Cedar Ridge Baseball

The final days of the Central Conference has brought out the best baseball from Cedar Ridge.

Days after handing Southern Alamance its first league loss of the year, the Red Wolves scored five runs in the seventh inning to stun the Patriots 6-4 in Graham on Thursday night. John Grove tied the game at 4-4 after he stroked a two-run single into right field to score Ian McGuffey and Quinn Finnegan. Grant McGuffey scored the game-winning run when Patriots closer Eli Gilley was called for a balk. For extra measure, with Dominic Sena at the plate, Grove stole third and scored off a wild pitch.

Hudson Kelly worked a scoreless seventh to earn the win. Kelly, a sophomore, threw three-and-one-thirds scoreless innings in relief of starter Jesus Velazquez, striking out four and scattering only two hits.

Southern Alamance took a 4-1 lead into the seventh inning on the strength of starter Kaden Parker, who surrendered just one run off one hit in three innings. Parker added a solo home run in the first inning.

Mark King put the Patriots ahead in the fourth inning with a two-run double on a pop fly that plopped down into left field to score Camden Whittemore and Lance Siegner. Cooper Partin extended the Patriots’ lead to 4-1 with a bases loaded walk to bring in Johnny Rojas.

Velazquez started the seventh inning rally with an infield hit. Kelly walked and Finnegan reached on another infield hit to load the bases. Ian McGuffey sent a grounder to left field to score Velazquez.

Over the past two weeks, Cedar Ridge has taken three out of four games against Southern Alamance and Orange, the two teams that tied for the Central Conference championship last year.

After Southern Alamance stormed out to a 8-0 start in conference play, their lead in the Central Conference has been whittled down to one game going into the final week of the regular season. Remarkably, Western Alamance, who started league play 0-4, could catch the Patriots when the two teams square off next week in a two-game series. The Warriors will also face Cedar Ridge to make up a game that was rained out earlier this month.

Person (7-3) is one game behind Southern Alamance for first place. The Patriots control the tiebreaker over the Rockets after sweeping a two-game series last month.

Williams 3, Orange 2: On its Senior Night, Orange couldn’t get out of its offensive funk against Williams. The Bulldogs ended a 10-game losing streak with its first win since March 7 on Friday night in Hillsborough.

Earlier in the week, Orange played with fire but didn’t get burned in Burlington. The Panthers were limited to two hits against the Bulldogs but won 2-1, scoring both of its unearned runs in the first inning.

On Friday, Orange blew too many opportunities. In the first, fourth and fifth innings, the Panthers put runners at second and third base with one out and didn’t score.

Senior Eli Horton put the Panthers ahead in the second inning after getting hit on the crown of his helmet by a pitch. Cam Brown bunted Horton over to second base. Horton moved to third after a groundout by Gary Miller. Kayden Bradsher sent a cue shot up the third base line that was bobbled by Mason Fleener, allowing Horton to score.

Bradsher triggered a 6-4-3 double play in the third inning. Immediately aftewards, Williams’ Aidan Pulliam lined a single to left field. Following a walk to Angel Mora, Charlie Smith grooved a single to right field to bring in Pulliam and tie the game.

Pulliam finished 2-for-3 with a double.

William’s Hunter Daniels walked to leadoff the fourth inning with a walk. Jazion Bieglow was hit by a pitch on an 0-2 count. Daniels took third base off a wild pitch. Will Allen skied a fly ball to centerfield. The throw by Mason Grooms to the plate was a beat late as Daniels slid in safely on a sacrifice fly to take the lead.

The Bulldogs added another run in the sixth when Logan Thompson was hit by a pitch. Vince Coker, who earned the win on the mound, sent a tricky pop-up that dropped in between three fielders along the right field line to push the Bulldogs lead to 3-1.

Orange drew closer in the sixth. Cam Brown scored off another infield hit by Bradsher to the left side of the infield. Bradsher, the fastest player on the team, got to third base for the potential tying run. But the Panthers left the bases loaded after a two-out groundout to Mora at shortstop.

Liam Kerr Finger earned his first save of the year working a perfect seventh, the only time in the game Orange went down in order.

For the third year in a row, Williams split a two-game series against Orange. It was their first win in Hillsborough since 2012.

Just in time for the end of the regular season, Cedar Ridge turned the baseball championship race completely on its head. The Red Wolves swept a two-game series from Southern Alamance, who came into the week with a 8-0 conference record. On Tuesday night, the Red Wolves defeated the Patriots 7-1. In his final home conference game, Quinn Finnegan threw a complete game and didn’t allow a run until the seventh inning. Finnegan, the only senior on the team, also triggered a five-run third inning with a leadoff single. Grant McGuffey stroked a double to left field to score Finnegan, pushing the Red Wolves lead to 2-0. McGuffey finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs. McGuffey put Cedar Ridge ahead 7-0 in the fourth inning with a RBI single to score Hudson Kelly. Ian McGuffey went 2-for-2 with two RBIs. Ian lifted a double down the left field line in the third to score Aidan Ryan. Finnegan took part in the annual Cedar Ridge ceremony in postgame where he rounded the bases one final time. Finnegan, who has been a co-Captain of the team three times, put dirt from home plate inside a small bottle where he will keep it as he journeys to Staten Island, New York next year to pitch for Division I Wagner College. Cedar Ridge will face D.H. Conley on Tuesday in Hillsborough.

On his Senior Night, Quinn Finnegan couldn’t leave Red Wolves Field wouldn’t taking something with him.

The park has been a big part of his young life. On Tuesday, he made sure it always will be.

After he became the first pitcher from the Central Conference to beat Southern Alamance this year, Finnegan got to take a final trot around the bases, a tradition at Cedar Ridge for seniors following their final home conference game.

Finnegan took the trip alone because he’s Cedar Ridge only senior this year. His teammates wouldn’t have it any other way.

After he rounded the bases and touched home plate, he pulled out a small bottle, where he put in some dirt from home plate and sealed it with a wooden cap. Finnegan had already placed a label on it reading “Dirt from Home Plate.” He’s taking that bottle with him to Staten Island, New York, where he will pitch at Wagner College next year.

“Wherever I go, I want to take Cedar Ridge with me,” Finnegan said. “This is my home. I’ll keep it on my nightstand in college. It’s going to be with me wherever I go. I have to have a piece of home with me everywhere.”

Though Cedar Ridge is out of the Central Conference championship race, Finnegan has truly saved his best for last.

A week after delivering a complete game and hitting a three-run homer in his first-ever win against Orange, Finnegan made his final conference home game one to remember. He went the distance and allowed just one run as Cedar Ridge surprisingly dominated Southern Alamance 7-1 at Red Wolves Field on Tuesday night.

Southern Alamance, #3 in the latest 3A East Region RPI rankings, suffered its first conference loss and fell to 15-4 overall. It was the least amount of runs for the Patriots in a game this year. Finnegan nearly earned his second straight shutout. Kaden Parker’s RBI single with two out in seventh inning to score Johnny Rojas brought in Southern’s only tally of the night.

“Quinn does things the right way,” said Cedar Ridge head coach Bryson Massey. “He’s done things the right way his whole career here. There’s no better way to go out that finish out your senior year being the best you can be. Who cares about being good at the beginning? Be good at the end. Last week, he dominated at Orange. This week, he dominated here at his last outing.”

He also got run support. Cedar Ridge scored seven unanswered runs against Southern starter Mark King, beginning with John Grove’s line drive to centerfield to score Aidan Ryan, who reached on a one-out walk in the first inning.

Finnegan helped his own cause with a leadoff single in the third. Grant McGuffey roped a double on a liner to left field to bring in Finnegan. After Grove walked, Ian McGuffey sliced another liner to left field to bring in Grant McGuffey and Ryan, pushing Cedar Ridge’s lead to 4-0.

Grove scored after a wild pitch. Walker Holmes scored Ian McGuffey on an RBI groundout to increase Cedar Ridge’s lead to 6-0.

Grant McGuffey, who finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs, drove in the final Red Wolf run with an RBI single to bring in Hudson Kelly in the fourth inning.

Southern Alamance had several threats early, but Cedar Ridge delivered possibly its best defensive game of the year. Southern’s Cooper Martin sent a double that rolled to the centerfield fence. King, who singled on the first pitch of the game, held up at third. Noah Madren sent a fly ball to right field, where Carter Warren made the catch. Warren doubled up Partin at second base to end the inning.

The upset postponed Southern Alamance’s coronation as Central Conference champions. The Patriots now lead Person by two games for first place with three league games remaining. Person, who defeated Eastern Alamance on Monday, return to conference action against Williams next Tuesday in Burlington.

“I have a lot of respect for Southern Alamance,” Massey said. “I also believe in my guys wholeheartedly. We’ve played some really good baseball the last two weeks. We’re not going nowhere. We’re here to stay. Cedar Ridge baseball is on the rise. That’s what we expect.”

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Following years of heartbreak, it’s hard to imagine a more gratifying win for the Cedar Ridge baseball team. Trailing crosstown rival Orange 1-0 going into the seventh inning, the Red Wolves scored six runs in the seventh inning. Freshman Jesus Velazquez delivered the game-winning hit with a two-run single to score Hudson Kelly and Dominic Sena to put the Red Wolves ahead for good. Grant McGuffey started the inning with a leadoff single to left field. He scored the game-tying run with two out in the seventh inning. Pitcher Quinn Finnegan drilled a three-run home run to left field to cap the 6-run inning, a fitting moment after the senior had suffered two heartbreaking playoff losses at Orange in 2022 and 2024. Finnegan earned his first career win at Orange, tossing a complete game. He struck out eight with just one walk. His home run was his third of the season. Grant McGuffey was responsible for ten outs at shortstop, including a double play that ended the first inning. It was Cedar Ridge’s first win at Orange since 2012 and the Red Wolves first victory over the Panthers since 2018. The Red Wolves are now are 4-4 in the Central Conference. They will host Orange to finish the two-game series on Thursday night at Red Wolves Field.

The painful moments endured by Cedar Ridge baseball at Orange High Field are too numerous to mention and come to mind easily for anyone who has witnessed them in recent years.

That’s why the irony of Tuesday night’s game is rich, unforgettable and for Cedar Ridge, oh so sweet.

Trailing 1-0 in the seventh inning, the Red Wolves were down to its last strike against Orange’s Ryan Sawyer, who was working on his first career complete game shutout. He was poised to get it as he worked against Cedar Ridge’s Dominic Sena, who had become the first Red Wolf to face a full count the entire game. Sawyer’s payoff pitch was outside. Sena joined Grant McGuffey, who lofted a soft liner to shallow left field to lead off the 7th inning, on base.

On a 3-1 count, Hudson Kelly sent a grounder to shortstop that appeared to be routine.

For once, fortune favored the Red Wolves on the northern side of town.

The throw went over the head of first baseman Wren Hash, allowing McGuffey to score the game-tying run. Almost as importantly, Sena took third off the error.

At that point, Sawyer was at 93 pitches and was replaced by left fielder Mason Grooms. Cedar Ridge freshman Jesus Velazquez, who had flown out to right fielder Dominic O’Keefe twice on the night, sent a searing line drive that landed on the lip of the outfield grass.

Sena and Kelly scored easily to give the Red Wolves its first lead of the game as the visitors grandstand, located down the third base line, shook in joyous cheering.

Orange’s defense, which had played an errorless game leading up to the seventh, was plagued by problems that proved to be fatal. Carter Warren reached on a dropped infield pop-up, which led to the sweetest moment of all for Cedar Ridge.

Senior Quinn Finnegan, who had firsthand experience with two painful state playoff losses at Orange in his freshman and junior years, delivered a blast to left field that cleared the fence by plenty. It was a three-run blast that put the Red Wolves ahead 6-1.

In past years, there may have been a lingering doubt if the Red Wolves could even hold on to that lead inside Panther Field. But not on Tuesday.

Finnegan finished the complete game in the seventh with no turbulence.

Cedar Ridge (7-10, 4-4 in the Central Conference) defeated Orange 6-1, its first victory at Panther Field since 2012. The Red Wolves had not beaten Orange period since 2018.

Orange could fill a book with all the dramatic wins they’ve had against Cedar Ridge and it appeared they would add another page on Tuesday night.

Going into the sixth, Finnegan had tossed a clinic. He needed only 41 pitches to get through the first five shutout innings.

With one out in the sixth, Kayden Bradsher poked a low line drive to centerfield that Ian McGuffey dove for and missed. The ball bounced over McGuffey’s outstretched body. Warren raced in from right field to back him up, but Bradsher reached second base. Oliver Van Tiem broke the scoreless tie with a line drive up the middle. Bradsher, the fastest man on Orange’s team, easily beat McGuffey’s throw to the plate.

The startling rally provided hope for a Cedar Ridge team that drove up Orange High Road having dropped three straight conference games, including a disappointing loss to Western Alamance in Hillsborough last week.

“We had one mindset and that was to finish,” Massey said. “This season hasn’t gone the way we want it to in the first half. We had a reset and a week off. Our guys really bought into finishing and trusting each other. We talked before the seventh inning and I told them they had to believe in each other and that they could do this. And they did.”

Finnegan struck out eight in a complete game victory, allowing only six hits and one walk. His three-run homer in the seventh was his third dinger of the year.

“That was the best game I’ve seen Quinn throw,” Massey said. “There wasn’t a doubt in my mind how he was going to pitch here. There was a reason why he switched him in the rotation to throw on Tuesdays. It was so he could come here to throw on this field where, to be honest, he’s dominated every time. The Quinn that we saw tonight was the Quinn that has worked his tail off.”

Oddly enough, the same Orange defense that collapsed in the seventh inning came up with big plays throughout the game to keep it scoreless. Cedar Ridge’s John Grove was thrown out at the plate by Sawyer when Sena tried to bunt him across in the second inning.

Aidan Ryan doubled to leadoff the fourth inning. After Sawyer was called for a balk, Ryan moved to third. Grove flew out to Van Tiem, who delivered a laser to catcher D.J. Woods to nab Ryan at the plate and end the inning.

Last May in the opening round of the state playoffs, Cedar Ridge led Orange 4-0 going into the seventh inning. Finnegan retired the first two batters before the Panthers made an improbable rally with seven straight players reaching base. Orange was down to its last strike twice before Kayden Bradsher delivered a two-run, game-tying single to centerfield. Then Ryan Honeycutt jolted a walkoff three-run homer, the first ball to go over Orange’s right field fence all season.

“I can tell you that all offseason, you have a bad taste in your mouth after the playoff game,” Massey said. “This is a big rivalry and our guys wanted this one bad. But we still have a lot of goals left for this season. This is just a little bit of a taste that they can have the rest of the year.”

Once again, facing Person brought out the best in Quinn Finnegan.

Last year, Finnegan struck out five in four innings as Cedar Ridge won in Roxboro. On Friday night, Finnegan delivered his best performance of his senior season thus far, striking out nine in a complete game two-hitter as the Red Wolves defeated Person 5-1 on Hillsborough Youth Athletic Association night at Cedar Ridge Baseball Field.

After Person’s Wyatt Carden drew a bases-loaded walk to score Gavin Dodson in the first inning, the Rockets only had one more runner reach third base the rest of the game. Finnegan saved his best for last, retiring the final 15 Person batters. The Rockets’ Brady Holmes led off the third inning with a double. It was Person’s final hit. Finnegan ended the game striking out the side in order.

Person didn’t have the lead for long. In the bottom of the first, Grant McGuffey sent a dribbler to right field to score John Grove, who led off the inning with a single.

Freshman Jesus Velazquez led off the third inning with a double to right field. After Ian McGuffey dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move Velasquez to third, Dominic Sena reached on an infield hit up the middle to give Cedar Ridge a 2-1 lead.

Finnegan and Carter Warren drew walks to start the fourth inning. Finnegan, going without a courtesy runner despite being the pitcher, stole third while Warren went to second. Ian McGuffey knocked a two-run single to centerfield to put the Red Wolves ahead 4-1.

The Red Wolves added an insurance run in the sixth inning. Velazquez earned his second hit of the game with a single to shortstop. Aidan Ryan, who was hit by a pitch to leadoff the inning, scored.

Cedar Ridge improved to 5-6 overall, 3-1 in the Central Conference. They’re tied with Person for third place as they prepare to travel to Eastern Alamance on Tuesday night.

Softball: Eastern Alamance 6, Cedar Ridge 4:

Through odd scheduling, it’s possible the two best softball teams in the Central Conference could have its entire two-game series decided before April Fool’s Day.

It’s clear that with two-thirds of the season remaining, Eastern Alamance is the favorite to win its second consecutive league title.

As was the case in its initial meeting earlier this month, the Eagles made a late rally to defeat Cedar Ridge 6-4 on Friday at Eagles Softball Field. Cedar Ridge took a 4-3 lead into the sixth inning, but the Eagles’ Edie Stewart drove in the game-winning runs with a fly ball to right field. Courtesy runner Jones Stewart and Brylea Warren scored for the margin of victory.

Cedar Ridge built a two-run lead scoring all four of its runs in the third inning. Madeline Galindo-Woodring drew a four pitch walk against Delani Straughan to lead off the inning. Mia Best sent a cue shot up the line and beat out the throw from catcher Kayden Manning. After Galindo-Woodring and Best each moved up 60 feet after a groundout, Kimber Shambley knocked in Galindo-Woodring with a sacrifice fly to right field, cutting the Eastern Alamance lead to 2-1. Reagan Simmons tied the game with a line drive to right field. Rylee Capps stroked a grounder up the middle for a single. Laci Sykes loaded the bases when she got aboard off a dropped third strike. Charlotte Lowry stroked a double to right field, leading to Qiaura Rogers scoring the go-ahead run. Capps also scored to put the Red Wolves ahead 4-2.

Eastern Alamance started with two runs in the second inning. With two out, Addison Hester knocked in Kinley Henderson and Mckenzie Blevins.

The Red Wolves will return home to face Western Alamance on Tuesday night.

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Cedar Ridge baseball gained a sweep of Walter Williams to start its Central Conference season this week. On Friday night, Hudson Kelly earned his first varsity win as the Red Wolves defeated Williams 3-1 at Bulldogs Field. Kelly only allowed one unearned run off of hit over five innings. After he started the week with a win over Williams in Hillsborough, senior Quinn Finnegan came over from first base in the sixth inning and earned a six-out save. It was the second year in a row that Finnegan earned a save in a win at Williams. Kelly also drove in the game-winning run with a two-run single in the fourth inning. Williams mounted threats in the sixth and seventh innings, but Cedar Ridge’s Carter Warren made a huge catch in right field with runners at 1st and 2nd with no outs in the sixth. Warren managed to force a double play after making the big grab. After the Bulldogs got two runners on base off infield singles in the seventh inning, Finnegan struck out the final two Williams batters to end the game. Cedar Ridge is atop the Central Conference with a 2-0 record as they prepare to travel to Person on Tuesday night. The Red Wolves will also have a home game against Clover Garden School in Hillsborough on Wednesday night at 6.

BURLINGTON–Carter Warren’s name won’t be in the box score for Friday night’s game.

But it should be.

With Cedar Ridge clinging to a two-run lead in the sixth inning against Williams, Warren moved from centerfield to right field after Quinn Finnegan replaced Hudson Kelly on the mound. With runners at 1st and 2nd, Williams’ Will Allen lined a first-pitch fastball to the right field gap.

Warren had barely got his cleats in place at his new position before he had to make a move that may decide the game. As the ball soared closer to wall, he reached up with his glove hand and snagged the hardest hit ball of the night.

Williams’ baserunners frantically moved in opposite directions. Vince Coker lunged back to first and got back safely. But it was too late for Charlie Smith, who was a step away from third base by the time Warren made the catch. Grant McGuffey took Warren’s throw from right field and tossed it to Jesus Valezquez for the easy double play.

It was the biggest defensive play as Cedar Ridge completed a two-game sweep of Williams 3-1 on Friday night. For the first time since the two teams became league rivals in 201, Cedar Ridge swept a series from the Bulldogs.

Hudson Kelly earned his first varsity win, allowing just one unearned run over five innings. Kelly also knocked in the go-ahead runs in the fifth inning with a liner to centerfield, scoring Noah Heckman and Grant McGuffey.

For the second year in a row, Cedar Ridge senior Quinn Finnegan earned the save at Williams. After Williams got Aidan Pullman and Liam Kerr Finger on board in the seventh inning off infield singles, Finnegan struck out Chris Gonzalez-Gomez and Cooper Rice to end the game.

Coker scored Williams’ only run when he reached off an error in the first inning. Rounding the bases with a passed ball and a groundout, Coker scored off an grounder to second by Angel Mora. Kelly limited the Bulldogs to one hit over the first five innings.

John Grove reached on an error at second base with one out in the fourth inning. Heckman replaced Grove as a courtesy runner. Grant McGuffey lined a double to the left field gap, sending Heckman to third. Kelly drove a liner to left field, which bounced away from Williams’ Jazion Bigelow and came to a rest just shy of the fence, allowing Heckman and McGuffey to score standing up.

Cedar Ridge (3-5, 2-0 in the Central Conference) will start a two-game series against Person in Roxboro on Tuesday.