Season’s top baseball, softball teams advance to third round

Mike Duprez

Randolph Hub

Uwharrie Charter’s 1-A baseball and softball teams, Randleman’s 2-A baseball team and SW Randolph’s 2-A softball team — which dominated their conferences this year — all won their first two state playoff games to advance to this week’s third round. Local soccer teams begin state playoff action this week. 

Here’s a look at those and other highlights from last week. 

BASEBALL

State playoffs, first round

*Seth Way pitched a four-hitter and smashed a tie-breaking solo home run in the bottom of the fifth inning as No. 6 Randleman squeaked past No. 27 West Lincoln 3-2 in the first round of the 2-A state playoffs. The Virginia Tech commit struck out 12 and walked 2. Tate Andrews also walloped a solo home run for the Tigers.

*Samuel Asbill threw a three-hitter and went 2-for-3 with an RBI as No. 19 Eastern Randolph topped No. 14 Corvian Community 4-1 in the first round of the 1-A state playoffs. Lucas Smith had an RBI single and Rayden West also drove in a run.

*Caleb Coggins smashed a grand slam and No. 22 Wheatmore upset No. 11 Madison 9-4 in the first round of the 2-A state playoffs. Clay Hill had three hits and three stolen bases. Sean Jennison had an RBI double and pitched three innings of scoreless relief to get the save. Johnny Heraldo was the winning pitcher.

*Kam Carter had two hits, including a double, in No. 30 Southwestern Randolph’s 11-1 loss to No. 3 Morehead in the first round of the 2-A state playoffs.

*Walker Wilkins was 3-for-3 with a double and four RBIs as No. 2 Uwharrie Charter routed No. 31 Bradford Prep 15-0 in five innings in the first round of the 1-A state playoffs. Caleb Stickle had a pair of doubles and five RBIs. Jake Hunter pitched a two-hitter with 10 strikeouts over four innings. Landon Zephir pitched the fifth inning and retired the side in order.

Other first-round scores:

No. 2 West Henderson 3, No. 31 Asheboro 0

State playoffs, second round

*Caden Lasley and John Kirkpatrick each had two hits and two RBIs as No. 6 Randleman routed PAC rival No. 22 Wheatmore 13-3 in six innings in the second round of the 2-A state playoffs. Braxton Walker was 2-for-3 with an RBI and pitched a scoreless inning in relief. Kai Strickland also had two hits. Jake Riddle scattered six hits with four strikeouts in five innings.

Lukas Usterbowski and Rowan Wagner each had two hits for Wheatmore.

*Brett Smith pitched a two-hitter with eight strikeouts as No. 2 Uwharrie Charter downed No. 18 Polk County 8-1 in the second round of the 1-A state playoffs. Trey Kennedy had a two-run double and Landon Zephir had a two-run single. Wilkins had two hits and an RBI. 

Other second-round scores:

No. 3 Christ the King 8, No. 19 Eastern Randolph 1

SOFTBALL

State playoffs, first round

*Macie Crutchfield fired a dominating one-hitter with 17 strikeouts and no walks as No. 4 Southwestern Randolph blanked No. 29 Walkertown 5-0 in the first round of the 2-A state playoffs. Madelyn Smith had a hit and two RBIs. Kami Dunn was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Crutchfield was 2-for-4 with an RBI.

*Addie Flinchum tossed a five-inning no-hitter with 10 strikeouts as No. 12 Eastern Randolph whipped No. 21 Hiwassee Dam 10-0 in the first round of the 1-A state playoffs. Ayanna Mears had two hits and two RBIs. Ziera Watson doubled in a run while Payton Hill, Trinity Hardin and Julie Haynes delivered RBI singles.

*Kenzie Hill went 3-for-3 with a pair of triples, two RBIs and three stolen bases as No. 1 Uwharrie Charter swamped No. 32 Mitchell 13-3 in six innings in the first round of the 1-A state playoffs. Aubrie Kaufman was 3-for-4 with a double and 2 RBIs. Mollie Bulla pitched a no-hitter over five innings with 12 strikeouts while smashing a home run in a 2-for-2 game at the plate. Katelyn West had a hit and two RBIs.

*Kaylie St. John smashed two home runs and had four RBIs in No. 19 Randleman’s 6-5 loss to No. 14 Mount Pleasant in the first round of the 2-A state playoffs.

Other first-round scores:

No. 6 West Stokes 10, #27 Providence Grove 0

No. 3 Maiden 12, No. 30 Wheatmore 1

State playoffs, second round

*Crutchfield tossed a six-hitter with nine strikeouts as No. 4 Southwestern Randolph blanked No. 13 McMichael 4-0 in the second round of the 2-A state playoffs. Alyssa Harris and Micah Wilson each had a hit and RBI. Dunn had two RBIs.

*Bulla threw a three-hitter with 11 strikeouts as No. 1 Uwharrie Charter beat No. 16 Swain County 7-1 in the second round of the 1-A state playoffs. Hill was 2-for-4 with 3 RBIs. Emory Johnson went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Ryley Thompson had two hits and an RBI. Jayla Hurley was 2-for-2. 

Other second-round scores:

No. 5 Cherryville, 3, No. 12 Eastern Randolph 2.

SOCCER             

*Rylee Stover and Taryn Waugh each scored three goals in Providence Grove’s 9-0 win over Eastern Randolph. Sarah Majors, Noelle Swaim and Patience Keller got the other goals. Sarah Hendrix and Waugh each had an assist.

*Ellie Garrison scored three goals as Wheatmore held off Uwharrie Charter 5-4. Bri Hill had the other two goals. Natalie Bowman had two assists and Lucy Lockwood made eight saves.

Kendall Jarrell scored two goals for Uwharrie Charter while Jazmin Palma had one. Lily Charlesworth and Palma had assists. Alexis Marion made 15 saves.

*Annissa Goldston, Gigi Flores and Penny Smith scored the goals in Asheboro’s 3-0 win over Ledford. Bridgett Diaz Lopez and Flores each had an assist. Carlisle Dozier made 16 saves.

*Noelle Swaim and Stover each scored two goals as Providence Grove made history by defeating Wheatmore 5-3 in double overtime. It was Wheatmore’s first conference loss in five years. Anaeli Puente Garza scored the other goal. 

Garrison scored two goals for Wheatmore and Hill had one. Natalie Bowman had an assist and Lockwood made nine saves.

*Smith and Arellano each scored two goals in Asheboro’s 4-0 win over Montgomery Central to close out the regular season. Josellin Carbajal, Abby Becker and Chloe Chanmaly each had an assist. Dozier made four saves.

*Charlesworth and Palma both scored two goals in Uwharrie Charter’s 6-0 win over Southwestern Randolph. Macy Hartley and Jarrell each had one goal. Reese Craven and Palma each had two assists. Charlesworth had an assist. 

GOLF

*Wheatmore’s Ryan Marshall was third in the 2-A Midwest Regional with a 75 at the Country Club of Salisbury. Marshall qualified for the state tournament as an individual.

BOYS TRACK AND FIELD

*Randleman’s Chase Farlow won the high jump with a mark of 6 feet, 8 inches in the 2-A Midwest Regional.

*Asheboro’s Lance Everhart was a double winner in the 3-A Midwest Regional, taking the long jump and pole vault. He was also second in the high jump.