Sports information submissions and staff reports

SALISBURY — The Catawba Indians hit six home runs in route to their 18-12 South Atlantic Conference baseball win over visiting Newberry. Catawba improves their record to 20-18 overall and 14-5 in the SAC, while Newberry falls to 20-16 and 11-8 in the conference.

Connor Johnson earned his second win of the season for Catawba. He allowed just two runs on seven hits while striking out four over 4.1 innings. Cameron Morrison led the Indians offensively with three hits and seven RBIs. Chance Bowden recorded four hits with two RBIs. Kyle Smith, Luke Setzer, Jackson Raper and Joe Butts each tallied two hits for Catawba.

Newberry plated five runs in the opening half inning of the game, but the Indians responded with seven of their own. Smith led off the bottom half with a home run to right field and Lee Poteat recorded the last three RBIs of the inning on a 3-run homer to left field.

The Wolves tallied three runs on three hits in the second inning. Catawba tacked on five runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 12-8 lead. Newberry added a run and kept the Indians scoreless in the third inning to cut the lead to three to start the fourth inning.

Catawba increased their lead to 15-9 in the bottom of the fourth, scoring three runs on a Morrison home run to left center. Butts homered in the fifth to record another run in the fifth. Newberry plated two runs in the top of the seventh. The Indians answered with their final two runs of the game on three hits in the bottom of the inning.

The Wolves added just one more run in the top of the ninth to make the final score 18-12.

Catawba and Newberry will conclude the series with a rescheduled doubleheader on Sunday beginning at 2 pm.

Intimidators

KANNAPOLIS —  Despite outhitting the BlueClaws, Kannapolis dropped the second game of the season at Intimidators Stadium supported by Atrium Health Friday night, 4-3.

Getting off to a shaky start, RHP Lincoln Henzman surrendered back-to-back hits to begin the second inning, with Quincy Nieporte and Jake Scheiner both coming in to score off a single from Rodolfo Duran to give the BlueClaws a 2-0 lead.

Henzman received some help on the offensive end for Kannapolis (1-1) in the fourth inning, as CF Luis Gonzalez led off the frame with a single. With two outs and Gonzalez now at third base, cleanup hitter Craig Dedelow reached on a throwing error by third baseman Dalton Guthrie, scoring Gonzalez for the I’s first run.

After Henzman cruised through the last three innings of his outing, Kevin Escorcia replaced him on the bump, surrendering two hits and two runs in the seventh inning, digging the Intimidators into a 4-1 hole.

\With a little help from the hot-hitting Tate Blackman, who launched his second home run of the season 397 feet, the Intimidators cut the lead in half in the bottom half of the inning, followed by a sacrifice fly from Gonzalez that scored Mike Hickman, creating a one-run deficit.

But the one run seemed hard to come by when Lakewood (1-1) shut the door on the Intimidators when they brought in Kyle Dohy, who struck out the last five batters of the game.

The Intimidators will host the BlueClaws for the third game of the four-game series Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. with fireworks following the game.

Spring Training

Former Catawba stars Zac Almond (Diamondbacks) and Bryan Blanton (Yankees) are still in Extended Spring Training, along with former Carson star Colton Laws (Blue Jays).

Prep baseball

Nick Tiller and Jackson Perrell had three hits each as North Davidson beat South Rowan, 12-3, in CCC baseball on Friday.

Prep softball

Regan Spencer pitched a three-hitter for North Davidson in Friday’s 2-0 win against North Stokes.

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Civitan all-tournament

West Rowan — Parker Greene, Hannah Pratt and Taylor Walton.

South Rowan — Brooke Lowery, and Ashlyn Plott

Carson — Katie Jewell and Liza Simmerson

Rowan Bulls

The Rowan Bulls dropped their most recent game to the Hampton Roads Warriors, 123-121.

Avery Patterson scored 26 to lead the Bulls. Junior Hairston had 23, Stephen Heggins scored 19, and Tristan Rankin had 15.

Jayvee baseball

West Rowan’s jayvees won 9-3 against Mooresville and 12-2 against Lake Norman.

YMCA Nationals

Salisbury senior Ethan Knorr placed 12th in the 400 IM in 3:59.24. He was 12th in the 200 backstroke in 1:48.86.

Salisbury freshman Emily Knorr was 14th in the 1000 free in 10:10.17.