From staff reports

GRANITE QUARRY — East Rowan’s baseball team led early, 7-0, and eventually pulled out an 8-7 win in eight innings against Cox Mill in a season opening baseball game at Staton Field on Wednesday.

Jake Hunter dominated for the first four innings and struck out 12 batters, but the Chargers came back against East’s bullpen.

Charlie Klingler had two hits and two RBIs for the Mustangs. Bryson Wagner drove in two runs. Jake Davis scored two runs.

Freshman Cameron Padgett pitched the top of the eighth and was the winning pitcher.

Hunter drove in the deciding run in the bottom of the eighth.

CJ Hassel drove in five runs for the Chargers.

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LANDIS — South Rowan defeated East Davidson  6-4 in a Central Carolina Conference game played on Wednesday.

South led 4-0 early, only to see East Davidson come back for a 4-all tie with a parade of walks.

Jack Weaver led South’s offense with two hits and drove in a run. Drew Huffman had a two-run triple. Kory Moss had a double and knocked in a run.

Reliever Andrew Furr won it.

Weaver struck out four  and earned a save.

“Scary to start the season with a conference game,” South coach Thad Chrismon said. “We walked too many, but we pulled it out, and a win is a win.”

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CONCORD — West Rowan took a season-opening 8-4 win against Robinson in a game moved to Robinson because of field conditions in Mount Ulla.

Steven Smith went 4-for-4, doubled  and knocked in three runs.

JT Fecteau had two RBIs. Daniel Durham scored twice. Payne Stolsworth and Jake Perez smacked doubles.

On the mound, hard-throwing Cullen Davis pitched four innings for the win and fanned nine.

Collin Auten had two hits for Robinson.

West took the lead early and out-hit the Bulldogs, 9-7.

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THOMASVILLE — Blaine Shellhorn drove in six runs as Salisbury (2-0, 1-0) routed Thomasville at Finch Field on Wednesday, 15-2, in Central Carolina Conference action.

Shellhorn and Bo Rusher homered.

Rusher had a huge day, 3-for-3 with four RBIs.

Winning pitcher Parker Lippard, Jack Fisher and Max Crawford had two hits each. Vance Honeycutt had two RBIs.

Salisbury had a 6-0 lead after two innings and pounded out 13 hits.

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MOCKSVILLE — New Davie County coach Brad Rudisill had a successful debut, as the War Eagles beat Carson, 5-1, in his first game.

East Carolina signee Carson Whisenhunt was the winning pitcher. He struck out nine and got relief help from Jacob Campbell, who fanned four.

Cole Hales pitched well for Carson but took the loss.

Ryan Street drove in the only run for the Cougars.

Hales, Street and Deacon Wike had hits for the Cougars.

Aaron Williams swung a big bat for Davie with a double and a triple. Hunter Bowles also had two hits.

HS softball

CHINA GROVE — Carson’s softball team got off to a strong start with a 15-0 win in four innings against South Rowan on Wednesday.

Katie Jewell went 4-for-4 and drove in four runs.

Kaitlyn Honeycutt, Liza Simmerson and Tate Barger drove in two runs each. Katelyn McGee scored three runs.

Jewell was the winning pitcher and struck out seven.

  

College golf

UNC Greensboro’s Nick Lyerly (East Rowan) is the  Southern Conference Player of the Week.

UNCG’s next outing will take place from March 15-17 in Linger Longer in Eatonton, Ga.

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Parker Chavis (South Rowan) helped Cape Fear Community College win the Mars Hill Spring Invitational held in Loris, S.C.

Chavis shot 75-71 in windy conditions and tied for first individually.

Chavis and Cape Fear CCC will compete in the upcoming Richard Rendleman Invitational at the Country Club of Salisbury on March 4-5.

Men’s basketball

Will Leckonby (Salisbury) has made 53 3-pointers for Guilford this season.

Guilford won the ODAC tournament championship game against Randolph-Macon and will play Sewanee on Friday in the first round of the D-III playoffs.

College baseball

Holden Lanier (North Rowan) is batting .321 in eight games for Brevard.

He has three doubles and three RBIs.

College tennis

Catawba’s women’s team won against Lees-McRae, 6-1, on Tuesday.

The men’s team beat the Bobcats, 7-0.

College track

In the SAC Championships in Winston-Salem, both Catawba teams placed fifth.   

Catawba’s MeKayla White took second in the women’s triple jump. Darius Turner was second in the 60-meter dash.

HS volleyball

Carson’s Nancy Gamewell has signed with William Peace University to continue her education and volleyball career.

Gamewell was all-county as a senior for a 26-4 team. She’s also a member of Carson’s 25-2 basketball team.

   

Local golf

Thirty-one GARS members played through water and high winds at Lexington Golf Club.

Low ‘A’ Flight player was Charles Sargent with a net of 67.37.

Low ‘B’ Flight player was Mike Sides with a net of 67.21.

Low ‘C’ Flight player was Tony Labarbera with a net of 69.49.

Low ‘D’ Flight player was Gene Cauble with a net of 64.80.

Low gross score was a 76 shot by Larry Petrea and low net winner was Cauble.

Fishing

Local anglers Harrison McCall and Carson Palmer placed second out of 57 teams in the SAF NC State Championship High School  tournament held at Shearon Harris lake.

They won the NCTBF – SAF  Central/Western Division Tournament Series held at Belews Creek in December and won the   NCTBF-SAF  Central/Western Division Tournament Series on High Rock Lake in February.

They placed second in the SAF High School Fishing State Championship and third in the  Bassmaster high school tournament held on High Rock Lake on Feb. 16

Rowan Little League

Sign up for Rowan Little League softball, baseball and T-ball teams at Godley’s Garden Center through March 2.

Parents can also register online anytime at http://www.rowanlittleleague.com

Contact Jeff Bernhardt at 704-326-5255 for information.