Month: April 2022

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is sophomore catcher Efrain Morales. From the very start of this season, Morales has made a difference for a Cedar Ridge team that is poised to make the state playoffs for the first time since 2018. In the season-opener at Chapel Hill, Morales scored the game-winning run in the eighth inning as the Red Wolves defeated the Tigers 9-8. In his first varsity game, Morales went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI single. The next game, Morales had a sacrifice fly to score Carlo Garay as the Red Wolves defeated Barrett Yancey 2-1 in Cedar Ridge’s home opener. Against Western Alamance on April 12, Morales hit a grand slam in the third inning to push the Red Wolves past the Warriors 4-1 in Elon. Morales also had a solo homer, into the teeth of the wind, against East Chapel Hill in the Hilltop Invitational. Against Orange last Tuesday, Morales had a two-run homer. Morales leads Cedar Ridge in home runs. The Red Wolves are on the verge of a second-place finish in the Central Carolina Conference, which would be its best showing in four years. Cedar Ridge will face Southwest Guilford on Wednesday in High Point, followed by a trip to Bartlett Yancey on Thursday. 

Photo by Jailen Leach, graduate assistant at North Carolina Central

Marvin Jones: Former Cedar Ridge high jumper Marvin Jones had another first place finish for the North Carolina Central track and field team at the Aggie Classic at North Carolina A&T State University on Friday. Jones jumped 2.06 meters to win the high jump. He was the only competitor to clear 2.00 meters on the day. It is Jones’ fifth victory of the calendar year, but his first in the Eagles’ outdoor season. He has finished in the top five of each event of this outdoor season for Central. Jones also claimed the gold medal in the MEAC Indoor Championships in February.

Phillip Berger: Berger earned his sixth win of the season for the Division III William Peace University baseball team on Friday. The Pacers defeated Averett University 19-6. Berger threw six inning and struck out three. He surrendered three runs off six hits and three walks. Berger is 6-2 with a 4.83 ERA. The Pacers improved to 19-17 overall, 9-7 in the USA South Athletic Conference.

Bryse Wilson: Wilson started on Thursday night for the Pittsburgh Pirates against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. The Pirates edged the Cubs 4-3. Wilson had his third no-decision of the season. He gave up two runs in the first inning. Wilson threw three innings and gave up three runs off three hits and four walks. Wilson struck out two. On Wednesday, Wilson is slated to start against Milwaukee at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

Joey Berini: The East Carolina baseball team dropped two out of three games against Tulane over the weekend at Greer Field in New Orleans. On Friday, Berini doubled for the Pirates and scored in the seventh inning. Berini replaced starter Zach Agnos at shortstop. The Green Wave won 11-5. On Sunday, Berini replaced starter Jacob Starling on Sunday at 2nd base. Tulane won 10-5.

Will Walker: On Wednesday, the Pitt Community College baseball team defeated Lenoir Community College 7-4. Walker entered the game as a pinch hitter and went 0-for-1. The Bulldogs swept a doubleheader from Camp Community College in Franklin, VA on Friday. In the opener, Pitt outscored the Hurricanes 13-12. Walker went 1-for-4 with an RBI single in the seventh inning to put the Bulldogs ahead 13-8. On Sunday, Walker went 1-for-2 with an RBI single as the Bulldogs completed a four-game sweep of Camp, winning 15-1. Through 30 games, Walker is hitting .343 with five home runs and 28 RBIs.

Matt Hughes: On Saturday, Hughes played as a relief pitcher for the Wake Tech baseball team in a 13-3 loss to Guilford Tech Community College.

Mia Davidson: On Tuesday, Davidson hit a walkoff home run for the Mississippi State softball team to defeat Louisiana-Monroe 2-1 at Nusz Park in Starkville, MS. It came during Davidson’s 250th career game with the Bulldogs, despite playing with a cold. Davidson now has 87 career home runs and is now tied for sixth on the all-time NCAA list. Davidson finished 3-for-4 with an RBI against the WarHawks. On Wednesday, Davidson went 1-for-3 as the Bulldogs edged UT Martin 3-2. Mississippi State defeated #18 Auburn 3-2 on Friday at Nusz Park in Starkville, MS. Davidson was hit by a pitch, extending her streak of reaching base to 26 consecutive games, the 10th longest streak in school history. She finished 0-for-2. On Saturday, the Tigers defeated the Bulldogs 5-2. Davidson’s streak ended after she finished 0-for-3. Auburn won the rubber game of the series 9-2 on Sunday. Davidson went 2-for-3 with a double. It was her 10th multi-hit game of the season. This season, Davidson has hit 18 home runs, which is tied for 1st in the SEC with Bri Ellis of Auburn. Davidson has a .402 batting average. She has a .926 slugging percentage, good enough for fifth place in the SEC. The Bulldogs are 29-19 overall, 8-10 in the SEC.

Montana Davidson: Montana entered the UT Martin game as a pinch-hitter.

Tori Dalehite: The UNC Greensboro softball team won two games in the Lady Vol Invitational this weekend at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN. On Saturday, the Spartans defeated East Carolina 8-5. Dalehite scored the game-winning run off a double by Makenna Matthijs in the sixth inning. Dalehite entered the game as a pinch-runner. Dalehite also played in the Spartans’s 3-1 win over the Pirates on Sunday, once again as a pinch-runner. On Wednesday, Campbell edged UNCG 5-4 in eleven innings at Amanda Littlejohn Stadium in Buies Creek. Dalehite played as a pinch-runner.

Jaden Hurdle: Jaden Hurdle shared the right side of Orange’s infield with Grace Andrews when the Lady Panthers won the 2017 3A State Softball Championship. Over the weekend, the two were on opposing sides when Patrick & Henry Community College faced Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory. The Patriots and the Red Hawks split the doubleheader on Friday. Patrick & Henry won the opening game 6-2. Hurdle went 0-for-4, but scored a run after she reached on an error in the 4th inning. In the nightcap, the Red Hawks prevailed 5-2. Hurdle went 1-for-4. She also came on in relief of starting pitcher Summer Anderson in the second inning and have one of her most effective outings in the circle this season. Hurdle threw four-and-one-thirds innings in relief. She didn’t give up a run and struck out four. She allowed only three hits. On Thursday, the Patriots swept a doubleheader from Pitt Community College in Martinsville, VA. The Patriots defeated the Bulldogs 5-2 in the opener. Hurdle went 1-for-3 with an RBI single. In the second game, PHCC won 5-1. Hurdle, starting at first base, went 2-for-3 with an RBI double. Hurdle is hitting .394 (2nd on team) with 10 home runs (1st on team) and 35 RBIs (2nd on team).

Grace Andrews: The big doubleheader for Catawba Valley Community College came Tuesday against Louisburg College, who leads the Division II standings of Region X. Louisburg, ranked #4 in the National Junior College Athletic Association, swept the Red Hawks on scores of 10-1 and 12-4, both in six innings. Andrews started at third base and went 0-for-2 in the opener. In the nightcap, Andrews drove in a run with an RBI single. She went 1-for-2. Louisburg is 21-0 in Region X. Against Patrick & Henry on Friday, Andrews finished 1-for-3 in the opening game. In the nightcap, she finished 0-for-2. On Saturday, Catawba Valley split a doubleheader against Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute in Hickory. The Red Hawks won the opener 5-2 over the Cobras. Andrews went 0-for-2. Caldwell won the second game 7-1. Andrews finished 1-for-2. Catawba Valley is 31-7 overall, 14-6 in Region X.

Kara Tackett: Bryant & Stratton Community College defeated the Wake Tech Community College softball team 9-2 on Saturday. Tackett started in centerfield and finished 0-for-2. Wake Tech had a 7-0 led in the second game, but the Lady Bobcats fought back and won 10-9 in Virginia Beach, VA. Tackett started in the circle and had a no decision. She threw four-and-one-thirds innings. Tackett also finished 4-for-4 with two doubles, two RBIs and an run scored. On Sunday, Paul Camp Community College swept a doubleheader against the Eagles. Camp won the opener 9-1 Tackett, starting in centerfield, went 1-for-2. In the second game, the Eagles had a 5-4 lead, but lost 6-5. Tackett started as pitcher and threw five innings with three strikeouts. She finished 1-for-3 at the plate.

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is lacrosse midfielder Connor Kruse. On Thursday night, Orange returned to action and edged Jordan 14-13. Kruse had four goals and three assists. The following night, Orange pulled away from Williams and won 12-8, keeping the Bulldogs scoreless in the final 12:08. Kruse finished with five goals and two assists. Kruse is the leading scorer for an Orange team that is undefeated in the Mid-Carolina Conference at 8-0. Kruse, as a freshman, was a prominent player on Orange’s conference championship team last season, which advanced to the 3A/2A/1A State Quarterfinals. Kruse is the son of Travis Kruse, a former lacrosse player at UNC and Johns Hopkins. It was clear this would be a solid season for Orange from the very beginning. On March 2, Orange defeated East Chapel Hill at Dave Thaden Stadium, the first time ever the Panthers defeated the Wildcats in lacrosse. The Panthers will face Eastern Alamance on Tuesday at Auman Stadium, then take on Northwood in Hillsborough. Orange will conclude the regular season with a road trip to Eastern Alamance on Thursday night in Mebane. If Orange wins two of its three games this week, they will win the Mid-Carolina Conference championship under head coach Chandler Zirkle. 

It would have been memorable enough if the Orange baseball team had simply beaten its crosstown rival Cedar Ridge on Thursday night.

A victory would sew up the Central Carolina Conference regular season championship. It would be Orange’s seventh straight win, its longest streak in six years. They would ensure the top seed for the Central Carolina Conference Tournament starting May 2.

It was a game Orange’s coaching staff expected to win, but there’s seldom a time when high expectations result in something even greater happening.

The perfect end to Orange’s chase for the regular season championship came in the form of a 5-inning perfect game delivered by a sophomore who played on the junior varsity team a year ago.

Cross Clayton retired all 15 of the Red Wolves that came up to bat in order on just 42 pitches for his team-leading sixth win of the season. The Panthers (14-6 overall, 9-1 in the CCC) had a season-high 18 hits in a 16-0 rout of the Red Wolves in front of a packed Orange Baseball Field Thursday night.

Orange wrapped up the regular season championship with two league games to spare. It’s the second straight conference title for the Panthers, who tied Northern Durham for the Big 8 Championship in 2021 amidst an unusual format dictated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

It was the final CCC game of the regular season for Cedar Ridge, who fell to third place in the conference at 7-5. The Red Wolves (12-8, 7-5) now find themselves in the unaccustomed position of rooting for Orange next week. If the Panthers beat Eastern Alamance once in their two-game series, the Red Wolves will receive the #2 seed in the CCC, which includes an automatic spot in the state playoffs.

As soon as Clayton struck out Garrett Ray for the final out, he was swarmed on the mound by his teammates, who couldn’t quite tackle Clayton for a team pile-up, but did administer a quality Gatorade shower.

Perhaps there was something in the air, but the last Panther who had a perfect game was Bryse Wilson, who retired 21 straight batters against Eastern Wayne in the opening round of the 3A State Playoffs on May 10, 2016. As Clayton completed his perfect game in Hillsborough on Thursday, Wilson started in Wrigley Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates against the Chicago Cubs, which ended in a 3-2 Pirates win.

Whether the official NCHSAA record books count Clayton’s performance as a perfect game because it went only five innings due to the run-rule was irrelevant to Orange coach Jason Knapp.

“In my book, that was a perfect game,” Knapp said. “We got it done with the sticks to score 16 runs, so I think that was a perfect game in anybody’s book.”

Clayton’s emergence from a middle reliever in early March to three consecutive complete game shutouts against Person, Northwood and Cedar Ridge is the backbone of Orange’s rise to the CCC championship. As a freshman, Clayton went 2-0 on the junior varsity squad with a 2.29 ERA.

Clayton started Orange’s chase to the CCC Regular Season championship, so he may as well have been the one who ended it. On a fiery night on March 15 in Elon, Clayton replaced starter Ryan Hench in a scoreless game against Western Alamance in the sixth inning and held the Warriors within a run. Orange shortstop Jackson Berini stole home in the 7th for the game’s only run where the tension was thick and the tempers were short on the field, in the stands, even in the press box.

After Orange dropped the rematch against Western Alamance the following Friday, followed by a dour performance against Perquimans in Wilson the next day, Knapp made Clayton the #2 starter for late-week games. The Panthers haven’t lost a conference game since.

“We put him in a tough situation in Western Alamance and he got through it,” Knapp said. “He got the win. From that point on, as a staff, we just thought he was our #2 arm. He’s a pitcher. He commands his stuff with an array of pitches and his efficiency the past month has been unbelievable. He’s got confidence in the guys’ playing behind him.”

After Clayton retired the Red Wolves on just eight pitches in the first inning, Berini lined a double to right field in the bottom of the first. Ryan Hench followed with another double that bounced off the top of the left field fence to score Berini for the game’s opening run. Designated hitter Connor Nordan lined a sacrifice fly to Mason Cates to bring in Hench and increase Orange’s lead to 2-0.

Nordan, who had five RBI’s on Tuesday at Cedar Ridge, went 7-for-8 with eight RBIs in the two-game series.

Berini set the tone for Orange defense in the second inning when he made all three outs on throws to first base, any of which could have gone for a hit on another day. Berini sprinted to the dugout after the third out and slapped gloves with all of his teammates on the bench as Orange’s emotion vaulted into the next level.

The Panthers added five runs in the second inning, sending ten batters to the plate. Cameron Guentensebger, Connor Funk and Codey Snipes all had infield singles to load the bases. Neo Best, in only his fifth start of the year, lined an RBI single over the head of the third baseman into left field. Catcher Davis Horton delivered a double down the right field line and Orange led 7-0 at the end of the second.

The Panthers added nine more runs in the fourth inning. Hench scored twice in the frame. After a double to right field, Nordan knocked Hench in with a single to left field. Later in the inning, which included 14 batters coming to the plate, Hench smoked a three-run homer to left field.

Now that they’ve secured the #1 seed for the Central Carolina Conference Tournament, the Panthers will receive a bye into the semifinals. They will play on Wednesday, May 4 against an opponent to be determined. Orange will face Southern Lee on Saturday at noon in Hillsborough before hosting Eastern Alamance on Tuesday, also at home.

Cedar Ridge will play two nonconference games next week. They face Southwest Guilford on Wednesday in High Point, followed by a trip to Bartlett Yancey on Thursday to conclude the regular season. The Red Wolves are guaranteed to host a game in the CCC Tournament, the first postseason contest at Red Wolves Territory since 2018.

There were many reasons to celebrate for the Orange baseball team on Thursday night. For starters, the closed out their first outright conference championship since 2016 in the most complete way imaginable. Sophomore Cross Clayton threw a 5-inning perfect game, retiring all 15 Cedar Ridge Red Wolves he faces on just 42 pitches as Orange defeated its crosstown rival, Cedar Ridge, 16-0 at Orange High Field. Clayton has now tossed 18 consecutive scoreless innings and has a team-high six wins in his first year at the varsity level. He became the first Orange player to toss a perfect game since Bryse Wilson in the opening round of the 3A State Playoffs against Eastern Wayne on May 10, 2016. As fate would have it, while Clayton threw his perfect game, Wilson was the starting pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates inside Wrigley Field, where the Bucs defeated the Chicago Cubs 4-3. Junior shortstop Jackson Berini scored Orange’s first run after he led off with a double to right field. Berini finished 2-for-2 with two RBIs. Orange has won seven in a row and will resume action on Saturday against Southern Lee in Hillsborough. First pitch will be at noon.