading ‘D’ golfers was Clete Beaubein with a net of 66.67.
– McCanless Couples
The McCanless Couples opened their season with nine holes on Sunday.
Gene and Mary Seaford finished first. Yvonne Barger and Brenda Mosely took second place. Gene Seaford made the longest putt.