JR. LEGION ROUNDUP: EB picks up third, fourth wins with sweep of Valdese

The East Burke junior American Legion baseball team went to Draughn High School on Friday afternoon and took a pair of games from Valdese Post 234, winning 8-4 and 8-0.

Doubling their season win total, EB (4-15) allowed four runs in the first game’s opening inning before blanking Valdese (4-12) nine straight innings behind the pitching of starters Jake Lail and Jacob Zimmerman.

“I was very proud of the way we played these two games,” EB assistant coach P.D. Fowler said. “We really showed we’re capable of playing some very good baseball. We were aggressive and came out to win, which shows that our hard work is paying off.”

After Valdese led 4-1 through an inning in the opener, EB scored a run in the second and two in the third to tie the game. After both lineups went quietly in the fourth, the EB got five straight one-out hits in the fifth to double up Post 234.

Lail was the winner with five innings of eight-hit ball, while Valdese’s Ray Pierce struck out six in the loss.

The leading batters for EB were Eli Reese (two singles, triple, three runs, RBI), Lail (single, double, two runs, RBI) and Zimmerman (two singles, run, RBI). Valdese was led at the plate by Ryan Moorefield (single, double, run, two RBIs), and Grant Street (single, double, run).

EB’s momentum carried over to game two, when they scored three first-inning runs on four walks, a hit batter and an error.

Post 234’s Grant Street opened up the bottom of the first with a hard hit off Zimmerman, but was tagged out at third when he tried to stretch a double into a triple. That was as close as Valdese got to scoring in game two.

“We did not play well today,” Valdese coach Chris Cozort said. “We gave too many opportunities to East Burke and did not capitalize when we should have.”

Leading EB hitters were Noah Bowman – whose fourth-inning, two-RBI double was the team’s only extra base hit – plus Hunter Jeffries and Zimmerman, who both singled and scored. Valdese's four hits belonged to Street, Ray Pierce, Mason Biddix and Devin Poteat. 

Combining on a three-hitter for Valdese were Wilson (IP, three runs, no hits, five walks), Spencer Johnson (2 IP, two runs, one hit) and Josh Johnson (2 IP, three runs, two hits), while Zimmerman tossed a four-hit shutout for the win.

- Bill Bailey

Morganton 3, McDowell “B” 0; McDowell “A” 7, Morganton 6 (9 innings; Sat.) – Chris Reid started Saturday’s opener at McDowell High, pitching four-plus innings to earn the win.

After a scoreless battle through four innings against the allied McDowell/Owen/Mitchell troops, Morganton’s Wyatt Fleming scored the contest’s first run on a two-out RBI single from Luke Baker. Baker then scored on a Christian Fulenwider single to left, and Fulenwider plated on a McDowell error for the final margin.

Wyatt Fleming worked an inning in relief to save the Mo-town win.

In the afternoon’s late contest, McDowell pushed ahead 6-2 aided by a five-spot in the bottom of the third. But Morganton answered with two runs apiece in the fourth and fifth innings to force what turned into four innings of free baseball.

Morganton (14-14) finally pulled ahead 7-6 in the top of the ninth when Jacob Rooks knocked in Chris Reid, but a pair of walks that turned into final-inning runs lifted McDowell. Additionally, two Morganton errors on the game’s final play – one fielding and another throwing – ended things.

Fleming hit safely twice and scored two runs, while Rooks, Luke Browning, Trenton Totty (two hits, two RBIs) and Brock Toner (two hits, RBI) also scored for Morganton.

Fleming also pitched 4 1/3 innings in relief, striking out seven and allowing only two hits in scoreless work until the ninth.

- Paul Schenkel

Morganton 16, Watauga “B” 0 (3 innings); Morganton 10, Watauga “B” 0 (3 innings; Thu.) – Morganton battered Watauga with 16 first-inning runs in Thursday’s opener before also cruising in the nightcap.

In game one, Thomas Singley was 2 for 3, with three RBIs and two runs, while Luke Baker (double, three RBIs), Jacob Rooks (double, two RBIs, two runs) and Christian Fulenwider (two runs) each finished 2 for 2. Jonathan Morgan went 1 for 1 and added a couple runs.

Rooks whiffed two while allowing a walk and two hits over two frames to earn the win, and Jack Reid (IP, three walks) saw time on the mound in relief.

Singley went all three innings for the victory in game two, striking out two and allowing three hits and two walks. At the plate, Fulenwider (run), J. Reid (run), Totty (two RBIs, two runs), Baker (double, three RBIs, two runs) and Singley (triple, RBI, run) all went 2 for 2. Bryce Moses added a hit and two RBIs.

Morganton travels back to McDowell for a five-inning doubleheader Monday at 6 p.m.

- Paul Schenkel