Alex Nianouris won twice on Friday in the North Carolina Amateur Match Play Championship of the Carolinas being played in Raleigh.
The fifth-seeded Nianouris (Salisbury, Davidson) won 2 and 1 against Raleigh’s Harrison Rhoades in the Round of 32 and beat Fayetteville’s Gary Robinson 6 and 4 in the Round of 16.
Nianouris plays against Burlington’s Blair Bowland, the 20th seed, in the quarterfinals today at 8:10 a.m.
No. 3 seed Roy Dixon III (Salisbury, UNC Greensboro) lost 3 and 2 in the Round of 32 to Pinehurst’s George Kilgore.
Two players who had outstanding careers at West Rowan have signed with Eastern Arizona College this summer.
Running back Dinkin Miller and defensive lineman Emmanuel Gbunblee will play for the purple and gold Gila Monsters, who are based in Thatcher, Arizona.
Miller rushed for 211 yards and was MVP of the 2010 3A state championship game. He’s third all-time in Rowan County in career rushing yards.
Miller has been on the Gardner-Webb roster, while Gbunblee played at Brevard.

New York Mets closer Bobby Parnell (East Rowan) wasn’t available for Friday night’s opener against the Kansas City Royals, and his status for the weekend is unknown as he deals with a stiff neck.
“Bobby has seen the doctor,” Mets manager Terry Collins said Friday. “He has gotten some medication to quiet this area down, see if we can get those muscles to relax a little bit. He will be re-examined on Monday.
“He is not available Friday, and probably Saturday but maybe Sunday.”
David Aardsma is expected to handle closing duties.
• Kyle Seager (NW Cabarrus) went 1-for-3 in Seattle’s loss to Baltimore on Friday.
Seager is batting .300 with 17 homers and 51 RBIs.
John J. Tuttle (A.L. Brown, Catawba) won his ninth straight game on Wednesday when the Asheboro Copperheads beat the Columbia Blowfish 8-3.
Tuttle pitched five innings. He struck out five, walked two and allowed two earned runs.
• Blake Houston (South Rowan, Catawba) is batting .255 with seven RBIs.
Houston hasn’t made an error in 15 games in the outfield and he’s 6-for-7 on steals. He’s walked eight times while striking out only five.
Corey Seager (NW Cabarrus) hit his 12th homer of the season for the Great Lake Loons on Thursday. Seager is batting .309 with 18 doubles and 57 RBIs.
• On Friday, the Kannapolis Intimidators lost 11-7 at Hagerstown.
Jacob May and Brent Tanner homered for the Intimidators, who let a three-run lead slip away.