From staff reports
Carson’s girls basketball team never recovered from a slow start and lost to Hickory Ridge, 61-35, in a South Piedmont Conference semifinal on Wednesday.
Carson trailed 18-3 after the first quarter. The game was played at Cox Mill.
Olivia Gabriel scored 15 points for Carson. McKenzie Gadson had five.
Sydney Miller scored 15 for the Bulls. Jiera Shears and Stacia Means had 10 apiece.
The second-seeded Ragin’ Bulls (22-3) beat the third-seeded Cougars (15-11) for the third time and advanced to Friday’s championship game against top-seeded West Rowan.
Hickory Ridge 61, Carson 35

CARSON (35)
Gabriel 15, Gadson 5, Turney 4, Taylor 3, Furr 3, Wiggins 3, Ketchie 2, Street, Shumaker, Fesperman.
HICKORY RIDGE (61)
Miller 15, Spears 10, Means 10, Jones 7, Scott 6, McManimen 5, Daniel 4, Neal 4.

Carson 3 17 7 8 — 35
Hickory Ridge 18 19 18 6 — 61

Prep hoops

North Rowan’s girls play Salisbury tonight at Lexington at 6 p.m. in a CCC semifinal.
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Davie’s boys lost 101-66 to Mount Tabor in a CPC semifinal played at North Davidson on Wednesday.
Jordan McDaniel led the War Eagles with 16 points.

College softball
Catawba won 3-0 in the first game of a doubleheader at Belmont Abbey on Wednesday.
Gina Gerone had two doubles and two RBIs. Carley Tysinger struck out 10.
Samantha Jacobs (North Rowan) pitched four innings for Belmont Abbey, struck out four and allowed one earned run.
Katherine Starnes (South Rowan) had a hit for Belmont Abbey.
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Catawba won the second game 6-4. Ashley Wagoner had three hits. Holli Chandler and Kristen Stinnard had two hits. Preston Ellenburg was the winning pitcher.
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Kaleigh Troutman (East Rowan) hit a home run for Pfeiffer in a 4-2 loss to UNC Pembroke on Wednesday.

Prep baseball
The Greater Cabarrus Homeschool Stallions opened with a 4-0 win against the Carolina Royals. Tyler Hartsell had a triple. Hunter Shepherd and Seth Cauble doubled.
Sawyer Strickland pitched six strong innings, allowing two hits and striking out six. McConner Wallace pitched the seventh.