Month: March 2022

Connor Crabtree: The Richmond men’s basketball team is headed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011. The Spiders upset top-seeded Davidson 64-62 in the Atlantic 10 Tournament Championship game at Capitol One Arena in Washington, D.C on Sunday. Crabtree scored two points in six minutes. In the semifinals, the Spiders knocked off Dayton 68-64 on Saturday. Crabtree played two minutes for the Spiders. On Friday, Richmond upset VCU 75-64. Crabtree played one minute against the Rams. In the opening round, Richmond held off Rhode Island 64-59 on Thursday. Crabtree played eleven minutes against the Rams. He scored three points on 3-of-5 shooting from the foul line. Richmond earned an 11-seed on Selection Sunday. They will face Big 10 Tournament champion Iowa at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo on Thursday.

Joey McMullin: The season ended for the Sandhills Community College Flyers in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III National Tournament in Rockford, IL. In the opening round of the Joliet Junior College defeated Sandhills 77-49. McMullin shot 2-of-7 from the field and scored four points in 20 minutes. He also grabbed fiver rebounds. In the consolation game, the Community College of Philadelphia outscored Sandhills 100-96. McMullin led the Flyers with 25 points in the loss. He shot 10-of-18 from the field. He also grabbed four rebounds. Philadelphia came back to win after hitting 12 3-pointers. Sandhills ends the season 26-9.

Joey Berini: The East Carolina Pirates baseball team earned a weekend series win over Saint Mary’s College. On Sunday in the opening game of a doubleheader, the Gales edged the Pirates 6-5. Berini reported into the game in the fifth inning after the Pirates fell behind 6-0. He played 2nd base and went 1-for-2 with a walk. Berini singled in the ninth inning. On Wednesday, the Pirates defeated Radford 7-5 at Carter Memorial Stadium in Radford, VA. Berini entered the game as a reserve, played 2nd base and went 0-for-1.

Dante DeFranco: After redshirting in 2021, former Cedar Ridge and Orange shortstop Dante DeFranco recently saw his first action for the Charlotte 49ers baseball team. On February 25, West Virginia held off the 49ers 5-4 at Hayes Stadium in Charlotte. DeFranco entered the game in the fifth inning as a pinch hitter. He went 0-for-2. He went on to play third base. On March 5, DeFranco scored his first run as the 49ers demolished Western Illinois 29-4. DeFranco came into the game as a pinch runner in the sixth inning. He scored off a single by Hunter Baker. DeFranco remained in the game at third base and went 0-for-2 at the plate. On Sunday, DeFranco entered the game against Appalachian State as a reserve and played 3rd base. The Mountaineers defeated the 49ers 9-7 in 12 innings.

Brandon Andrews: After a season at Jacksonville State, former Cedar Ridge all-conference player Brandon Andrews has returned to Nicholls State, where he spent the first three seasons of his college career. Andrews has already made five pitching appearances this season for the Colonels. On February 18, he threw one inning of shutout ball in a 12-1 loss to Missouri at Didler Field in Thibodaux, LA. On Friday, Louisiana-Monroe outscored Nicholls State 10-8. Andrews threw the final two inning and didn’t surrender any runs. He struck out two and surrendered two hits. On March 6, Memphis defeated Nicholls 9-6 at FedEx Park. Andrews tossed one shutout inning, conceding one hit.

Landon Riley: The #14 Liberty baseball team split a two-game series against Campbell over the weekend. On Friday, the Camels shutout the Flames 7-0 at Worthington Field in Lynchburg, VA. Riley threw the eighth inning, shutting out Campbell. He gave up just one walk. The Flames are 12-2.

Phillip Berger: Berger earned the win as the Division III William Peace baseball team defeated #14 Adrian College 9-7 at Truist Point in Greensboro on Sunday. Berger threw six innings and gave up just one run. He struck out five while conceding five hits and one walk. Berger is now 4-2 this season with a 3.45 ERA. The Pacers are 10-6.

Will Walker: The Pitt Community College baseball team defeated Camp Community College 18-1 in Greenville on Sunday. Walker drove in a run by walking with the bases loaded. He finished 1-for-3 with two runs scored. On Sunday in the opening game of the doubleheader, Camp Community College defeated Pitt CC 13-2. Walker went 1-for-2 with a walk.

Cooper Porter: Gulf Coast State College defeated Pensacola State 7-2 on Thursday. Pensacola’s Cooper Porter played shortstop and went 0-for-2 with an RBI.

Mia Davidson: The Mississippi State softball team knocked off #3 Florida 1-0 at KSP Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Sunday. Davidson went 0-for-2 with a walk. On Saturday, the Gators defeated the Bulldogs 8-4 in the opening game of the series. Mia scored the opening run of the game on a wild pitch. She went 1-for-3 with a walk. On Wednesday, the Bulldogs crushed North Alabama 10-2 in five innings at Nusz Park in Starkville, MS. In the first inning, Davidson hit a two-run blast to put the Bulldogs ahead. Davidson became the 13th player in NCAA softball history to hit 80 career home runs. She finished 2-for-3 with 5 RBIs, one short of her career high.

Montana Davidson: Montana appeared as a pinch hitter in Saturday’s loss to Florida.

Tori Dalehite: The UNC Greensboro softball team went 3-1 during the Spartan Classic over the weekend at UNCG Softball Stadium. On Thursday, Michigan State defeated the Spartans 7-2. Dalehite appeared in the game as a pinch runner. On Sunday, Dalehite started in right field as the Spartans defeated Delaware State 8-0. Dalehite went 0-for-2. The Spartans’ Reese Byrd threw a no-hitter. UNCG is 15-8.

It was a bumpy but ultimately successful ride for the Orange softball team in its trip to Chatham Central on Monday night. The Lady Panthers prevailed over the Bears 6-5 in Bear Creek, nearly an hour from Hillsborough. After the Bears got a grand slam from freshman Carleigh Warf put Chatham Central ahead 4-2 at the end of two innings, the Panthers chipped away at the lead. Senior third baseman Mary Moss Wirt had the biggest hits of the game. In the third, she laced a leadoff double to right field and scored off another double by Kelsey Tackett to cut the Bears lead to 4-3. In the fourth, Orange scored three runs to take the lead. Wirt hit an RBI single to right field to bring in Caden Robinson and tie the game. Delaney Shaffer knocked Wirt in wit a line drive to centerfield as Orange took the lead for good. Caden Robinson earned the win in the circle, throwing a complete game. Junior shortstop Carson Bradsher went 2-for-3 and had several important defensive plays. Orange is scheduled to host Vance Charter on Wednesday. They will open Central Carolina Conference play on Friday with another trip to Chatham County to face Northwood.

Will Walker: The Pitt Community College baseball team defeated Southeastern Community College 11-1 on Sunday in Greenville. Walker slammed a two-run homer in the second inning. Walker, a freshman, went 1-for-3 with two RBIs. On Saturday, Walker went 3-for-3 with five RBIS, hitting two home runs as the Bulldogs defeated the Rams 11-1. Walker hit a three-run homer in the first inning to put the Bulldogs ahead 4-1. He also led off the third inning with a solo blast. In the sixth inning, Walker lined a double to left field to score Shea Ward. Pitt Community College is 8-1.

Phillip Berger: The last Cedar Ridge pitcher to win 20 games in his career, Berge is now 4-3 this season for the Division III William Peace Baseball team. On Monday, Peace defeated Dean College 14-6 to sweep a doubleheader at the USA Baseball National Team Complex in Cary. Berger threw six innings and struck out nine batters. He conceded six runs (four earned) off eight hits and one walk. Last Tuesday, the University of Lynchburg, ranked #15 in Division III, defeated William Peace 10-5 in Cary. Berger had a no decision. He threw six-and-one-thirds innings with four strikeouts. Berger gave up three runs off nine hits and one walk. On February 24, Berger earned the win as the Pacers defeated Elmira College 6-0 in the second game of a doubleheader in Cary. Berger threw a complete-game one-hit shutout with ten strikeouts and one walk.

Joey Berini: The East Carolina baseball team lost to Virginia Tech 7-2 at Atlantic Union Bank Park in Blacksburg, VA on Tuesday night. Berini entered the game as a pinch hitter in the sixth inning. He finished the game at second base. Last weekend during the LeClair Classic at Clark-LeClair Stadium in Greenville, Berini started at second base in a 6-3 win over #21 Maryland on Sunday. Berini went 1-for-2 with a run scored. In a 10-8 win over Michigan on Saturday, Berini played as a reserve at second base. Last Tuesday, Berini returned to Durham, where he played throughout his youth career. The Pirates defeated Duke 12-2 at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Berini entered the game as a pinch hitter and had an RBI groundout in the eighth inning.

Landon Riley: The Liberty baseball team swept a three-game weekend series over Canisius to improve to 11-1 on the season. In Saturday’s 14-3 Flames’ win in Lynchburg, VA, Riley finished the game by throwing the ninth inning. He surrendered one walk. On February 23, the Flames defeated North Carolina A&T 12-2. Riley tossed the seventh inning, striking out one with two walks.

Mia Davidson: Davidson eclipsed several more school records for the Mississippi State softball team last week. Last Wednesday, Davidson hit her 78th career home run in an 8-0 victory over Mississippi Valley State. It was her ninth dinger of the year as she tied the Mississippi State career RBI record with 183. Last Friday, the Bulldogs started the Bulldog Invitational with a 10-1 win over Furman in five innings. Davidson hit her 10th home run of the season, which leads the country, against the Paladins. That broke the school RBI record held by Courtney Bures (2005-2008), She went 2-for-3 against Furman with a home run and a double. Later that day, Mississippi State defeated Alcorn State 10-2 in five innings. Davidson went 1-for-3 with an RBI double. The Bulldogs defeated Jacksonville State 3-2 on Saturday. Davidson went 0-for-3. Later on Saturday, Furman knocked off Mississippi State 3-1. Davidson doubled against the Paladins to set the Mississippi State record for career total bases with 529. On Sunday, Mississippi State defeated Alcorn State 14-1 in five innings. Davidson went 1-for-2 with a double and two walks.

Montana Davidson: Montana entered the game against Alcorn State for Mississippi State in the fourth inning. She reached on a fielder’s choice and scored off a home run by Madisyn Kennedy. She also served as a pinch hitter in the Saturday loss to Furman. In the 14-1 win over Alcorn State, Davidson came in as a pinch runner and scored off a double by Jackie McKenna. Davidson had two walks in later innings.

Tori Dalehite: On Tuesday, the Boston College Eagles defeated the UNC Greensboro softball team 9-3 at UNCG Softball Stadium. Dalehite started in right field and went 0-for-3. Last weekend, the Spartans participated in the Carolina Classic at Anderson Softball Stadium in Chapel Hill. On Sunday, the Tar Heels nipped the Spartans 8-7. Dalehite started at first base and went 1-for-3. UNCG won the other three games in the Carolina Classic, beating Penn State twice on scores of 7-5 and 8-4. They also knocked off Connecticut 6-2.

Jaden Hurdle: The Patrick & Henry Community College softball team decisively won all four of its games during a road trip over the weekend. On Saturday, the Patriots cruised past Camp Community College 21-4 in five innings in Franklin, VA. in the opening game of a doubleheader. Hurdle earned the win as pitcher, throwing a complete game with six strikeouts. She surrendered four runs off four hits and two walks. Hurdle also went 3-for-3 with two triples and a single. She knocked in two runs and drew a walk. The Patriots got another run rule win in the nightcap of the doubleheader. In an 11-0 PHCC win, Hurdle hit her eighth home run of the season. Hurdle also had a double and went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored. On Sunday, the Patriots swept a doubleheader from Bryant & Stratton College in Virginia Beach, VA. In the opening game, a 7-0 Patriots win, Hurdle went 0-for-3. In the nightcap, Hurdle hit her ninth home run of the season, which leads the National Junior College Athletic Association. She finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Hurdle is third in Region X with 22 RBIs.

Grace Andrews: The Catawba Valley Community College softball team rolled past Southeastern Community College in Whiteville on Friday, sweeping a doubleheader. In the opening 11-1 win, Andrews started at third base and went 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. The Red Hawks completed the sweep with a 5-4 victory. Andrews went 0-for-3. On Saturday, Catawba Valley swept another doubleheader in the Ripken Experience in Myrtle Beach, SC. The Red Hawks rolled past Bay College 11-1 in five inning to start the day. Andrews, starting at third base, went 1-for-4 with an RBI. In the nightcap, Catawba Valley defeated Rochester Community and Technical College 13-1. Andrews drew two walks and scored a run. She finished 0-for-1.

Jaylin Jones: The Division III Pfeiffer men’s lacrosse team defeated Guilford 15-6 in Greensboro on Saturday. Jones started at midfield and scooped up four ground balls for the Falcons. On March 2, Pfeiffer defeated Lees-McRae 18-7 at Tate Field in Banner Elk. Jones came off the bench and had four ground balls for the Falcons. Pfeiffer rolled past Oglethorpe 10-3 at Lefko Field in Misenheimer on February 26. Jones had five ground balls and created three turnovers.

A year ago, the Cedar Ridge baseball team found itself in defining moments game after game.

Time and again, they came up on the short end when they needed a big play. It led to a frustrating and choppy season where it was impossible to gain a rhythm because of the pandemic.

Just two games into 2022, there’s already been a reversal of fortune for the Red Wolves, and they have some new faces to thank for it.

On a typical chilly early-season night game, the Red Wolves pulled out a 9-8 decision in eight innings over Chapel Hill on Wednesday night. In his first game in a Red Wolf uniform, freshman Quinn Finnegan earned the win by throwing four-and-two-thirds innings of relief. Finnegan conceded only three hits and two runs with four strikeouts during his first high school appearance.

In the eighth inning, Cedar Ridge manufactured two runs starting when sophomore catcher Efrain Morales lined a two-out single to centerfield. Designated hitter B.J. Thornton walked and right fielder Nick Nolan was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Senior Garrett Ray walked on four pitches to bring in Morales. Cristian Macias was hit by a pitch to plate Thornton.

In the bottom of the frame, the Tigers got within one run when Tyler Stillson knocked in Evan Hansen with a single to left field. With one out, Finnegan calmly struck out senior Taran Coyne Smith. Macias, playing second base, recorded the final out on a grounder hit by Chapel Hill’s Will Epstein to end a game that surpassed three hours with temperatures in the upper-40s by the time it finally ended.

“We know what we have in Quinn,” said Cedar Ridge coach Bryson Massey. “He’s a freshman and one good thing already about this year is we got to do some scrimmages. I got to put him in a situation in a scrimmage where he came in with the bases loaded. We wanted to see what he’s got. I have the most confidence in that kid. I’ve seen him grow up. I’ve seen him in travel ball. I know what he’s about.”

Cedar Ridge jumped out to a 4-0 lead when each of its first six batters got aboard in the first inning. Morales led off the game with the first of a combined 15 walks on the night. Thornton singled, followed by a Nolan walk to load the bases. Garrett Ray, who just finished basketball season, singled to centerfield to score Morales. Macias got a one-run single to bring in Thornton. Mason Cates did the most damage when he reached on an errant throw that led to Ray and Nolan scoring.

“Efrain (Morales) is a lightning bolt,” Massey said. “He brings a lot of energy to this team. Our team feeds off of it. He’s a great guy to have around.”

The Tigers came back to tie the game with four more runs in the second inning, and pulled ahead 6-4 after three frames. Cedar Ridge came back with three runs in the fourth inning. Third baseman Bryan Flores singled to lead of the frame and scored off a throwing error on a ball it by Braedyn Jacobson. Morales evened the game with an RBI single to left field. Carlo Garay put Cedar Ridge into the lead when he scored on a passed ball.

While the Chapel Hill win was a back-and-forth affair, the Red Wolves’ 2-1 win over Bartlett Yancey on Thursday night in Hillsborough was a classic pitcher’s dual. Once again, Macias came up big.

With the game tied 1-1, Macias drew a leadoff walk to start the bottom of the sixth. With Jake Mergenthal at bat, Macias stole second. After two more pitches, Macias raced for third base and ultimately scored when the ensuing throw wound up in left field.

Macias replaced Cates as the pitcher in the seventh inning and earned the save. He surrendered only one hit with a strikeout.

Cates threw six innings to pick up his first varsity win. He surrendered three hits and one run with seven strikeouts and four walks.

Trailing 1-0 going into the fifth, Cedar Ridge tied the game when Garay led off with a double on a line drive to centerfield. After Jacobson advanced the runner on a sacrifice bunt, Morales knocked Garay in with a sacrifice fly to centerfield.

The Red Wolves will play its first Central Carolina Conference game against Willams in Burlington on Tuesday.
“Last year was a year where we couldn’t find a way to win a one-run ballgame,” Massey said. “We lost a lot of those games. The thing about this team is we have a lot of guys who were a part of that team. They remember that. They knew how to win that close game. It comes down to the little things and we talk about that everyday. In the eighth inning, we executed what we had to execute to get those runs.”

A year after become the first Cedar Ridge competitor to play for the 3A State Singles tennis championship, sophomore Josh Mayhew has led the Red Wolves to a solid opening week of the season.

On Monday, the Cedar Ridge men’s tennis team defeated Person 8-1 to open the season at Red Wolves Tennis Courts. The Red Wolves captured all six singles matches, with Mayhew winning at #1 singles 6-0, 6-0. At #2 singles, senior Eli Rachlin won 6-0, 6-0. Lev Bearman, Walker Richards-Baker, Holdin Rachlin and Seth Upchurch also claimed singles victories for the Red Wolves.

At #1 doubles, Upchurch teamed with senior Derrick Stephens to win 8-2. Juniors Bowen Wood and Jason Pattison captured the final Red Wolf victory at #2 singles 8-4.

In its first nonconference match of the year on Tuesday, Chapel Hill defeated the Red Wolves 8-1. However, Mayhew did captured the Red Wolves #1 singles match over Chapel Hill’s Ayan Patel 6-2, 6-2. Last year, Chapel Hill’s Dennis Permuov was the only player in the state to beat Mayhew the entire season. Permuov and Mayhew met four times, including once in the 3A State Championship match, as well as the Mideast Regional Final.

On Thursday, the Red Wolves won its first road match of the season went they defeated Northwood 6-1 in Pittsboro. Mayhew defeated Jio Sumogod 6-3, 7-5 in the top singles match. At #2, Eli Rachlin had a thrilling match with Matteus Butler. Rachlin pulled out a three-set win, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (10-4).

Bearman, Richards-Baker and Holden Rachlin all captured singles wins for the Red Wolves. In the only doubles match, Richards-Baker and Bearman prevailed 8-2.

Cedar Ridge hosts Orange on Monday.

Men’s Tennis: Western Alamance 6, Orange 3: The Panthers opened the season with a loss to the Warriors in Hillsborough on Monday. Freshman Cameron Foster, in his first match for Orange, won at #4 singles 6-1, 6-3.

At #5 singles, Tristian Plummer defeated Western’s Jacob Howell 5-7, 6-2, 10-4. Orange sophomore Jackson Panning also extended his match to a 10-point breaker, but Western freshman Evan Gwin won 1-6, 6-4, 10-8.

Orange’s doubles team of Porter Pelphrey and Cameron Foster, both freshmen, earned a win at #2 doubles over Christopher Barringer and Harry Jefferson 8-5.

Williams 8, Orange 1: The Bulldogs, which have now won 21 consecutive conference matches dating back to its days in the Mid-State Conference, rolled past the Panthers in Hillsborough on Wednesday. Sophomore Jackson Panning claimed Orange’s only win at #6 doubles. Panning defeated Res Sharpe 6-4, 6-3.

Orange travels to Riverside for its first nonconfence match of the season on Monday.

The Bulldogs, which have won three consecutive conference championships, travel to Western Alamance on Wednesday for its next match.

Women’s Soccer: Cedar Ridge 5, South Granville 0: For the first time since 2018, the Cedar Ridge women’s soccer team played a match without its all-time leading scorer, Emerson Talley, who is now at Lenoir-Rhyne. Nonetheless, the Red Wolves easily disposed of South Granville 5-0 in Creedmoor on Wednesday night.

Cedar Ridge will host Clover Garden School tonight (Friday) at 6PM in its home opener at Cedar Ridge Stadium. On Saturday, the Red Wolves face South Brunswick.