Orange Baseball

In a power pitching display reminiscent of Bryse Wilson’s days at Orange, Panther sophomore Ryan Hench struck out 16 batters as the Panthers defeated Chapel Hill 5-0 at Tiger Field on Tuesday night. It may very well have set a school record for strikeouts in a game. For good measure, Hench drove in Jackson Berini in the seventh inning. Hench, in just his second start for Orange, won despite throwing on only four days rest. He earned the win in Friday’s game against Northwood. Senior center fielder Jaren Sikes scored Orange’s first two runs. Sikes reached on a bunt single in the third inning and scored off a wild pitch. In the fifth, Sikes hit a lead off double and scored off a fielder’s choice from Tyler Lloyd. Sikes slid into home plate safely under the tag of Chapel Hill catcher Trevor Liebe. Orange is 5-0 and has sewed up a spot in the 3A State Playoffs. The Panthers will face West Stokes in a recently scheduled non conference game on Friday in Hillsborough. You can hear that game on Hillsboroughsports.com.

There was no gas shortage at Tiger Field on Tuesday night.

That’s because Ryan Hench was throwing flames.

In only his second varsity start, the sophomore pitcher struck out 14 batters in a two-hit shutout to propel Orange past Chapel Hill 5-0. Hench did it on the same night where former Orange star Bryse Wilson started for the Atlanta Braves against Toronto at Truist Field.

According to MaxPreps, Wilson’s career-high at Orange was 15 strikeouts against East Chapel Hill on March 21, 2016.

Through nine innings over his past two starts, Hench has surrendered two hits, one walk and no runs with 18 strikeouts.

The Panthers, 5-0, ensured a playoff birth for the 19th consecutive season.

Hench started Orange’s victory over Northwood on Friday, where he and three other pitchers combined on a one-hitter. It was his first varsity win in just his second pitching appearance. Against the Chargers, he was pulled after three innings and 51 pitches without conceding a hit. On Tuesday, he needed only 90 pitches to blank Chapel Hill, 71 of which were strikes.

Hench’s brother Cooper, who graduated from Orange last June and recently completed his freshman year at N.C. State, was in attendance Tuesday. In Orange’s last trip to Chapel Hill on April 25, 2019, Cooper Hench threw a three-hit shutout in a 10-1 Panther win.

In a pivotal game for Orange’s playoff chances, Panthers Coach Jason Knapp didn’t hesitate to start Hench on four days rest.

“Absolutely,” Knapp immediately answered when asked if he felt Hench was capable of such a powerful performance. “I thought he could give us a good 4-5 innings after what we saw against Northwood. He was fired up tonight. He commanded the zone and wasn’t scared to pitch to contact.”

Hench’s emotional, confident nature was on full display right down to the final pitch. With an 0-2 count on pinch hitter Liam Carruthers with two out in the 7th inning, Hench slammed the rosin bag down on the back of the mound and forcefully turned to the plate, which got a rise out of an already boisterous Panther dugout. Hench unleashed yet another fastball that glanced off Carruthers bat in front of the plate. Orange catcher Davis Horton picked it up and threw to Jordan Underwood to end the game. Moments earlier, Underwood made the defensive gem of the night. With Tigers catcher Trevor Liebe at second following a double, Underwood made a diving stab on a grounder hit by Chapel Hill’s Becket Yates that hugged the first base line. Hench raced over to cover first as Underwood, still on the ground, chucked the ball across to preserve the shutout.

Chapel Hill only managed five baserunners. Liebe had both of the Tigers’ hits. Of Hench’s 14 strikeouts, Chapel Hill had two batters get on base after dropped third strikes. Four of the base runners were left on base, while the other was tagged out in a rundown.

Orange centerfielder Jaren Sikes scored the Panthers’ first two runs. Sikes led off the third inning with a beautiful bunt down the third base line. With Tyler Lloyd at bat, Sikes went station-to-station, going to second base on a wild pitch, and advanced to third when Lloyd flew out to right. With two out and Conner Funk at bat, Sikes scored off another wild pitch.

Chapel Hill’s biggest threat came in the bottom of the second. Liebe lined a one-out single to right field. Third baseman Tyler Stillson was hit by a pitch. Carruthers, running for Liebe, advanced to third with one out after a wild pitch with Martin Nesbitt at bat. Hench shut down the threat with strikeouts of Nesbitt and Will Blythe.

It appeared Sikes would leadoff the fifth with a routine flyout to left field. But fly balls were as problematic as finding a gas pump on Tuesday night, and the outfielder lost it in the lights. Sikes, despite nearly being thrown out, still wound up at second, then went to third on another wild pitch. Lloyd sent a grounder to Stillson, who tried to nab Sikes at the plate, but Sikes slid in safely. Lloyd advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Jackson Berini. Will Walker got on board after an infield hit with two out, and Lloyd would score off a wild pitch with Horton batting to increase Orange’s lead to 3-0.

In the fifth, Berini added another run following a leadoff walk. Horton singled to left field to extend his hitting streak to four games. Hench, as if his night wasn’t big enough already, lined a single to centerfield to bring in Berini. Right fielder David Waitt grounded a fastball through the hole in left for a RBI single to score courtesy runner Jacob Jones, running for Horton.

After Orange scored 15, 19 and ten runs in its first three contested games (Vance County was a forfeit on April 30), the Panthers picked up a reputation across the league as an offensive powerhouse with questions surrounding a young pitching staff. In one night, that may have changed with Ryan Hench delivering a power pitching performance not seen since Wilson’s high school glory days five years ago.

Now, Orange will prepare for Northern Durham next Tuesday in Hillsborough. It will be Orange’s final game that will count in the Big 8 Conference standings this year and could decide the league title. (Northern was scheduled to play Northwood in Pittsboro on Tuesday, but didn’t travel due to the gas shortage. Northern’s wrestling team did travel to Hillsborough to face Cedar Ridge).

While the conference crown will have to wait, Knapp went to bed on Tuesday night knowing that his postseason fate is secure.

“It feels real good,” Knapp said. “To get that sewed up and to get into nonconference games, we’re just excited. These guys are getting better every single day.”

Mia Davidson: The inevitable finally happened this weekend as Mia Davidson became the all-time home run hitter in Mississippi State history. On Saturday, Davidson blasted a solo homer against Georgia for her 68th career home run. She surpassed Rafael Palmeiro for the most home runs in Mississippi State history, softball or baseball. The accolade included a congratulatory video from Palmeiro:

Davidson is now tied in Southeastern Conference softball history with Georgia’s Alyssa DiCarlo for second place on the all-time home run list. The career leader is Florida’s Lauren Haeger with 71. Davidson went 1-for-3 on Saturday. On Friday, Mia finished 0-for-2, but scored a run after she walked in the fourth inning. She was driven home off a single from Jackie McKenna. On Sunday, Davidson went 2-for-2 with 2 RBIs. She hit a sacrifice fly in the 3rd inning to score Brylie St. Clair. In the first, Davidson had an RBI single.

Montana Davidson: Mississippi State concluded the regular season by sweeping the weekend series from Georgia. On Friday, Montana went 1-for-3 when she reached on a bunt single and stole a base in the third inning. It was her fourth stolen base of the season as Mississippi State won 4-2. On Saturday, Montana drew a bases-loaded walk in the 2nd inning. In the fourth inning, she scored off a fielder’s choice. In Sunday’s 4-3 win, Montana went 1-for-3. Mississippi State finished the regular season on a seven-game winning streak, which matches the 1999 team for the second-longest SEC winning streak in school history. The Bulldogs are 32-22, 8-15 in the SEC. They will open the SEC Tournament against Ole Miss on Wednesday morning at 11:00 AM in Tuscaloosa, AL.

Tori Dalehite: The UNC Greensboro softball team has claimed the Southern Conference regular season championship. On Sunday, the Spartans completed a three-game sweep of Western Carolina at UNCG Softball Stadium and will host the Southern Conference Tournament this week. UNCG will start play against Mercer on Thursday.

Grace Andrews: The Catawba Valley Community College softball team completed its first full season in the opening round of the Region X Tournament on Saturday. Top-seeded Louisburg swept a best-of-three series from the Red Hawks at Sheila Cotton Field in Louisburg. The Hurricanes won game one 24-5 in five innings and the final game 8-7. Andrews went a combined 0-for-5. It was the first time all year that Andrews went hitless in consecutive games and ended a seven-game hitting streak. In her freshman year at Catawba Valley, Andrews led the team with 41 RBIs and 53 hits. She finished with a .442 batting average (2nd on the team), with eight home runs (also 2nd on the team). Catawba Valley ends the season 23-13 overall, 12-8 in the Region X West Division.

Marvin Jones: Jones earned the gold medal in the high jump during the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Belk Track on the campus of North Carolina A&T in Greensboro on Saturday. Jones, a senior who lettered at Cedar Ridge, leaped 2.09 meters for his first collegiate gold medal. It was his second career MEAC medal. He claimed a bronze in the 2020 MEAC Indoor Track c& Field Championships.

Jaylin Jones: For the first time in school history, the Pfeiffer men’s lacrosse team is going to the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Falcons defeated Piedmont 17-13 to win the USA South Conference Tournament at Lefko Field in Misenheimer on Sunday. Jones, who was named All-Conference as a defensive midfielder last week, had one ground ball for the Falcons. Pfeiffer will face Lynchburg College in Shellenberger Field for the opening round of the Division III Tournament on Saturday afternoon.

Bryse Wilson: After being optioned by the Atlanta Braves last week, Wilson made his first start for the Gwinnett Stripers of Triple-A East on Thursday night. Wilson threw five scoreless innings to earn the victory as Gwinnett defeated the Charlotte Knights 4-0 at Truist Field. He became the first pitcher in Gwinnett history to win seven consecutive starts. Dating back to July 21, 2019, Wilson is 7-0 with a 0.80 ERA for Gwinnett. Against the Knights, Wilson scattered four hits with five strikeouts and one walk in his first Triple-A start of the season.

Cooper Porter: The Pensacola State baseball team had its season come to an end in the National Junior College Athletic Association Region 8 Tournament. The Pirates lost to Santa Fe College 10-0 on Friday night in Lakeland, FL. In the opening game last Wednesday, Pensacola State edged Seminole State College of Florida 4-3 in ten innings. Porter entered the game as a pinch hitter. In 18 games this season, Porter hit .256 with one home run and six RBIs. He also pitched in three games. In one-and-two-thirds innings, Porter gave up two hits with one walk and four strikeouts.

With this year’s Big 8 Conference baseball race a sprint instead of a marathon, Orange had a pitcher ready to learn on the job just in time for his first start.

In only his second pitching appearance for the Panthers, sophomore Ryan Hench didn’t surrender a hit over four innings to earn his first win as Orange rolled past Northwood 10-1 on Friday night at Panther Field. Hench, Jaren Sikes, Cesar Lozano and David Waitt combined on a one-hitter.

The Panthers (4-0, 4-0 in the Big 8 Conference) remain tied with Northern Durham for first place in the Big 8.

Orange scored at least ten runs for the third straight game (excluding the forfeit victory over Vance County last Friday). Northwood, coming off a dramatic win over Chapel Hill on Tuesday, started Salvador Delgado as pitcher for the second straight game. Orange’s first six batters had base hits, starting with Jackson Berini’s line drive to right field. Connor Funk lined a first-pitch fastball that rolled all the way to the fence, which allowed Berini to score from first.

It was the start of a five-run first inning. After Will Walker laced a single to left, catcher Davis Horton drilled a line drive down the left field line to bring in Funk. Horton finished 3-for-4 with 4 RBIs. Through three games, Horton leads the team with ten RBIs.

Hench helped his own cause when he legged out an infield single on a cue shot up the third base line. David Waitt poked a fly ball that floated down fair inches from the right field line to score Walker and led to Delgado being replaced by reliever Nick Lovingood.

Jordan Underwood got on board off an error to score courtesy runner Jacob Jones. Sikes hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield, which led to Hench coming in for the fifth run.

Berini, who finished 2-for-2, led off the second inning with a walk. After he stole second, Horton got his second RBI when he looped a single to right field that fell between three Chargers converging on the ball.

In the fourth, Berini lead off with a bouncing single over second base. Funk walked, which led to Horton lining a two-run double to the fence in left field.

Northwood didn’t get its first hit until the fifth inning, after Hench, left the game, when Seth Davis sent a soft line drive to centerfield. Davis took second off a wild pitch. Luke Smith and Lovingood walked, and Andrew Johnson brought in Davis with another free pass.

The Panthers responded with two more runs in the bottom of the fifth. Sikes led off with a double. Tyler Lloyd sent a hanging fly ball to second base, which was dropped and allowed Sikes to score. Walker knocked in Lloyd with a sacrifice fly.

Orange will travel to Chapel Hill on Tuesday, its first road game of the season. Panther coach Jason Knapp has also scheduled a nonconfernece game against West Stokes next Friday. The contest against the Wildcats will replace a scheduled contest against Southern Durham, which will be a forfeit win for Orange since the Spartans aren’t fielding a team this year.

NORTHERN DURHAM 10, CEDAR RIDGE 9

For the second week in a row, Cedar Ridge nearly came back from a big deficit late.

Northern Durham led Cedar Ridge 10-4 going into the bottom of the sixth inning before the Red Wolves staged another big rally, only to fall short against the undefeated Knights 10-9.

Garrett Ray started the rally with an infield single. B.J. Thornton walked, and Nick Nolan doubled on a line drive. Ray was thrown out at the plate while Thornton advanced to third. Aiden McAllister doubled on a ground ball to centerfield to score Nolan and Thornton.

Cedar Ridge started the seventh inning by loading the bases with no outs. Grady Ray singled to left, while Cristian Macias walked and Tucker Cothran singled to right. Mason Cates’ sacrifice fly to right field brought in Ray.

Marco Velazquez lined a double to centerfield to score Macias and Cothran, but Velasquez was thrown out at third for the second out. Thornton walked. but Norther secured a groundout to second base for the final out.

McAllister finished 2-for-4 with a double and a triple. Garrett Ray also went 2-for-4.

Cedar Ridge will travel to East Chapel Hill on Tuesday.

Sophomore Ryan Hench had a notable first start as a pitcher for the Orange Panthers. In four innings, Hench didn’t surrender a hit before he was pulled in the fifth inning. On his way to his first win at Orange, Hench only allowed two baserunners: one reached on an error, the other on a walk to lead off the 4th inning. Neither reached second base. It was an impressive performance for Hench, whose only other appearance on the mound for Orange came last March in relief against Eastern Alamance, just a week before the pandemic canceled the season. Hench’s brother, Cooper, pitched for Orange for three seasons. Cooper Hench is now with N.C. State’s club baseball team. Orange is 4-0 and remains tied with Northern Durham for first place in the Big 8 Conference. Orange will make its first round trip of the season on Tuesday to face Chapel Hill at 7 PM. You can hear that game on Hillsboroughsports.com.

David Waitt wasn’t sure what he had just done. Neither did his coach, Jason Knapp.

“I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” Knapp said as he watched Waitt’s 1st inning fly ball to left field carry…and carry…and carry until it nearly hit Orange trainer Emily Gaddy’s car parked near the football field house beyond the left field wall.

Waitt, who has garnered an early reputation as a singles and doubles hitter, had his first varsity career home run. A three-run job, no less.

By the end of the night, Orange pounded out 19 hits against a weary Cedar Ridge pitching staff as the Panthers defeated the Red Wolves 19-9 in six innings at a windy Orange High Field on Wednesday night. Orange (3-0) is tied with Northern Durham for first place in the Big 8 Conference.

Obviously, it was a night of offense. Orange’s win couldn’t overshadow the most impressive performance in the career of Cedar Ridge leadoff batter Aidan McAllister, who launched two home runs, each to dead centerfield, in the opening two innings. McAllister scored three times and finished with three RBIs.

Waitt, a sophomore in his first year at the varsity level, finished 4-for-5 with 4 RBIs and three runs scored. His classmate, shortstop Jackson Berini, went 3-for-6 with an RBI and three runs scored. Conner Funk went 2-for-6 with two doubles and three RBIs.

“1-through-9, we’re solid,” Knapp said. “It’s as solid as a hitting lineup as I’ve ever had. We have the potential to get the ball over the fence and bust one open.”

Cedar Ridge (1-2), coming off a narrow loss to Chapel Hill on Friday, has drawn the short straw in terms of Big 8 Conference scheduling. Among the six teams in the league that are fielding teams week in and week out (Orange, Cedar, Northern Durham, Northwood, East Chapel Hill and Chapel Hill), the Red Wolves are the only one that haven’t had a forfeit win yet (Southern Durham and Vance County have forfeited all of its games thus far due to a lack of players). After a season-opening triumph at Northwood on April 27, Cedar Ridge has played three games in eight days, the most strenuous stretch for any Big 8 team. Coach Bryson Massey has used pitchers Will Berger and Cristian Macias in all three games.

Not that he wants to hear that.

“We don’t make excuses,” Massey said. “I tell our guys we don’t make excuses. Whether its the rain, the forfeits, whether we face everybody’s ace every time we roll out. We don’t make excuses for ourselves. We’re going to walk out and expect to compete every pitch of every game. We want to be the team that competes the hardest every night.

McAllister opened the night of offense with a solo blast to centerfield on the second pitch thrown by Orange starter Pierson Kenney (who improved to 2-0). After Bryce Clark walked and Garrett Ray was hit by a pitch, Macias reached on a bunt single down the third base line to load the bases. Catcher Tucker Cothran grounded a ball back to Kenney, who threw to catcher Davis Horton at the plate to retire Clark. Third baseman Marco Velazquez knocked in Ray with a sacrifice fly to centerfield to put Cedar Ridge ahead 2-0.

Orange responded with four runs in the 1st inning. Before Waitt’s three-run homer Berini reached on an error and scored off a single by Horton. That lead was short-lived, as well.

After B.J. Thornton reached on a one-out infield single in the top of the second, McAllister belted a 1-1 fastball over the centerfield wall to tie the game.

Orange sent 12 batters to plate in an 8-run 2nd inning. Berini led off with a single to right field, followed by Funk getting aboard on an infield error. Senior Will Walker lined a double down the left field line to bring in Berini. After Horton was intentionally walked, Waitt went opposite way with a soft liner to right field. Walked scored, and Horton slid in safely after the ball popped out of the glove of the catcher in a close play at the plate.

Jaren Sikes lined a RBI single to bring in Waitt. Tyler Lloyd walked, Berini singled and Funk reached on an error, which led to Lloyd and Berini coming in.

The only semblance of consistent defense came when Orange sophomore Joey Pounds entered the game to relieve Kenney in the fourth inning. At one point, Pounds retired seven consecutive Red Wolves, including striking out the side in the fifth inning. It was Pounds’ first varsity save as he riddled Cedar Ridge batters with his unique fastball that looks like a curve but really isn’t.

“It’s all over the place,” Knapp said. “It cuts, it tails. He’s got great movement. I’m awfully proud of him. I put him in a tough spot. He battled through some adversity with a few balks that were called. He pulled himself together and absolutely started dealing for a few innings.”

In the sixth, Clark doubled to left field. Centerfielder Garrett Ray knocked him in with a single.

Orange will host Northwood on Friday night. Cedar Ridge will return home to host Northern Durham on Friday.

“These guys compete,” Knapp said. “They work hard in practice. They’re always pushing each other and I was really proud of these guys tonight. They rang the bell and they answered some questions. People in the back were asking some questions about these guys, and they really came out and showed some things.”