Friday’s baseball

South Rowan provided the biggest surprise as the Raiders won at Oak Grove, 5-4, in Central Carolina Conference action.

Oak Grove was coming off a huge non-conference win against Davie County, a nationally ranked team, and had also handled South by a 6-1 score on Tuesday.

South (3-6, 3-5) has played a difficult early schedule in the CCC, with two games each against Oak Grove, North Davidson and Ledford, a trio regarded as the league’s top teams.

Splitting with Oak Grove was big. South, which dropped two  one-run games to North Davidson and played one competitive game with Ledford, has a great chance to move up in the CCC standings in the weeks ahead.

Andrew Jones had the key hit for the Raiders, a two-run double in the fifth that turned a 3-2 deficit into a 4-3 lead.

South made it 5-3 in the sixth when Drew Huffman raced home from third on Eli Hiskey’s bunt.

Winner Jarrid Nelson provided a strong start, taking the game into the sixth inning. Jack Weaver relieved and got the last out in the sixth with two men on base.

Oak Grove loaded the bases with one out in the seventh, but  Weaver got the second out on a run-scoring groundout and, with runners at second and third, got the game-ending out on a fly ball to Hiskey in left field.

South is scheduled to play A.L. Brown at home this afternoon.

The Raiders host West Davidson on Tuesday.

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Carson just keeps winning and handled North Iredell, 5-0.

The Cougars (8-1, 2-0) won their eighth in a row and are tied for first in the North Piedmont Conference with South Iredell.

Deacon Wike (3-0) tossed the shutout for the Cougars. He held North Iredell to four hits.

Luke Barringer homered for the Cougars. Cole Hales had two hits and scored twice. Jake Harris also had two hits.

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Salisbury secured a strong Central Carolina Conference win, beating Central Davidson, 3-0, to split the season series.

Jack Fisher (win) and Parker Lippard (save) teamed up to shut down the Spartans’ offense. They struck out 12.

Gardner-Webb signee Bo Rusher made some noise for the Hornets at the plate with a double and his second homer of the season.

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North Rowan is still searching for its first win after losing 13-2 to North Stanly in Yadkin Valley Conference action.

Logan Stoner had a couple of hits for the Cavaliers (0-8, 0-6). Chase Shoaf and Kaleb Burleson had RBIs. Bryan Lawson took the loss.

Brody Lawson had three hits for North Stanly (9-1, 6-0), which is tied for first place. Drew Little had two doubles. Carson Lowder was the winning pitcher.

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Davie got back on track after its first loss and whipped R.J. Reynolds in a Central Piedmont Conference game, 11-0.

Spencer Nifong fired a one-hitter in the five-inning game and  fanned eight.

Garrett Chandler and Anthony Azar had two hits each for the War Eagles (10-1, 2-0). Joe Johnson knocked in two.

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A.L. Brown lost a home South Piedmont Conference game to Central Cabarrus, 7-3.

Joe Muhonen was strong on the mound for the Vikings. Jack Swan drove in two runs.

Colby Teal had two hits for the Wonders (3-6, 1-6), who got a triple from Caleb Beaver and a double from Matt Shubert.

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Michael Lewis drove in four runs as Cox Mill shelled Concord in a South Piedmont Conference game, 11-1. Zach Zedalis was strong on the mound. Cam Lowke drove in three runs, and CJ Hassell stayed hot at the plate with a 2-for-2 effort.

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Jacob Foggin drove in three runs and Michael Gracer was solid on the mound as Northwest Cabarrus beat Robinson in South Piedmont Conference action, 8-1.

Thursday’s track

Josh Parks won the 400, the triple jump, the high jump and the 110 hurdles to lead A.L. Brown’s track and field team to a win over Carson, Concord and Cox Mill.

Jalen Neal took the 100 for the Wonders, who also took two relay events.

Carson got wins from Christian Turner in the 300 hurdles and Teolyn Woodruff in the shot put.

Carson’s Iyonna Parker won the girls shot put.