Month: April 2022

The Orange lacrosse team remains undefeated in the Mid-Carolina Conference. On Friday night, the Panthers defeated crosstown rival Cedar Ridge 14-8 at Red Wolves Stadium. Sophomore Connor Kruse scored six goals, including two in the first 48 seconds as the Panthers jumped out to a 5-1 lead. Cedar Ridge evened the game at 7-7 with 11:35 remaining in the third quarter, but the Panther defense allowed only one more goal in the final 23:25 of regulation. Orange goalkeeper Katie Wolter finished with eight saves. Wolter is one of the few female players in the state going toe-to-toe against male players, but she comes from a long line of goalkeepers. Her brother Tyson played at Orange and eventually played at Division III Pfeiffer. Orange’s Tight Metheny scored both of Orange’s goals in the fourth quarter, the final one on an assist from junior Jake Wimsatt, who finished with three points. Orange is atop the Mid-Carolina Conference at 7-0, 9-2 overall. The Panthers will travel to Seaforth on Tuesday, then host Northwood on Wednesday in a huge rematch from a game on March 21, which Orange won 14-9 in Pittsboro.

After qualifying for the 3A State Wrestling championships for a third consecutive year, Orange senior Brendon Worsham will end his career as the Central Carolina Conference 151-285 lbs. Wrestler of the Year.

Worsham earned the honor after a 29-8 season where he won his opening round match at 182-pounds in the 3A State Championships at the Greensboro Coliseum. Worsham ended his Orange career with a 76-27 record.

Orange coach Spenser Poteat was named the Central Carolina Conference Coach of the Year. It’s the second straight year that Poteat has been named Coach of the Year. Poteat, in his fifth season as Orange’s head coach, won his fourth conference championship since replacing his mentor, Bobby Shriner. In the 3A State Dual Team Tournament, the Panthers had its deepest run since 2017, defeating Northwood, Wilson Fike and Croatan en route to the Eastern Regional Championship match against Union Pines. Orange finished the regular season 19-4 with a perfect 6-0 record in the Central Carolina Conference. It was Orange’s 18th conference championship in the last 19 years.

Throughout the season, Orange excelled in bigger weight classes, which was mirrored by the All-Central Carolina Conference team. Of the seven weight classes between 152-and-285 pounds, five Panthers made the All-Conference squad.

Also earning All-Conference honors was Cedar Ridge’s Kaden Tatro. As a sophomore, Tatro qualified for the state championships at 170 pounds. He finished the season with a 36-12 record. Tatro won two consolation matches in the state championships, pinning Blake McCabe of Croatan in 2:20. He scored a major decision over Nathan Williams of Triton 13-1. Tatro would have been the favorite to win the 170-pound championship in the Central Carolina Conference Tournament, which was scheduled in late January at Eastern Alamance High School, but was canceled due to the threat of winter weather. He finished fourth at the Mideast Regional Championships at Union Pines High School in Cameron on February 12.

Orange senior Nate Hecht also made All-Conference at 170 pounds. Hecht, who started as a freshman at 160 pounds, was also a starting defensive end in football. On January 25, Hecht pinned Eastern Alamance’s Wyatt Faucette in 38 seconds, which led to the Panthers defeating the Eagles 64-18 to officially sew up the Central Carolina Conference championships. He had 22 wins this season.

In his first year at varsity, Acoya Isley made All-Conference at 195 pounds. Isley won two individual championships this season. He claimed the 195-pound championship at the Jim King/Orange Invitational on December 4 in Hillsborough, pinning Dylan Wall of Bartlett Yancey in 4:36 for the title. On January 8, Isley captured the 195-pound title in the Quentin Crosby Invitational in Grensboro at Dudley High School. Isley pinned R.J. Reynolds Thomas Tippeconne in the final. Isley qualified for the state championships after finishing 3rd in the Mideast Regionals.

Orange’s Elijah Acosta was named All-Conference at 220 pounds. The son of former Orange wrestler Mike Acosta, Elijah went 30-5 in his junior season. Acosta won three individual tournaments, starting with the JKO. Acosta defeated Northwood’s Jake Dunning 12-5 in the championship match, which was the first of four matches between Acosta and Dunning this season. On December 18, Acosta won the Eastern Alamance Invitational in Mebane, pinning Trinity’s Joey Smith for the championship. Acosta also captured the Quentin Crosby Invitational championship at 220 pounds, beating Dudley Jaquaid Owens 5-2 in the final. Acosta finished 3rd in the Mideast Regionals.

At heavyweight, Orange’s Hugo Vazquez also made All-Conference. After finishing 2nd in the Mideast Regionals, Vazquez finished the season with a 23-9 record. Vazquez won the heavyweight championship at the JKO. He captured the Eastern Alamance Invitational, going to a sudden victory round against Bartlett Yancey’s Devon Thompson. Vazquez scored the takedown to take the championship 8-6. In the state dual team playoffs, Vazquez won all four of his matches, including pins against Wilson Fike and Croatan, as well as a decision victory over Union Pines.

Brandon Andrews: Andrews, who pitched for Cedar Ridge and graduated in 2017, earned his win of the season for Nicholls State against Southeastern Louisiana on March 26. The Colonels defeated the Golden Lions 6-4. Andrews replaced starter Tyler Therlot in the seventh inning and threw one-and-two-thirds innings. He gave up just one hit with two strikeouts. Andrews earned his second win of the season against McNeese on Sunday as the Colonels rallied to win 8-7 in ten innings. Andrews threw the final two-thirds of an inning with one strikeout. On April 2, McNeese State defeated Nicholls 5-1 at Didier Field in Thibodaux, LA. Andrews threw two perfect innings, winding up with two strikeouts.

Bryse Wilson: Former Orange High baseball and football player Bryse Wilson will make his season debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday afternoon. Wilson earned his first win in spring training in his final start on Monday afternoon. Facing Baltimore, Wilson started and threw three-and-two-thirds innings, striking out seven. Wilson gave up two runs on five hits with two walks. Pittsburgh will face the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Wilson, who turned 24 during the offseason, will start his fourth Major League season.

Landon Riley: The Liberty baseball team lost to Jacksonville 11-7 on Sunday at Session Stadium in Florida on Sunday. Riley came out of the bullpen to throw two-thirds of an inning for the Flames. He struck out one. Liberty is 17-10. They start a three-game series against Florida Gulf Coast in Lynchburg, VA on Friday.

Dante DeFranco: The Wintrhop baseball team defeated Charlotte 9-6 at Winthrop Ballpark in Rock Hill, SC on Wednesday. DeFranco, who played shortstop at Cedar Ridge and 2nd base at Orange, entered the game in the ninth inning as a left fielder. The 49ers are 17-11, 4-5 in Conference USA. They host Southern Miss at Hayes Stadium in Charlotte for a weekend series starting Friday.

Will Walker: The Pitt Community College baseball team started a game against Lenoir Community College on Wednesday. The game was interrupted by rain in the eighth inning with Lenoir leading 6-3. Walker started at first base and was 1-for-4 at the time of the game’s stoppage. He singled in the fifth inning.

Mia Davidson: Southern Miss upset Mississippi State 3-0 at USM Softball Comples in Hattiesburg, MS on Wednesday. The Bulldogs were limited to three hits. Davidson went 0-for-1 with two walks.

Montana Davidson: Montana entered the game as a pinch hitter for the Bulldogs against the Golden Eagles. The Bulldogs are 24-13 and start a weekend series against Missouri on Friday at Nusz Park in Starkville, MS.

Tori Dalehite: For the second year in a row, Dalehite played against the college team she grew up rooting for. UNC Greensboro’s softball team faced Duke at UNCG Softball Complex on Wednesday. The Blue Devils, ranked #13 in the country, defeated the Spartans 11-1 in five innings. Dalehite entered the game as a pinch runner. The Spartans are 25-11 and will face Chattanooga to start a three-game weekend series on Friday in Greensboro.

Jaden Hurdle: The Patrick & Henry Community College softball team was swept in a doubleheader by Louisburg College on Sunday. The Hurricanes defeated the Patriots 7-2 in the opener in Martinsville, VA. Hurdle hit leadoff and went 0-for-3. In the second game, Louisburg won 8-0 in five innings. Hurdle went 0-for-1 with a walk. Patrick & Henry are 20-10, 11-3 in Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association. They host Wake Technical Community College this weekend, where Hurdle will go against her former Orange High teammate Kara Tackett, who suits up for the Eagles.

In its first game since spring break, the Orange softball team rolled to a 10-0 win over Northwood in Hillsborough on Wednesday night. Senior catcher Lauren Jackson hit her 14th career home run as the Lady Panthers improved to 6-3 overall, 4-2 in the Central Carolina Conference. Freshman Sadie Cecil made her first career start at 2nd base. Cecil went 2-for-3 with an RBI single. On Monday night, Jackson will formally sign with Lenoir-Rhyne College. Jackson has started for four years as the Orange catcher. In her career, she has 57 career RBIs and a career .462 hitter. Cecil is the latest young prospect to learn on the job for the Lady Panthers. She played her middle school softball at Gravelly Hill. Orange will make the journey to Western Alamance on Friday night to face the Warriors, her are currently in third place in the Central Carolina Conference. It will start a four-game road trip for Orange. Next week, the Panthers travel to Burlington to face Williams (Tuesday), to Roxboro to take on Person (Wednesday), and then across town to take on Cedar RIdge.

The last two Orange players to hit a grand slam have both been Berinis. In March 2020, Joey Berini hit a grand slam against East Chapel Hill in what turned out to be his final at-bat for Orange in a victory over East Chapel Hill. On Wednesday night, his younger brother Jackson Berini hit a grand slam to right field in the third inning as Orange defeated Person 9-1 at Panther Field. Berini started the game with a base hit to left field. Right fielder David Waitt followed with a double down the left field line to score Berini. It was the first of three Orange runs in the opening inning. Waitt finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Berini’s grand slam was the first home run of his Orange career. Berini finished 2-for-4, as well. The Panthers had 12 hits, one shy of its season-high. Orange remains tied in the loss column with Eastern Alamance for first place in the Central Carolina Conference. Ryan Hench earned his second win of the season for Orange on the mound. The Panthers will finish the two-game series against the Rockets Friday night in Roxboro.

When a Berini hits for power, they make it memorable.

The last time someone hit a grand slam for the Orange baseball team, it was Joey Berini against East Chapel Hill on March 10, 2020. It was the first grand slam of his career–and also his last at-bat in his four-year Orange career. The pandemic shut down the Panthers’ season, along with everyone else’s, two days later.

On Wednesday night, Jackson Berini became the first Orange player to hit a grand slam since his younger brother did it two years ago. With two out in the third inning against Person, Berini took a 1-2 pitch and pulled over the right field fence at Panther Field, where the ball vanished into the bushes above Person outfielder Drew Mangum.

Berini’s first career home run vaulted Orange into a 8-1 lead, and the Panthers would go on to win 9-1. Orange (8-6 overall, 4-1 in the Central Carolina Conference) remains tied in the loss column with Eastern Alamance for first place in the CCC. The Eagles, who are 5-1 in conference play, will face Cedar Ridge in a doubleheader in Mebane on Friday.

Orange’s offense, which has been inconsistent during the first half of the season, finished with 12 hits, one shy of its season-high.

Junior Ryan Hench, which has lacked run support through his first seven starts, earned his second win of the season. Hench retired the first seven Rockets in order before 1st baseman Carter Stacy got aboard on a bunt single in the third inning. Hench finished with six strikeouts over six innings. He scattered five hits and one run. Joey Pounds threw a perfect seventh inning to close out the win.

Berini’s grand slam came after designated hitter Connor Nordan lined a leadoff single to right field. After Cameron Guentensberger moved Nordan to second with a sacrifice bunt, Connor Funk drilled a single to right. Cross Clayton loaded the bases with a walk, leading to Berini’s blast.

Orange scored three runs in the first inning. Berini led off with a single to left center. With right fielder David Waitt at the plate, Berini moved over to second on a wild pitch. Waitt drilled a double to the porch in left field, bringing in Berini. After Waitt moved over to third on a groundout, Nordan knocked in Berini with a ground ball that rolled into left field. Guentensberger kept the inning alive with an infield single, then Funk reached on another hit, which led to Nordan scoring when Person’s second baseman threw the ball into the Orange dugout.

The Panthers increased its lead to 4-0 in the second inning when Waitt hit a one-out single to right field. Waitt stole second, leading to catcher Davis Horton lofting a base hit over the head of 2nd baseman into right field. Waitt crossed home plate following Horton’s team-best 12th RBI of the season.

Funk started the fifth inning by beating out a throw following a cue shot that rolled left of the mound. Orange’s Cesar Lozano sent a bouncing ball up the middle for an infield hit which slipped off the glove of the shortstop, advancing Funk to third. Clayton laid down a bunt for a suicide squeeze play to score Funk.

Orange will finish the two-game series with a trip to Roxboro Friday night.

Cedar Ridge 14, Apex Friendship 5 After a disappointing loss to East Chapel Hill in the final game of the Hilltop Invitational, the Cedar Ridge baseball team had a resounding win in Wake County on Wednesday afternoon.

The Red Wolves scored a season-high 14 runs to defeat Apex Friendship 14-5 in Apex. The Patriots entered the game with an 8-4 record, but the Red Wolves jumped out with four runs in the first inning and never wavered in security its sixth win of the season.

Cedar Ridge loaded the bases in the first inning after senior Aidan McAllister walked, Cristian Macias reached on an error and Efrain Morales walked. Mason Cates leveled a first-pitch grounder to left field to score McAllister. Senior Garrett Ray lined a two-run single to centerfield to plate Macias and Morales. Ray stole third, then stole home to put the Wolves ahead 4-0.

B.J. Thornton increased Cedar Ridge’s lead to 5-0 in the second inning. Thornton was hit by a pitch. McAllister doubled to right field to send Thornton to third. Morales knocked in Thornton with a sacrifice fly to centerfield.

The Red Wolves strung together ten hits.

In the third, the Red Wolves added two more runs. Carlo Garay drew a one-out walk, followed by a single by Will Tippin. Senior Brian Flores, the starting pitcher, drove in Garay with a line drive single to centerfield. Tippin scored off a sacrifice fly by Thornton.

Morales, who cranked a solo homer into the teeth of a 25-mile-per-hour wind in the second inning against East Chapel Hill on Friday, finished 2-for-2 with three runs scored and a walk. Cates went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, while Ray finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs.

Flores earned his second win of the season on the mound. Flores threw the opening two innings and allowed only three hits. Thornton closed out the game with a perfect seventh inning, striking out two.

Quinn Finnegan threw the sixth inning for Cedar Ridge, allowing only one hit. Macias and Joe Garbee threw middle relief on what was a staff day for Red Wolves head coach Bryson Massey.