From staff reports
Salisbury’s baseball team rolled to a 16-8 CCC win against Thomasville at Finch Field on a wild Friday night that ended with four teams tied for first place with 3-1 conference records.
“Once we got up 11-1, we just turned it on cruise control and thought we could coast,” Salisbury coach Scott Maddox said. “To Thomasville’s credit, they battled and closed the gap. We just can’t do that if we want to seriously contend for the conference title. You have to play every inning of every game.”
Philip Tonseth (3-for-5, four RBIs), Brian Bauk (2-for-4, three RBIs), Kyle Wolfe (2-for-3, three runs), Scott Van der Poel (2-for-2, three runs) and Spencer Carmichael (3-for-3, four RBIs) had big offensive nights for the Hornets (6-4).
Clint Veal pitched 52/3 i innings and was credited with the win. Thomasville scored five times in the sixth to close the gap some. With Veal pitching, Nathan Foster got his first varsity start behind the plate and performed well. Chance Bowden nailed down the final four outs.
See Sunday’s edition for the boxscore.
Salisbury welcomes North Rowan to Robertson Stadium this afternoon at 3:30 p.m.
n NPC frontrunner East Rowan probably set county records and maybe some world records by racking up 60 runs in a doubleheader with last-place Statesville.
East won 33-3 in four innings and 27-0 in five. The Mustangs didn’t hit a home run. Their attack was mostly singles and walks.
Technically, all the runs weren’t scored on Friday. The opener was the completion of a game suspended by weather. It resumed with the Mustangs leading 13-0.
Jared Mathis pitched three no-hit innings in the nightcap.
The resume game did not count toward head coach Brian Hightower’s two-game hiatus after he was tossed from Wednesday’s game at Carson. The second game did.
Hightower also will have to sit out next week’s home game with North Davidson. Assistant Brian Hatley will guide the Mustangs.
If available, the boxscores will appear in Sunday’s edition. They may take up a few pages.
n Davie rallied from an early deficit to beat Mount Tabor 9-5 for a CPC victory.
Alex Newman had two hits. Newman and Connor Bodenhamer drove in two runs apiece.
Ryan Foster got it done on the mound. He fanned 10 and walked one.
n South Rowan center fielder Tyler Kowalczyk is headed to St. Andrews. A story is upcoming.
n West Davidson’s Gary Ferguson shut out East Davidson 15-0. Tyler Hudson hit a grand slam.
n Central Davidson beat Lexington 12-2. Landon Clark pitched a two hitter, and Ethan Concord drove in four runs.
n Prep football
Carson running back Shaun Warren was named to the MaxPreps All-America first team offense for medium-sized schools.
Warren, headed to Western Carolina, rushed 388 times for 2,967 yards and 31 touchdowns as a senior and finished his career as Rowan County’s No. 2 all-time rusher.
n Prep softball
Sydney Poole pitched East Rowan to an easy 21-1 NPC win against Statesville on Friday.
n Also in the NPC, second-place North Iredell edged West Iredell 8-6.
n Prep basketball
Cristie Patterson Mitchell has been named the new girls basketball coach at South Mecklenburg. She began her coaching career at Olympic before a long stint at Waddell.
As a player, Mitchell topped 1,000 points at St. Andrews and twice made all-conference.
A North Rowan graduate, Patterson averaged 15.9 points for the Cavaliers in 1992-93 and scored 680 points in three varsity seasons. She was a second team all-county pick in 1993.
n Gardner-Webb signee Jessica Heilig (Salisbury) was MVP of the Charlotte Pro-Am Classic and led Salisbury coach Chris McNeil’s East all-stars to a 63-52 win.
Heilig had 13 points and six rebounds. Salisbury’s Olivia Rankin, had 16 points and seven boards, while Ayanna Holmes had seven points, seven rebound and five assists. Rankin and Holmes will be Charlotte 49ers.
n Prep track
In Thursday’s track meet at South Rowan involving the four Rowan NPC schools, winners for South were Hannah Houston in the 1600 (6:01) and 3200 (13:44) and LaQuasha Littlejohn in the shot put (31 feet, 10 inches).
East winners were Ashley Brown in the discus (93-8); Melissa Green in the high jump (4-10), and Jenna Cauble in the 100 hurdles (18.0 seconds) and 300 hurdles (54.0).
West’s Christa Landy won the 100 (12.9) and 200 (26.8).
Carson’s winners were Demya Heggins in the long jump (15-111/4); Jan Sitterson in the triple jump (31-101/4); Jesse Troutman in the pole vault (8-6); Sarrah Holman in the 400 (1:08.8), and Sierra Zemanick in the 800 (2:34).
Carson swept the relays and accumulated 95 points to top East (81.5), South (56) and West (25.5).
n The East track is closed Monday and Tuesday due to the county meet.
n Minor league baseball
Winston-Salem’s Daniel Wagner (South Rowan) opened the season with a 2-for-4 effort, stole a base and scored a run in a 7-6 loss to Kinston.
n The Kannapolis Intimidators were washed out on opening night at Lakewood.
n Jerry Sands (Catawba) had an RBI double for Albuquerque on Friday.
n Hagerstown’s Wade Moore (West Rowan, Catawba) singled in a run and stole a base in a 2-0 win against the Rome Braves on Friday.
n Jackson’s Kyle Seager (NW Cabarrus, UNC) came back from a rare 0-for-4 opening night to go 3-for-5 on Friday. He knocked in all three of Jackson’s runs in a 3-2 win against the Mississippi Braves.
n College baseball
No. 21 Catawba won its 30th game of the season by rallying from an early 3-0 deficit for a 9-4 SAC victory against Carson-Newman on Friday.
The game was played at Smokies Park, the home of the Chicago Cubs’ Double A farm team.
Garrett Furr went 3-for-5 for the Indians (30-8). Brett Underwood had two hits, and Chris Dula knocked in two runs. Josh Hohn and Julio Zubillaga (Carson) had doubles.
Nick Lomascolo (7-1) had another stellar start for the Indians. He allowed five hits and two earned runs in seven innings.
The teams have a doubleheader scheduled today, with the first pitch at 1 p.m.
n College tennis
Catawba’s men’s tennis team edged Pfeiffer 5-4 The Indians are 15-9, while the Falcons are 6-7.
n College softball
Livingstone lost 13-7 and 14-7 to Shaw in CIAA softball played in Raleigh on Thursday.
Shanice Wilcox had four hits and five RBIs in the doubleheader for Livingstone (5-14, 2-13), and Alexis Johnson had three hits.
The Blue Bears battle Morris this afternoon at 2 p.m. at Kelsey Scott Park.
n Middle school soccer
West Rowan’s boys (0-5-1) fell 6-0 to Knox despite a strong game midfield game by Marco Mercado.
n West’s girls won 2-0 against Knox. Josie Heglar had seven shots and scored both goals.
Mariah Pampuch and Taylor Quinn anchored the defense for the Bulldogs (3-2-1).
n A goal by Felix Carillo lifted Knox to a 1-0 win against Corriher-Lipe.
n Middle school tennis
With five players, Knox defeated West Rowan 6-3.
Singles winners for the Trojans were Abraham Post, David Derrick, Robbie Slate and Zane Gray.
Doubles winners were Post-Derrick and Slate-Evan Dunn.
n Middle school golf
West Rowan’s boys defeated Erwin 183-19 at Foxwood on Wednesday. West (1-1) was led by medalist Denny Triche with a 37.
Brandon Stewart shot a 46 for the Bulldogs, while Owen Harrison and Marshall Ball each shot a 50.
Erwin (2-3) was led by Logan Shuping with a 40. Ike Emerson was next with a 52, followed by Ben Rollins and Jacob Durham, each with a 53.
Erwin’s girls had a 237 total. Riley Padgett and Grace Stokes shot 58 and 59, respectively, and Macey Trexler and Kathryn Marcum each shot a 60.
n Salisbury Academy shot 167 and defeated Sacred Heart (186) and North Hills (193) in a match at Rolling Hills. The Jaguars were led by medalist Grace Yatawara (40). She was followed by Isabella Rusher (41), Coleman Bergsma (42), Gabe Steinman (44), Boyd Temple (55) and Robbie Bergstone (59).
n Local golf
In a Women’s Golf Association, Captain’s Choice tournament held at the Country Club of Salisbury, the team of Mechelle Kuld, Cindi Carmazzi, Kim Bost and Gloria Shoaf won with a 72.
Jayne Hubbard, Patty Mason, Pat McGuire and Peggy Carter teamed for an 82 and second place.
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