Porter Ridge Outlasts Parkwood

Porter Ridge travelled to Parkwood HS to open its 2018 season.  The Pirates came out aggressive staking to a 3-0 lead in the 2nd inning.  Parkwood stabilized the game with SR. RHP Grant Bartlett came in providing 3+ innings of relief, allowing Parkwood to tie the game at three heading to the 6th.  SR 1B/RHP Price Hargett blasted a 2-run homer to left field, putting Porter Ridge up for good.  To close the game, JR RHP Brennan Malone worked the final 2 innings.  His first inning saw 3 walks and 2 strikeouts, before he settled in and dominated the side in the 7th.

Game Summary

Win: Price Hargett (RHP, 2018) -- 1 IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 3 K
Loss: Grant Bartlett (RHP, 2018)

Save: Brennan Malone (RHP, 2019) -- 2 IP, 0H, 0R, 3BB, 4K

Porter Ridge Game Notes:

+ Chris Gill (SS, 2018) - 2 singles through the right side, on the barrel.  2RBI

+ Jake Myers (INF, 2019) - RBI single to CF in the 2nd

+ Price Hargett (1B/RHP, 2018) - Game Winning HR, 2 RBI

Parkwood Game Notes:

+ Jordan Harley (C, 2018) -- RBI Double in 3rd

+ Owen Harley (SS/RHP, 2019) - HR to CF in 3nd

+ Danny Windham (INF, 2018) -- RBI single in the 2nd

Player Evaluations:

Grant Bartlett, RHP, Parkwood HS, 2018
NC Wesleyan commit.  Average build at 6-foot-1, 180 pounds.  Loose arm creates arm side run from a high-¾ slot.  Repeats an easy delivery, working on-line.  Fastball ranged 76-78.  Curveball sat 66-67 with slurvy tilt.  Change at 70-71, worked straight, with similar arm speed to the fastball.  Around the zone, getting soft contact when down in the zone.  Showed consistent mix, with an ability to pitch off all three pitches

Chris Gill, SS, Porter Ridge HS, 2018
Catawba Valley CC commit.  Length in the limbs at 6-foot, 180 pounds.  Athletic actions and plenty of arm to stay on the right side moving forward.  Tends to play a little high through his hips defensively, limiting some range, but athletic enough to make improvements moving forward.  Offensively, right handed hitter works from a simple setup and launch position.  Quick bat is geared for extension, with barrel awareness.  Flat through the zone, with strength present.

Black Dominates in South Caldwell Win

JR RHP Trent Black, a Gardner Webb commit, worked 6 strong innings, limiting Hibriten HS to 1 hit, while striking out 12.  Black’s fastball worked up to 88 on the night, flashing strong command of the fastball and curveball.  Offensively, Austin Blevins doubled in the 5th inning, with the bases loaded, scoring two, to put the game away.  South Caldwell scored all four of its runs in the 5th, stemming from two successful bunts that loaded the bases after a leadoff single from Keneen Anderson.

Game Summary

Win: Trent Black (RHP, 2019) - 6IP, 1H, 0R, 12K, 1BB
Loss: Houston Lawing (2018) - 4.1 IP, 3H, 4R, 4ER, 3K, 2BB

Other Pitchers of Note:

Daniel Dye (2018, South Caldwell HS) -- 1IP, 0H, 1K, 1BB

South Caldwell Game Notes:

+ Austin Blevins (RHP, 2018) - 1-2 with a double and 2 RBI
+ 2 pitchers combined for a 1 hitter  on 13 K’s with 1 BB

Hibriten Game Notes:

+ Noah Haney worked 1.2 IP, 0H, 0R, 1 K in relief

+ Jack Stevens - 1-3 with a single

Player Evaluations:

Cox mill Slips by Hickory ridge in a wild one

After a week of temperatures in the 70’s and even touching the 80’s in parts of the state, Hickory Ridge hosted Cox Mill in a 7pm start with the winds howling and the temperature plummeting.  Several days of rain made some of the plays in the outfield an adventure which lent itself to a wild finish, where Cox Mill edged Hickory Ridge 7-5.  Staked to a 5-0 lead through 4 innings, Hickory Ridge stormed back with solid at-bats, scoring 4 in the 6th to tie the game.  Cox Mill did not flinch as Chandler Riley led off the 7th with a single.  After a walk, a misplayed double-play ball loaded the bases where Jacob Brown (Util, 2018) laid down a suicide squeeze pushing the winning run across. The Chargers would add one more to secure the win.

Game Summary

Win: Nick Pepper (RHP, 2018) -- 1.2IP, 0H, 0R, 1K, 0BB
Loss: Nolan DeVos (RHP/INF, 2019) -- 4IP, 3H, 4R, 0ER, 3K, 3BB

Other Pitchers of Note:

Blake Dockery (RHP, 2018, HRHS) -- 3IP, 3H, 3R, 3ER, 5K, 4BB
Zach Zedalis (RHP, 2019, CMHS) -- 4IP, 1H, 0R, 8K, 3BB

Cox Mill Game Notes:

+ Chandler Riley (MIF, 2020) -- 2-4 with 2 runs scored, including the Game winner

+ Jacob Rubenstein (2018) -- 1-2, 2B, 2RBI, and a run scored
+ Zach Zedalis (RHP, 2019) started on the bump, working with aggression from 2 different slots.  Ability to spin a sweeping slider from a low-¾ slot when he needed to get an out.

Hickory Ridge Game Notes:

+ Blake Dockery (RHP, 2018, NC State commit) started on the bump.  Touched 88 in the 4th, still sitting 84-86.  Command wavered at times in tough conditions

+ Nolan Devos (RHP/INF, 2019) stabilized the game in relief.  Worked 80-83.  Good depth on a 12/6 breaking ball, sitting 62-66.  Has feel for the breaking ball.