Hoggard used a number of key two-strike, two-out hits and a strong performance by Brandon Boone in a 5-1 win at Corbin Field Tuesday night to advance in the 4A playoffs.
Boone allowed just two hits and struck out six in the victory, while Coy Wolff and Dan Beasley paced the Vikings’ lineup. Julius Reynolds also drove in a run for Hoggard.
The No. 2 Vikings play the winner of No. 1 Cape Fear and Holly Springs, who earned a spot in the tournament with a wild card bid. A win by Holly Springs gives Hoggard a home game Friday, but if Cape Fear pulled out Tuesday’s contest, the Vikes hit the road for round two.
Pinecrest 7 Ashley 6
With Ashley holding on to a four-run lead headed into the bottom of the sixth, Jackson Maples cleared the bases with one swing on a grand slam home run to tie the game at six.
Each team posted zeros over the new few innings until Pinecrest scored the game-winner in the bottom of the ninth.
The Screaming Eagles finish the season with a 16-8 mark.
Topsail 5 West Carteret 1
Clark Cota fanned eight and threw a no-hitter for Topsail in a 5-1 win to open the 3A state playoffs in Hampstead on Tuesday night.
Cota helped himself at the plate with two walks, a single and two runs scored, while Trent Hansley went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Jake Madole also doubled, walked and drove in a run for the Pirates.
Topsail entertains the winner of No. 2 Eastern Wayne and No. 3 Fike in the second round of the tournament on Friday.
Box score R H E
West 000 000 1 1 0 –
Topsail 000 311 X 5 8 1
North Brunswick 14 Red Springs 0
Softball
Ashley 6 Harnett Central 4
The Lady Eagles pounded out six runs on 10 hits behind Robyn Kerr, who picked up the win in the circle for Ashley in a 6-4 win at home on Tuesday to advance in the 4A state tournament.
Taylor Carter, Schae Dickson and Lauren Brooks each had two hits apiece, while Carter finished with 2 RBIs. Dickson added a run batted in for the Lady Eagles, who played Friday at home against the winner of No. 2 South View and No. 3 South Central.
Box score R H E
Harnett 020 020 0 4 7 2
Ashley 213 000 X 6 10 0
WP: Robyn Kerr LP: Halee Grodi
Hoggard 2 Pinecrest 0
The Lady Vikings used two hits in the top of the first to take an early 1-0 lead and Nia Green added a big insurance run with a solo shot in the fifth as Hoggard shutout Pinecrest 2-0 on the road Tuesday night in the opening round of the NCHSAA 4A tournament.
Green recorded her 13th run batted in of the season on the home run and Morgan Mathis picked up the win on the stripe for the Lady Vikings, who moved to 13-10 on the year. Pinecrest finished the season 13-7 with the setback.
No. 3 Hoggard gets back into action Friday against Pine Forest in round two of the 4A tournament on Friday. No. 4 Pine Forest upset top-seeded D.H. Conley 3-2 Tuesday to give the Vikings a home game later this week.
Hoggard 100 010 0
Pinecrest 000 000 0
North Brunswick 13 Red Springs 2
Seven of the nine hitters in the North Brunswick lineup had at least one hit as the Scorps picked up a 13-2 win in five innings to open the 2A state tournament in Leland on Tuesday night.
North Brunswick plated five runs and batted around the order in the bottom of the first to jump out to a 5-0 lead. The Scorps tacked on three more runs over the next two innings and closed it out with five more in the fourth.
Preston Ellenberg recorded the victory in the circle for North Brunswick, who moved to 17-5 on the season. Ellenberg allowed just two hits and one walk, while striking out seven in five innings on the stripe.
Shenice Harrison, Kasey Klutz and Macey Bordeaux each had an extra base hit for the Scorps, while Klutz had three runs batted in. Harrison went 2-for-2 and Stacy Fodrie scored two runs, swiped two bags and walked twice.
North Brunswick has won 12 of their last 13 games heading into Friday’s home matchup against the winner of East Bladen and Graham.
Box score
Red Springs 020 00 – 2
N. Brunswick 521 5x – 13
