JR. LEGION ROUNDUP: Valdese picks up first sweep of season

Tuesday was a banner day for the young Valdese Post 234 junior American Legion baseball team, which swept their first five-inning doubleheader of the season over the Watauga “B” team, 4-2 and 4-0 at Draughn High’s field.

In the opener, Ray Pierce controlled the Watauga bats for 4 2/3 one-hit innings until the final visitors’ rally.

With Post 234 (3-9) holding a comfortable 4-0 lead heading into the fifth, Watauga scored two runs on three hits and a hit batsman. But Pierce sealed the deal with a big strikeout on Watauga's no. 3 hitter for the final two-run margin. 

Watauga pitcher Hunter Isaacs only allowed five hits, but Valdese bunched three hits in the second inning when Mason Biddix doubled, Colton Arrowood singled, and one out later Noah Wilson laced a hard-hit single through the infield, scoring Biddix and Arrowood with the first two big runs.

The top of the third saw Biddix make a great defensive play at third base to turn a double play – one of the keys to the Valdese win.

Arrowood singled in the fourth run of the day in the fourth inning, scoring Taylor Powell after Devin Poteat singled and scored the third run on a wild pitch.

Leading Valdese at the plate were Arrowood (two hits, RBI), Biddix (double, run) and Wilson (two RBIs).

Wilson started game two, allowed an infield hit to the second Watauga batter of the contest, then proceeded to throw four innings of no-hit ball with five strikeouts to pick up the shutout victory.

Taylor Powell came in to pitch the fifth inning and allowed two Watauga hits, but kept the 4-0 win intact for Post 234.

Watauga starter Matt Lambert also pitched a strong game, holding the Valdese batters to four hits. The final hit he allowed, however, was to Valdese’s Clint Spinks, who drilled a pitch over the center fielder’s head with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning to propel a 1-0 lead to 4-0.

Spinks added a single to go with his double and three RBIs, while Pierce finished with a walk, double and run.

“It is always nice to reward good play with a win, and I thought our two starters really got the job done out there tonight,” Valdese coach Chris Cozort said. “Although we had some timely hits, we still need to hit the ball better. Defensively, I don’t think we made an error. We pick up experience when we lose and when we win, but the kids deserved these two tonight.”  

Valdese is back in action Sunday at 3 p.m. at West Lincoln.

- Bill Bailey

South Caldwell “B” 5, Morganton 3; South Caldwell “B” 9, Morganton 5 – Morganton tried a late comeback in game one and walked too many opposing batters in game two, dropping both ends of Tuesday’s doubleheader at Patton High.

During the opening inning of game one, Morganton’s Chris Reid hit the first two batters, both of which would later score on a groundout and a wild pitch respectively as SC took a 2-0 lead without notching a hit.

SC added two more runs in the third and another in the fourth for a 5-0 lead before Morganton (8-12) went to work in the home half of the frame. Mason Teague was throwing a no-hitter until a Morganton leadoff single found the hole behind second base. Two pitches later, Jake Willcox waved bye-bye to an offering over the fence in right for a two-run homer.

Later Chris Buckman, Thomas Singley and Trenton Totty all collected base hits, with Totty’s blooper to left scoring Buckman. But SC lefty Taylor Purus got out of a subsequent bases-loaded, one-out jam to preserve his squad’s 5-3 lead.

The losing pitcher Reid threw three innings, giving up three hits and three walks with four strikeouts.

In game two, a Morganton lead evaporated in the top of the fourth. South Caldwell grabbed a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first before Morganton’s Wyatt Fleming (3 for 3) singled, Jake Willcox walked and Jonathan Morgan stepped into the batter’s box.

Morgan grounded a pitch to shortstop, but an error allowed the ball to go into left field. On the throw home to try to get Fleming at the plate, the SC catcher cut off the ball and threw it to third. The throw skipped past the third baseman and into left, as Willcox easily scored and Morgan followed for a 3-1 lead.

Later, Morgan’s first of two RBI groundouts in the game gave Morganton a slim 4-3 lead, but just briefly during the bottom of the third.

SC’s last five runs were scored thanks to three wild pitches and a walk. In all, Morganton gave up 10 walks and hit three batters, with seven of those players scoring.

Singley started and went 3 2/3 innings, struck out five, walked four and allowed five hits for the game.

Morganton takes a short road trip to East Burke on Friday.

- Kevin Carver

Alexander Central 9, East Burke 0; Alexander Central 8, East Burke 4 – The losing woes continued for East Burke, which fell twice at Alexander Central on Tuesday, including being no-hit in the opening game.

In the second game, Jacob Lail was the only Cavalier batter to go perfect on two plate appearances, recording two singles and scoring a run.

Hunter Jeffries, Matt Whisnant and Tucker Cranford each managed a hit for EB (1-10), with Cranford recording three RBIs off a double and sacrifice fly. The team’s only other RBI was recorded by Whisnant. Jeffries (two runs) and Whisnant (run) also came around to score.

EB starting pitcher Tanner Davis lasted three innings, yielding three runs.

EB traveled to Bunker Hill late Wednesday for a makeup contest.

- Jason Baker