From staff reports

Catawba’s baseball team won 5-4 and 7-2 against Coker on Saturday in Hartsville, S.C.

Kyle Smith keyed the SAC sweep with clutch hits for the Indians (26-5, 16-3)  in both games.

Smith drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh in the opener and had a two-run triple to break a tie in the seventh in the nightcap.

Luke Setzer had three hits in the opener. Smith and Will Albertson had two hits each, and Blake Houston drove in two runs.

Shaefer Shepard (7-1) was the winning pitcher. He worked into the seventh. Sean Grant got four key outs before Ryan McClintock notched his fifth save.

• In the nightcap, T.J. Wharton had three hits, including two doubles. Chance Bowden drove in two runs. Smith, Bowden and Craig Brooks had two hits each.

Connor Johnson started and pitched into the sixth. Bryan Blanton won the seven-inning contest in relief.

Prep track

Carson junior Zachary Marchinko  was invited to run in a special  event  at N.C. State called Raleigh Relays.

Marchinko was ranked 19th out of 21 invited runners from six states in the 3200 meters. He finished 11th in  a personal record 9:26 —  a  Rowan County record

• Carson recently swept a meet against SPC opponents. Carson’s boys scored 98 points to top Cox Mill (86), Central Cabarrus (38) and South Rowan (32).

Carson winners were Garrett Ingold in the 1600 (4:57), Marchinko in the 3200 (10:23), Nick Cox in the 400 (51.94 seconds), Tyler Mason in the discus (133 feet, 6 inches) and shot put (41-11) and Dillon Lowder in the pole vault. Carson won the 4×800.

South Rowan winners were Dustin Jenkins in the 800 (2:15.40) and Lavon Hill in the high jump (6-0).

• Carson’s girls won with 93 points, topping Cox Mill (73), Central Cabarrus (53) and South Rowan (42).

Carson winners included Maddie Pait in the high jump (4-7), Chloe Kirkpatrick in the pole vault (9-6), Sara Gunter in the shot put (27-7) and Caitlyn Blais in the triple jump (29-10).

South Rowan’s Dakotah Lambert won the 100 hurdles (18.04) and 300 hurdles (57.14).

•  The Rowan County Meet is scheduled for April 14 at East Rowan.

Prep tennis

Carson’s boys won 6-3 against West Rowan for their third straight victory.

Marshall Wood, Graham Purcell, Dante Syahavong and Lucas Sides won in singles.

Doubles winners for the Cougars were Wood-Purcell and Jordan Stoyanov-Chris Martin.

Prep golf

A.L. Brown shot 200 and finished fourth in a MECKA golf match hosted by Vance at Tradition.

McKinley Brown’s 48 led the Wonders.

Hough placed four golfers in the 30s and won with a score of 150.

Prep football

A.L. Brown announced its 2015 football schedule.

The four non-conference games are Concord (home, Aug. 21), South Rowan (road, Aug. 28),  Northwest Cabarrus (road, Sept. 4) and Mooresville (home, Sept. 11).

The Mooresville game will be Military Appreciation Night. After an open date on Sept. 18, the Wonders will open MECKA play at North Meck.

   

College baseball

Pfeiffer (20-13) won 7-5 at Erskine on Friday. Ethan Greene allowed 11 hits but struck out seven and went the distance.

• UNC Wilmington’s Andy Austin (East Rowan) homered in a 6-5 win against Towson on Friday.

MLB

Whit Merrifield (Davie), a 26-year-old second baseman who starred at South Carolina, has played in 13 games for the Kansas City Royals in Spring Training and is 5-for-16.

• Jerry Sands (Catawba) is batting .343 for the Cleveland Indians in Spring Training.

• New York Mets reliever Bobby Parnell (East Rowan) was clocked at 92 mph on Wednesday and continues his comeback from Tommy John surgery. Parnell is expected to start the season on the DL, but he  could be ready to pitch for the Mets by mid-April. His recovery is  ahead of schedule.

Salisbury Academy

Salisbury Academy’s girls soccer team defeated Sacred Heart 3-0.

Sydney Hlavacek scored the first goal.  Morgan Jeter scored on Ellen Simons’ assist.

Katie Leckonby and Annabel Barr were defensive standouts for the Jaguars.

Sacred Heart

Sacred Heart’s baseball team won 15-0 against Salisbury Academy. Lefty Jack Fisher pitched a four-inning no-hitter on 58 pitches and struck out 10.

Jack Fisher, Blaine Shellhorn, Zach Robinette, Luke Holland and catcher  Reilly Ploplis led the offense.

• Sacred Heart’s boys tennis team lost to Concordia 7-2.  Ben Childress won in singles. The team of Childress-Sean Archer won a doubles match.

• Sacred Heart’s coed golf team shot 207 and beat Immaculate Heart of Mary (220).

Leaders for Sacred Heart were Childress (48) and Luke Graeber (51).

• Sacred Heart golf came up short against Salisbury Academy. Salisbury Academy posted a 170 score to Sacred Heart’s 188.  Sacred Heart’s leaders were Childress (41) and Graeber (43).

• Sacred Heart’s soccer team lost 8-3 at St. Pius Catholic of Greensboro. Caroline Cardelle had a hat trick.

North Hills

The North Hills middle school girls volleyball team beat Success Institute  25-13, 25-6 and 25-7.

Colby Edmonds had 22 aces for the Eagles.

• The North Hills elementary school girls  defeated Covenant Classical  25-27, 25-14 and  15-6  and 25-17, 25-16 in a volleyball doubleheader. Elizabeth Jones had 15 aces and five kills.

• North Hills varsity golf defeated Mountain Island Charter School  211-220.  Nolan Parrish led the Eagles with a 45.

• North Hills golf won 239-252 against Carolina Christian. Parrish shot 53.

• The  North Hills varsity flag football team rallied from a 14-0 deficit to defeat Mountain Island Charter  46-38.

• North Hills  varsity softball defeated Mountain Island Charter 12-10. Carrie Morgan went 2-for-2 and scored 3 runs. Cassie Profit had two hits and scored two runs.

• North Hills softball won 18-8 vs. Challenger Early College. Profit went 3-for-3 with two doubles.

Local golf

Corbin Hills   is  looking for boys and girls, ages 10-14,  for a  Jr. Golf League team.

The cost is $150 and includes practice and competition fees, team shirts and balls. Visit the PGA Junior League website or contact Jay Hill, PGA, at 704-636-0672 or 704-245-4948.

There will be a meeting at Corbin Hills  Wednesday, April 1, at 6:30 p.m. for registration.