Randleman begins double title defense with rout of Asheboro

Mike Duprez
Randolph Hub 

Coming off its second straight 2-A state baseball championship and losing most of the team to graduation, question marks surrounded the Tigers entering the 2023 campaign. Let’s look at how they kicked the season off and other baseball action from last week:

*Hunter Atkins went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer and 4 RBIs as two-time defending 2-A state champion Randleman opened the season by pounding Asheboro 13-2 in six innings. Riley Edwards was 2-for-3 with 3 RBIs, Chesney Welch was 2-for-2 with 2 RBIs and John Kirkpatrick was 2-for-4. Seth Way got the win, allowing two runs on four hits with nine strikeouts.

Cohen Caviness homered for Asheboro.

*Lemuel Coltrane’s walk-off single in the bottom of the eighth inning lifted Providence Grove to a 7-6 win over Southern Guilford. Joe Coltrane, Josh Ward and Lemuel Coltrane each had two hits and two RBIs for the Patriots. Andrew Thomas tossed three scoreless innings in relief to get the win.

*Jake Parks went 3-for-3 with a double and 3 RBIs as Wheatmore blanked Walkertown 10-0 in five innings. Clay Hill had two hits, including a double, and RBI. Mason Rich also had two hits. Parker Kines threw a one-hitter with 12 strikeouts.

*Walker Wilkins had two hits in Uwharrie Charter’s 6-5 loss to Ledford.

*Caleb McNeill and Grant Kirk each had a hit and RBI in Southwestern Randolph’s 12-2 loss to Southern Alamance.

*Eli Gravely collected three hits, including a double, and four FBIs in Southwestern Randolph’s 12-4 win over Montgomery Central. Tyler Parks had two doubles and two RBIs. Brady Armfield had two doubles and an RBI. Armfield also went 4 2/3 innings in relief, striking out 9, to get the win.

*Wheatmore’s Jonathan Heraldo (3 innings, 1 hit, 1 strikeout) and Mason Rich (4 innings, 1 hit, 10 strikeouts) combined to shut down West Davidson 4-1. Jake Parks and Ayden Byrd each had a hit and two RBIs.

*Lucas Smith had two hits in Eastern Randolph's 5-4 loss to Eastern Guilford. Stratton Barwick allowed two runs on two hits with 10 strikeouts in six innings.

*Caviness went 2 1/3 innings in relief to get the win as Asheboro edged Chatham Central 2-1. Tanner Marsh earned the save. Ben Luck and Marsh each had two hits. Davis Gore and Chandler Macon each had RBI singles. Macon started on the mound and worked four innings, striking out four.