A squib. That’s all it was, just a little dribbler. But the excuse-me single that never left the infield gave Greenville D.H. Conley the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth inning to deflate host Orange 4-3 in the state 3-A baseball semifinals Thursday night.
A South Lenoir error in the seventh inning gave South Granville a 4-3 walk off win Thursday in the opener of the best-of-three state 2-A semifinal softball series. Game 2 is tonight at 7 p.m. in Deep Run, near Kinston. If necessary, the series will be decided with a 2 p.m. match-up at South Granville on Saturday.
Northwood beat Carrboro 9-3 to advance to the state semifinals against North Brunswick in what will be a best-of-three series beginning Friday at 7 p.m. at Northwood. Game 2 is 7 p.m. Saturday at North Brunswick, and Game 3, if needed, would be at 6 p.m. Monday at Northwood.
The win lifted Voyager into the best two-of-three state semifinal round for the second time in the two-year history of the program. The Vikings will host Midway (24-4) in the opener of that Eastern Regional 1-A championship series on Friday at 7 at Southern High School's Pete Shankle Stadium.
Savannah Tilley’s three-run, first-inning homer and a bit of good fortune late lifted South Granville past Wilson Beddingfield 6-4 on Tuesday and into the best-of-three state 2-A semifinals beginning Thursday.
Dispirited, down three runs and heading into the final two innings, the Orange Panthers’ hope for a comeback win were riding on a sting and a prayer. And Orange relief pitcher Jon Evans came through in storybook fashion, stinging a fastball for a towering grand slam in the bottom of the sixth inning for a 7-5 win over a stunned Eastern Guilford squad that looked to have the game under control Tuesday night.
Durham Academy came oh-so-close to winning a state private schools girls’ lacrosse championship Saturday but ended up losing 11-10 in double overtime to undefeated No. 1 seed Charlotte Country Day 11-10. ... Carrboro tied on last-second goal, falls in OT.
Carrboro loses in 2-A dual-team championship match to undefeated reigning state champion Shelby 5-3. N.C. Science & Math loses to Elkin 5-1.
East Chapel Hill boys' finish 4th, tops among area programs, but area athletes fared better in individual events as Pegah Kamrani (ECH, 3200), Marcus Krah (Hillside, long jump) and Jalen Peterkin (Southern, shot put) won titles.
Sydney Holman’s scoring and playmaking and goalie Reilly Johnson’s 11 huge saves lifted East Chapel Hill to its first NCHSAA girls’ lacrosse championship at WakeMed Soccer Park Saturday. The Wildcats (16-2) led most of the all-classifications title game and never trailed by more than one goal, beating Charlotte Catholic 15-13.
Boys' tennis, girls' soccer, baseball, softball, girls' and boys' track and field among teams named ... Also, Conference 4 boys' lacrosse team named
Durham Academy falls in NCISAA girls' soccer, boys' tennis 3-A semifinals ... Orange (3-A), Northwood (2-A) and Carrboro (2-A) all advance in the NCHSAA baseball playoffs.
Junior righthander Loy “Bubba” Stone used his bat to overcome a struggle on the mound Friday, driving in three runs on three hits as Voyager Academy advanced to the fourth round of the state 1-A baseball playoffs. The Vikings got past Roxboro Community 5-2, coming back from a 2-0 deficit early and holding off a late comeback try by the Bulldogs at Southern High School.
Orange County is the capital of NCHSAA 2-A track and field, with Carrboro winning the state girls’ title and Cedar Ridge claiming the boys’ championship Friday at N.C. A&T’s Irwin Belk Track.
N.C. Science & Math, Carrboro, East Chapel Hill and Durham Academy will all be chasing state championships today.
