Area Sports: Downs scores 20, but Catawba loses in semis

Published 2:53 am Sunday, March 6, 2022

From staff reports

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Catawba’s women’s basketball team couldn’t overcome a cold-shooting afternoon and lost to Carson-Newman 66-58 in the semifinals of the South Atlantic Conference Tournament on Saturday.

Third-seeded Catawba (23-6) shot 26.5 percent and went 4-for-24 from 3.

Janiya Downs (South Rowan) scored 20 for the Indians, went 8-for-8 on free throws and made five steals. Lyrik Thorne scored 18, and Shemya Stanback (A.L. Brown) added 10.

Second-seeded Carson-Newman overcame 26 turnovers to win the rubber match between the teams.

Carson-Newman (25-5) got 18 points from Campbell Penland.

The Eagles will play fourth-seeded Anderson for the championship. Anderson knocked off No. 1 seed Wingate 76-69, despite 20 points by Wingate’s Bryanna Troutman (Salisbury).

Catawba baseball

SALISBURY — Catawba split Saturday’s doubleheader with Queens at Newman Park and took the SAC series two games to one.

Dylan Wilkinson’s grand slam keyed  6-5 Catawba victory. Trent Montgomery won in relief. Robbie Cowie notched his third save.

Queens banged out 13 hits to win 11-4 in the nightcap. Carlos Lara hit a two-run homer for the Indians.

Catawba softball

Catawba dropped a non-conference doubleheader to Emmanuel Saturday, losing 8-1 and 9-3.

Courtnee Carter homered for the Indians in the first game. Brittany Ireland slugged a two-run homer in the nightcap.

HS baseball

Northwest Cabarrus’ Tanner Kaler pitched a perfect game in Saturday’s 6-0 win against A.L. Brown.

Kaler struck out 19 Wonders. Jacob Allen led the Trojans’ offense with two hits and two RBIs.