The Vs. Cancer game isn’t a game as much as an event for Cedar Ridge baseball.
In the past, the event has featured giveaways for various souvenirs in a benefit for Duke Children’s Hospital. It usually ends with coach Bryson Massey getting his head shaved.
This year, it was no different. With a chair pulled up to home plate, Massey had his red mane shaved at home plate by pitcher Mason Cates after the Red Wolves defeated Eastern Alamance to complete a two-game series sweep. And he wasn’t alone.
Other Cedar Ridge players lined up to have their heads shaved in a show of solidarity for cancer survivors, including right fielder Quinn Finnegan. This year, the fundraiser raised over $2,800.
As for the game, the Red Wolves had another impressive game from senior B.J. Thornton. After Thornton drove in five runs and earned the win on the mound in the Red Wolves’ 11-5 win in Mebane on Tuesday, the senior went 3-for-4 with four RBIs against the Eagles. In the series, Thornton went 6-for-11 with nine RBIs and three doubles.
For the seconds straight week, junior Mason Cates had a strong pitching performance. After making his first start of the season against Orange last week, Cates struck out eight over five innings against the Eagles. He allowed only one run on five hits to earn his first win of the season. Of Cates 95 pitches, 55 were strikes.
Cedar Ridge (8-6, 5-5 in the Central Carolina Conference) wasted no time in taking the lead, scoring three runs in the first inning. Issac Anderson started the frame with a leadoff infield single. Finnegan drove a sharp grounder to the left side of the infield to bring Anderson to third. Thornton looped a two-run double, plating Finnegan and Anderson. With two out, Thornton induced a pickoff throw to second base that wound up in centerfield, leading to him scoring.
It remained 3-0 Cedar Ridge until the fifth inning. After the Eagles brought across a run in the fifth, catcher Will Tippin singled to right field. Cates drew a one-out walk. Thornton lined a single to centerfield to score Cates. Landon Dalehite drew a walk. With Grant McGuffey at the plate, Thornton went to third on a passed ball and scored on another passed ball. Dalehite would come in off an error by the catcher.
Cedar Ridge earned the run-rule win by scoring five more runs in the fifth inning. Ian McGuffey drew a leadoff walk. Tippin, who finished 2-for-3 on the night, lined a single to centerfield. Cates sent a double to left field that brought in McGuffey and Tippin and increase Cedar Ridge’s lead to 9-2. Finnegan followed with an RBI single to left field.
Thornton drove his second double of the night down the left field line, bringing in Finnegan. Dalehite ended the game with a single to left field to score Thornton.
Cedar Ridge will get next week off from CCC play to focus on the Hilltop Invitational. The Red Wolves will start with a game against Union Pines on Monday night at 6PM in Hillsborough. On Tuesday, Cedar Ridge will host Lee County. On Thursday, they will play Chapel Hill, a former Big 8 Conference rival.