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ER boys postgame video at South Stokes

Widespread success reshapes Eastern Randolph’s reputation

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Among the thrills for Eastern Randolph during the past school year came following a road victory against South Stokes in the boys’ basketball state playoffs as coach Johnny Thomas and the team celebrate. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)

 

RAMSEUR – Eastern Randolph had a different kind of school year in 2022-23.

For athletics director Foster Cates, the perception of athletics at the school might be changing.

That’s because the Wildcats advanced to the Class 1-A state championship game in boys’ basketball. That had never happened before.

“It has been such a football and baseball dominant school forever,” Cates said. “I wanted to make it a one-stop shot. You can come to school and do all three.”

The Wildcats won the Piedmont Athletic Conference title in football last year. They followed that with the PAC crown in boys’ basketball, coinciding with a strong regular season and postseason from the girls’ basketball team.

The fan support followed, with Eastern Randolph drawing big crowds at home and on the road for basketball games.

“It gave the community something to rally around after football season,” Cates. “That’s a long wait before the next (football) season. It was great for the community.”

Cates said the boys’ basketball team’s high-scoring games heightened the interest.

“It’s entertainment,” he said.

The girls’ basketball team had a late-season eight-game winning streak and later won two games in the state playoffs.

In football, after a first-round bye in the state playoffs, the Wildcats won two games before they were eliminated. Combined with the basketball success, there were certain positives.

“Probably getting as far as we did in both sports,” then-senior running back / linebacker Devonte Brooks said of the school year’s highlights.

There seemed to be nonstop attention on Eastern Randolph.

“It was pretty exciting,” Brooks said. “I just wanted to make it a basketball and football school, not just a one-sport school. Leave it better than I found it, that’s all I’m trying to do.”

The buzz around Eastern Randolph athletics continued in the spring.

The baseball team advanced to the Class 1-A West Region finals, extending its season to late May. The softball team won three games in the state playoffs.

Kahlin_Athelete-of-the-WeekRectanglenewtemplate

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Kahlin Graham

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Eastern Randolph, baseball

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Graham played a variety of positions for the Wildcats, often in the infield as the third baseman. He also was listed as a pitcher.

The Wildcats reached the Class 1-A West Region finals before falling to eventual state champion Uwharrie Charter Academy.

Graham is set to continue playing baseball at Guilford College.

** During the summer, we recognize seniors from the past school year.

Post 45 Pierce Leonard fielding July2023

Leonard takes baseball path with Post 45; Southeast Regional set to begin in Asheboro

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 Second baseman Pierce Leonard of Randolph County Post 45 makes a play in the field earlier this season. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)

ASHEBORO – Pierce Leonard is a first-year member of the Randolph County Post 45 baseball team. There’s a reason that he pursued American Legion baseball this summer.

Having finished his final high school year at Eastern Randolph after transferring from Uwharrie Charter Academy, Leonard chose baseball as a preference in terms of a sport to play in college.

“I figured I could go farther with baseball than I could basketball,” Leonard said.

He said he’ll play baseball at Guilford Tech.

But first, Leonard will be part of the Post 45 team aiming for a resurgence in this week’s Southeast Regional at McCrary Park. Games begin Wednesday.

Leonard, who was a defensive back in football, was one of the standouts in Eastern Randolph’s key players during a record-setting basketball season that extended into March in the Class 1-A championship game.

Days later, he was on the baseball field for the Wildcats.

“I hadn’t played baseball since my freshman year,” Leonard said. “I feel baseball is natural to me. I’m just loose up there.”

Leonard, after fouling a ball off his shin, was out for most of the recent Post 45 postseason games. Randolph County manager Ronnie Pugh said Monday that Leonard was pretty much at full speed at a weekend practice in advance of the regional.

“He should be good to go,” Pugh said.

Post 45 holds a 23-6 record, with four of those losses coming to Rowan County and the other two to High Point-Thomasville. Randolph’s spot in the regional was secured because of an automatic bid reserved for the host team.

When Post 45 failed to advance to the Area 3 finals, it meant the team would have more than a two-week layoff before the Southeast Regional.

Post 45 has numerous players with experience from last year’s regional. Among those are lineup regulars Tanner Marsh, Braylen Hayes, Tyler Parks and Josh Meadows plus Alex Martinez and Robert Garner.

Martinez, a catcher and utility player, is with Post 45 after a season with Brunswick Community College. He didn’t play much in the spring, in part because he was behind Tatum Marsh, a former high school teammate at Asheboro and ex-Post 45 mate. 

Checking the regional …

The five-day regional includes teams from seven states. It’s a double-elimination format.

There are four games the first two days and then three games Friday, two more Saturday and one or two games Sunday.

Post 45 will play the nightcap each day if it’s in the winner’s bracket. Randolph County opens Wednesday against Columbia (Tenn.) Post 19. That game is set for 7:30 p.m.

Other first-day games are Evans (Ga.) Post 192 vs. Owensboro (Ky.) Post 9 at 9:30 a.m.; Belleview (Fla.) Post 284 vs. West End (Va.) Post 361 at 12:30 p.m.; and Florence (S.C.) Post 1 vs. Fuquay-Varina Post 116.

Belleview, Evans, Owensboro and Columbia all played in the regional last year at McCrary Park. Post 45’s only game against any of those teams came with an eight-inning victory against Evans on the second day in a winner’s bracket game, but Randolph County lost its next two games and was eliminated.

Fuquay-Varina won the North Carolina state tournament, topping Wayne County Post 11 in Saturday’s final in Buies Creek.

The regional winner advances to the American Legion World Series next week in Shelby.

UCA wrestling happy bench 2023

In review: UCA’s state titles highlight top area moments

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Members of the Uwharrie Charter Academy wrestling team celebrate a dual team state championship last winter. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)

There were championships and near misses and an assortment of other superlatives associated with the 2022-23 school year for Randolph County high school teams.

Uwharrie Charter Academy racked up a pair of team state championships in Class 1-A.

The Eagles secured the dual team wrestling title and a few months later picked up the baseball crown.

** Eastern Randolph’s boys’ basketball team had its most successful season ever by advancing to the Class 1-A state championship game. Wilson Prep won the game.

Then in baseball, the Wildcats ended up one round away from a spot in the state finals. They were denied by UCA in the West Region finals.

Those might have been surprise postseason runs, but Eastern Randolph’s football success seemed normal. The Wildcats won the Piedmont Athletic Conference, received a first-round bye in the Class 1-A state playoffs and won two playoff games before they were derailed by Mount Airy.

** Wheatmore’s girls’ soccer team also played for a state championship, but its bid to repeat as the Class 2-A titlist was thwarted in the final by Manteo.

** Asheboro’s boys’ soccer team made it to the Class 3-A West Region final, falling to Hickory.

** Randleman’s baseball and girls’ basketball teams both reached the fourth round of the Class 2-A state playoffs. In baseball, the Tigers were the two-time defending state champions.

** Providence Grove’s football team won one game in the Class 2-A state playoffs. That was notable because it was the school’s first victory in a postseason football game.

** In softball, Southwestern Randolph won three games in the Class 2-A state playoffs before a 10-inning loss to West Wilkes. UCA and Eastern Randolph also reached the fourth round in Class 1-A.

Notes of interest

** Brecken Snotherly of Eastern Randolph was the PAC’s Runner of the Year in girls’ cross country, Player of the Year in girls’ basketball and the Most Valuable Track Athlete for PAC girls’ track and field.

** Shortstop / pitcher Tanner Marsh of Asheboro was a top honoree in two sports in the Mid-Piedmont Conference. He was dubbed the Defensive Player of the Year in boys’ basketball and the Player of the Year in baseball as a senior.

** Connor Carter of Eastern Randolph was the state individual runner-up for the past two seasons in Class 1-A boys’ golf.

** Infielder Hunter Atkins of Randleman was the Player of the Year for PAC baseball in 2021 and 2023. He’s heading to UNC Greensboro, though first he’s playing this summer for Randolph County Post 45 in American Legion baseball.

Randleman baseball Hunter Atkins v Trinity May2023

Piedmont Athletic Conference all-conference spring lists

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Hunter Atkins of Randleman takes a swing during a Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament game against Trinity. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)

Here’s a list of the Piedmont Athletic Conference’s major award winners and all-conference selections for spring sports:

Baseball

Player of the Year: Hunter Atkins (Randleman)

Co-Pitchers of the Year: Austin Lemons (Randleman), Cade Hill (Trinity)

Coach of the Year: Ryan Spencer (Trinity)

All-conference

Randleman: Hunter Atkins, Austin Lemons, Shawn Miller, Seth Way.

Trinity: Jaxson Coble, Cade Hill, Jake Little, Landon Mowery.

Southwestern Randolph: Easton Clapp, Adam Cole, Tyler Parks.

Wheatmore: Payton Mooney, Mason Rich.

Providence Grove: Joe Coltrane, Logan Fox, Andrew Thomas.

Eastern Randolph: Samuel Asbill, Stratton Barwick, Ethan Frye.

Uwharrie Charter Academy: Carter Brown, Jake Hunter, Walker Wilkins.

 

Boys’ golf

Player of the Year: Connor Carter (Eastern Randolph)

Coach of the Year: Pete Kilcullen (Wheatmore)

All-conference

Wheatmore: Hunter Marshall, Ryan Marshall, Jayden Martin.

Providence Grove: Brandon Davis, Seth Turner, Cooper Wright.

Randleman: Justin Jackson, Mason Millikan.

Trinity: Bo Earnhardt, Ethan Earnhardt.

Eastern Randolph: Connor Carter.

 

Softball

Co-Players of the Year: Addie Flinchum (Eastern Randolph), Emma Mazzarone (Providence Grove)

Pitcher of the Year: Macie Crutchfield (Southwestern Randolph)

Coach of the Year: Chad Whitson (Southwestern Randolph)

All-conference

Providence Grove: Maddie Flinchum, Devon Kelly, Callie Lambert, Emma Mazzarone.

Southwestern Randolph: Macie Crutchfield, Alley Lowe, Ky Perdue, Madelyn Smith, Maddie Strider, Madison Varner, Carleigh Whitson.

Eastern Randolph: Logan Beaver, Addie Flinchum, Lanie McDaniel, Ayanna Mears, Skylar Pugh, Ziera Watson.

Uwharrie Charter Academy: Kynley Brewer, Molly Bulla.

Randleman: Jordan Booker, Kadie Greene.

Wheatmore: Carmen Turgeon.

Wheatmore’s Summer Bowman heads a ball during the Class 2-A state playoffs in a girls’ soccer game vs. Wilkes Central. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)

Girls’ soccer

Offensive Player of the Year: Ellie Garrison (Wheatmore)

Defensive of the Year: Natalie Bowman (Wheatmore)

Coach of the Year: Jimmy Walker (Southwestern Randolph)

All-conference

Wheatmore: Natalie Bowman, Summer Bowman, Shea Driggers, Ellie Garrison, Maggie Messner, Izabella Ringley, Mikalah Walls.

Southwestern Randolph: Macy Allred, Madison Blankenship, Sadie Mabe, Macy Walker.

Uwharrie Charter Academy: Ava Cugino, Alexis Marion, Jazmin Palma.

Providence Grove: Jenny Banuelos, Brooke Ingram, Aaliyah Loveday, Alisa Shaw, Taryn Waugh.

Trinity: Deanna Cobb, Autumn Gentry.

Randleman: Emily Jaramillo Avila, Kendall Fortson, Estefania Jaimes.

Eastern Randolph: Cora Sparrow.

 

Boys’ tennis

Player of the Year: Conner Kelly (Southwestern Randolph)

Coach of the Year: Cassie Wodecki (Providence Grove)

All-conference

Uwharrie Charter Academy: Cadence Butler, Evan Morin.

Wheatmore: Sam Greene, Jacob Younts.

Providence Grove: James Ellis, Hunter Sexton, Chase Whitaker.

Randleman: Ashton Dillon.

Trinity: Bradin Oldham, Dominic Payne.

Southwestern Randolph: Conner Kelly, Asher Perkins, Kearns Trotter.

 

Boys’ track and field

Most Valuable Track Athlete: Tristan Chriscoe (Randleman)

Most Outstanding Runner: Zach Hazelwood (Wheatmore)

Most Outstanding Field Event Participant: Chase Farlow (Randleman)

Coach of the Year: Marty Collinson (Randleman)

All-conference

Trinity: Jose Castillo, Memphis Chap, Zach Cox, Riley Foster, Dylan Hodges, Jacob Hodges, Giovanni Jaimes, Mitchell Marin-Pulido, Dominic Payne, AJ Poe, Robert Ratliff.

Providence Grove: Robert Burton, Malachi Combo, Jackson Rhyne.

Randleman: Tristan Chriscoe, Chase Farlow, Amari Ferdna, Tyshawn Goldston, Landon McGee, Amarion Moton, Ty Moton, Jonathan Sampson.

Wheatmore: Zach Hazelwood, Peyton McDevitt.

 

Girls’ track and field

Most Valuable Track Athlete: Brecken Snotherly (Eastern Randolph)

Outstanding Runner: Jensen Auman (Providence Grove)

Outstanding Field Event Participant: Gracie Beane (Randleman)

Coach of the Year: Ken Wilson (Wheatmore)

All-conference

Providence Grove: Jensen Auman, Maya Barber, Jazmin Cruz, Kaylan Currin, Carolina Duvall, Allie Frazier, Alyssa Kinley, Makayla Leonard.

Randleman: Gracie Beane, Iniyah Mitchell.

Wheatmore: Emma Davidson, Rinnah Edwards, Emerie Everhart, Abigail Lewis, Ariel Martin, Kahmarii McNeil, Kaitlyn Miller, Rylee Reidling, Peyton Wilson.

Southwestern Randolph: Gracie Hodgin, Sadie Mabe, Elizabeth Pierce.

Eastern Randolph: Brecken Snotherly.

Trinity: Kinsley Fox, Sarabeth Johnson.

_AOTWPugh

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Skylar Pugh

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Eastern Randolph, softball – Pugh was a force in the pitching circle and at the plate for the Wildcats during her senior season.

She posted eight wins to go with two saves as a pitcher. She was credited with 131 strikeouts in 69 innings.

Pugh’s four home runs were second on the team.

Eastern Randolph finished with an 18-6 record. That’s the most wins for the Wildcats since 2019.

UCA baseball after winning regional at ER

UCA Eagles sweep Eastern Randolph in regional finals

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UCA team members gather after winning the Class 1-A West Region title.

Clutch late-inning work boosts UCA’s baseball team

RAMSEUR – It was pretty much a matter of Uwharrie Charter Academy’s baseball team making the best of tough situations Thursday night.

By doing so, the Eagles are heading to where they want to go.

UCA completed a Class 1-A West Regional finals sweep of Eastern Randolph by winning 8-1 in Game 2, scoring all their runs in the last two innings.

“It still hasn’t sunk in,” UCA senior Ben Medinger said of the chance to play for a state title.

The Eagles (20-10) will play in the state championship series against North Moore or Voyager Academy on June 2-3 in either Burlington or Holly Springs. Game 2 of the East Region finals is set for Friday night, with a possible Game 3 on Saturday.

After a tense series with Eastern Randolph, the Eagles will have a few days to relax. UCA and Eastern Randolph are the Piedmont Athletic Conference’s only Class 1-A teams, and they made it through the bracket for this showdown.

“We just kind of ran out of steam,” Eastern Randolph coach Brent Haynes said.

UCA is now 4-0 vs. the Wildcats (8-19) this season, but it was far from easy.

Eastern Randolph pitcher Stratton Barwick blanked the second-seeded Eagles across the first five innings. UCA coach Rob Shore said the Eagles had trouble solving Barwick, a left-hander, during a 4-3, 10-inning victory more than a month earlier during the regular season.

Meanwhile, UCA had freshman pitcher Jake Hunter up to the task on the mound, though it was taxing for several reasons.

“I haven’t gone seven too often,” he said of the complete game.

There were concerns about him making it that far after he absorbed a line drive off Barwick’s bat for what became the last out of the fifth inning. The liner pelted Hunter in the stomach – and he had a sizable reminder imprinted on his midsection afterward.

Hunter keeled over, while second baseman Troy Carver retrieved the ball and recorded the out with a throw to first.

“It hurt in the beginning,” Hunter said.

“I think it scared him more than anything,” Shore said.

At the time, the Eagles trailed 1-0. They went ahead in the top of the sixth.

Grat Dalton’s one-out single brought in the tying run. Walker Wilkins’ sacrifice fly put UCA ahead.

In the bottom of the inning, No. 21 seed Eastern Randolph put a couple of runners on base without a hit with one out. Hunter responded with two strikeouts to thwart the threat.

In UCA’s six-run seventh, all the scoring came with two outs.

“We showed (relentlessness) with every one of those coming with two outs,” Carver said.

Carver’s two-out single began the scoring outburst. Medinger drove in the next two runs with his first triple of the season. The Eagles piled on more runs courtesy of some fielding blunders and Caleb Stickle’s two-run single.

“We put them up when we needed it,” UCA right fielder Carter Brown said of the runs.

That marked the end of Barwick’s pitching.

Hunter ended up with a three-hitter.

“Jake absolutely shoved,” Carver said.

Throughout the game, the good thing for Hunter was that he had third baseman Landen Zephir making a variety of defensive plays on his behalf. Those were among the reasons that potential Eastern Randolph threats were doused.

“We just could not get that hit,” Haynes said.

The Eagles achieved what they sought in their first road game of the playoffs. It was capped by a typical on-field celebration.

For Brown, a junior, the setting had significance.

“It meant 10 times more to me because this is my home (district),” he said of playing on Eastern Randolph’s field.

Eastern Randolph senior Pierce Leonard was on the flip side. He’s a transfer from UCA. Leonard scored the Wildcats’ only run.

Eastern Randolph doubled its win total during the state playoffs in Haynes’ first season.

“Guys knew they were better than a 4-17 record,” he said. “We just started finishing games. That kind of came back and got us (in this series).”

The Eagles scored nine of their 12 runs in the series in the sixth or seventh innings.

“We were a couple of outs away from being in a state championship,” Haynes said.

UCA also eliminated the Wildcats last year, though that came in a third-round clash.

In Tuesday night’s Game 1 at UCA, the Eagles broke a tie in the sixth inning for a 4-3 victory with Brett Smith and Logun Wilkins providing the pitching. Brown scored two runs and Carver rapped a triple.

Eastern Randolph held a 3-1 lead after posting three runs in the second inning with Alex Kivett’s run-producing double one of the big blows. Samuel Asbill pitched a complete game for the Wildcats.

ER golfer Connor Carter 2023states. jpg

Prep Golf, Track: Carter claims second again in state tourney; Beane jumps to runner-up spot

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Connor Carter of Eastern Randolph tees off during the Class 1-A state tournament last week at Pinehurst No. 6. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)

PINEHURST – Eastern Randolph senior Connor Carter was the runner-up again in the Class 1-A state tournament for boys’ golf.

Carter shot rounds of 70 and 77 for 3-over-par 147 last week at Pinehurst No. 6.

He was behind only Mitchell’s Connor Warren, the defending champion who checked in at 11-under 133 with rounds of 65 and 68. Carter had a four-shot edge on third-place finisher Reid Smith of South Stanly.

In Class 2-A at Longleaf Golf & Family Club in Southern Pines, Ryan Marshall of Wheatmore tied for 30th at 16-over 160 (83, 77). Randleman’s Justin Jackson ended up 77th at 194 (103, 91)

Class 3-A at Foxfire Resort & Golf Club’s Red Course in Jackson Springs, David Elliott of Asheboro tied for 57th at 24-over 168 (82, 86).

Track and field

At Greensboro, Randleman’s Gracie Beane was second in the girls’ high jump in Class 2-A to highlight results for Randolph County entrants in state meets at North Carolina A&T.

Beane’s leap of 5 feet, 4 inches was 2 inches shy of the winning mark from D’Anna Cotton of team champion Burlington Cummings.

Beane also was eighth in the triple jump (35-3½).

Coley Shiflet of Southwestern Randolph ended up sixth in the 800 meters (2:28.10). Iniyah Mitchell of Randleman took sixth in the shot put (34-3)

On the boys’ side, Chase Farlow of Randleman placed fifth in the high jump at 6-2. Trinity’s Dylan Hodges was seventh in the high jump (6-0).

Wheatmore’s Zach Hazelwood captured sixth place in the 3,200 (10:11.30).

** In Class 3-A on Friday, Asheboro’s girls’ 400 relay of Audrey Patterson, Sion Murrain, Ey’Mya Cheek and Jalaya Showers was seventh in 50.88.

Lance Everhart scored on the boys’ side by tying for eighth place in the high jump (6-0). He was 11th in the pole vault (12-0).

** In Class 1-A on Friday, Eastern Randolph’s Brecken Snotherly placed fifth in the 1,600 (5:33.54). She was ninth in the 800 (2:33.12).

Teammate Mirianna Corea was seventh in the shot put (32-5½).

UCA softball Ferguson v North Stokes May2023

Softball teams ousted in fourth round

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Jayla Ferguson scores for Uwharrie Charter Academy in a softball victory against North Stokes in the third round of the Class 1-A state playoffs. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record)

 

All in one night, the dreams of state championships for three Randolph County softball teams were dashed.

They all had reached West Regional semifinals, but then Southwestern Randolph, Eastern Randolph and Uwharrie Charter Academy went down Friday night.

Class 2-A

At Asheboro, West Wilkes knocked off host Southwestern Randolph 2-1 in 10 innings.

Leah Greene’s sacrifice fly in the 10th inning for third-seeded West Wilkes was the difference.

Second-seeded Southwestern Randolph (22-2) scored first when Madison Varner drove in a third-inning run. West Wilkes (22-0) pulled even in the next inning on pitcher Lily Profit’s home run.

From the circle, Profit delivered a three-hitter. Macie Crutchfield pitched a complete game with 17 strikeouts for Southwestern Randolph.

The Cougars’ only other loss this year came to Hickory Ridge, which has advanced to the Class 4-A West Regional finals.

Class 1-A

Fourth-seeded Eastern Randolph came up short in a 3-1 loss at top-seeded South Stokes.

Lanie McDaniel had three hits for Eastern Randolph (18-6). She scored the only run on Ayanna Mears’ single in the second inning.

Wildcats pitcher Addie Flinchum struck out 10 batters, but issued six walks and allowed five hits.

Eastern Randolph was in its first road game of this postseason. South Stokes improved to 24-1.

** Uwharrie Charter Academy lost 12-2 at No. 11 seed Union Academy.

Logan Zephir had two hits and Emory Johnson and Molly Bulla drove in runs for the 15th-seeded Eagles (15-4), who had allowed only one run across their first three playoff games combined.

Union Academy moved on with a 22-4 record.

UCA baseball coach Rob Shore from PG game 2023

UCA, Eastern Randolph advance to Class 1-A showdown; Randleman’s reign ends in Class 2-A upset

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Coach Rob Shore has guided Uwharrie Charter Academy deep into the state playoffs in his first season in that role. (Randolph Record)

There will be a Randolph County baseball team in the state finals.

It won’t be Randleman.

Either Uwharrie Charter Academy or Eastern Randolph will be in the Class 1-A state championship series in the first weekend of June. Those teams will meet in a best-of-3 West Regional final.

Two-time defending Class 2-A state champion Randleman was bounced in Friday night’s fourth round by Eden Morehead.

Here’s a recap of how it has shaken out:

Class 1-A

The only two Class 1-A teams in the Piedmont Athletic Conference are the only survivors in the classification in the West Region.

Games 1 and, if necessary, Game 3 will be at UCA.

Second-seeded UCA needed eight innings to top third-seeded Draughn 5-4 in Friday night’s fourth round. Carter Brown’s two-out single drove in Grat Dalton with the winning run.

Logun Wilkins was the winning pitcher in relief by logging two innings. The Eagles (18-10) have played every state-playoff game at home.

No. 21 seed Eastern Randolph won its fourth consecutive road game, upending Union Academy 13-6 on Friday night.

UCA shared second place in the PAC. Eastern Randolph (8-17) was last in the league.

UCA defeated Eastern Randolph 3-0 (on April 11) and 4-3 (on April 13) in the regular season.

In Tuesday’s third round, Eastern Randolph slipped past No. 13 seed Highland Tech 3-1, while UCA toppled No. 10 seed North Stokes 11-4.

For UCA, Dalton had three hits and scored two runs. Brett Smith pitched 5 1/3 innings for the victory.

Class 2-A

Second-seeded Randleman’s run came to a halt with a 5-0 loss to visiting Eden Morehead on Friday night.

Randleman had won 13 consecutive games in the state playoffs dating to a Game 2 loss in the 2021 championship series, a result that was avenged later that same day in a decisive Game 3 against Rutherfordton-Spindale Central.

The Tigers (23-5) had outscored their previous three opponents in this year’s state playoffs by a combined 37-8 tally.

In being eliminated, Randleman managed just two hits – a Hunter Atkins double and a Braxton Walker single.

Anderson Nance struck out 10 batters without issuing a walk for Eden Morehead (23-5), ), which had its first margin of more than two runs in any of its state-playoff games.

It was only the third time that Randleman gave up as many as five runs in a game this season. Austin Lemons was charged with all five runs, though only two were earned, in six innings.

Randleman topped visiting East Davidson 7-3 in Tuesday night’s third round to push its winning streak to seven games.

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