Roger Whitehead
ROBBINS — Eastern Randolph High School picked up a baseball victory last weekend, capturing a win in the first half of an unusual Saturday afternoon twinbill at North Moore.
Facing Tazewell High of Virginia, the Wildcats put together a solid game en route to a 7-3 win. The success was short-lived, however, as hosting North Moore rallied with two eighth-inning runs for a 5-4 win in the nightcap.
Earlier in the week, Eastern Randolph tangled with Mid-Piedmont 3A Conference frontrunner Ragsdale and suffered a 22-0 pasting. Also, Southwestern Randolph outlasted ERHS to hold on for a 10-6 MPC victory.
The action left the Wildcats at 1-7 in the MPC and 2-10 overall.
Landon Allen paced the ER triumph over Tazewell, going the distance on the mound while racking up nine strikeouts and scattering six hits. Dalton Laster topped the offense with two hits and two RBI. Dalton Clark added a pair of safeties and Allen had a RBI hit.
Eastern Randolph lost the second half of the twinbill when North Moore loaded the bases in the eighth and scored twice on a base hit.
The Wildcats scored their runs on home runs. Tucker Coward blasted a pair of roundtrippers while Clark chipped in with a solo shot.
In the battle against Ragsdale, the game was called in the fifth inning on the10-run-lead rule. The Tigers pounded out 21 hits while their three pitchers yielded just three hits.
Coward provided a bright spot for ER, belting a fifth-inning triple and the fifth hit in his last six at-bats. Reliever Dustin Haithcox took over in the third frame and closed out with seven strikeouts.
Southwestern Randolph sailed out to an early 7-2 lead against the Wildcats, then fought off late-game scoring threats to record its second MPC win of the season.
Coward led Eastern Randolph, accounting for four of the Wildcats’ six runs. He belted a third-inning home run and finished the night at 4-for-4 and a pair of RBI. Hunter Ridge drilled a three-run homer for the Cougars.
Faith Christian drubs Liberty in baseball
RAMSEUR – Faith Christian School cruised to a 12-0 conquest over visiting Liberty Christian School last week.
Earlier in the week, the Eagles dropped a 4-3 verdict at Salem Baptist. FCS moved to 2-5 for the season. Taylor Grubb, Kyle Confer and Alec Allred paced the win over Liberty with two hits apiece. Caleb Freeman rolled up 10 strikeouts on the mound. Allred racked up three safeties against Salem while Freeman notched two hits and two RBI.
Wildcats capture MPC softball win
RAMSEUR – Homestanding Eastern Randolph took a 6-2 victory over Trinity in Mid-Piedmont 3A Conference softball last week. Leading the Wildcats was pitcher Dallas Heaton with five innings of solid work before Allison Buck closed out. Katelyn Scheuering topped the offense with a pair of hits while Jana Cheek and Heaton each had a triple.
