HPCA silences Cannon for 2-1 win
BY MARK LAMING
SPECIAL TO THE HPENTERPRISE
In a tense baseball playoff game dominated by pitching and defense, High Point ChristianAcademy did just enough offensively. Brody Lawson stroked an RBI double and Heath Hopkins delivered an RBI single as the second-seeded Cougars slipped past 10th-seeded Cannon School 2-1 in the NCISAA 3A quarterfinals at Oak View Baptist on Friday.
HPCA improved to 26-4 and advanced to Tuesday’s 4:30 p.m. semifinal at Oak View Baptist. The Cougars will play the winner of today’s quarterfinal between third-seeded Providence Day (27-6) and sixth-seeded Rabun Gap (23-7).
HPCA’s Josh Nifong and Lawson excelled on the mound. Nifong earned the pitching win, working the first four innings. He struckout three and allowed only one hit. Lawson tossed the final three frames to record the save.
“Josh and Brody pitched great,” HPCA coach Corey Gesell said, “They threw strikes and didn’t walk anybody. In a tight game, walks can be the difference between winning and losing. Cannon bunted a lot and tried to move runners, so if we aren’t walking players that’s fewer runners to contend with.”Hopkins tallied two of the Cougars seven hits on the day. Cannon managed just three hits.
“Once you get to the playoffs you’re going to face good teamsand good pitching,” Gesell said. “These games tend to be close. Anybody can beat anybody. We just need to execute, pitch well, score a few runs and play sound defense.”
HPCA stands three wins away from a state title — something that has eluded the Cougars’ senior class. “This group is very motivated,” Gesell said “They want to go out with a bang. Our seniors are going to give it all they’ve got.”
BY MARK LAMING
SPECIAL TO THE HPENTERPRISE
In a tense baseball playoff game dominated by pitching and defense, High Point ChristianAcademy did just enough offensively. Brody Lawson stroked an RBI double and Heath Hopkins delivered an RBI single as the second-seeded Cougars slipped past 10th-seeded Cannon School 2-1 in the NCISAA 3A quarterfinals at Oak View Baptist on Friday.
HPCA improved to 26-4 and advanced to Tuesday’s 4:30 p.m. semifinal at Oak View Baptist. The Cougars will play the winner of today’s quarterfinal between third-seeded Providence Day (27-6) and sixth-seeded Rabun Gap (23-7).
HPCA’s Josh Nifong and Lawson excelled on the mound. Nifong earned the pitching win, working the first four innings. He struckout three and allowed only one hit. Lawson tossed the final three frames to record the save.
“Josh and Brody pitched great,” HPCA coach Corey Gesell said, “They threw strikes and didn’t walk anybody. In a tight game, walks can be the difference between winning and losing. Cannon bunted a lot and tried to move runners, so if we aren’t walking players that’s fewer runners to contend with.”Hopkins tallied two of the Cougars seven hits on the day. Cannon managed just three hits.
“Once you get to the playoffs you’re going to face good teamsand good pitching,” Gesell said. “These games tend to be close. Anybody can beat anybody. We just need to execute, pitch well, score a few runs and play sound defense.”
HPCA stands three wins away from a state title — something that has eluded the Cougars’ senior class. “This group is very motivated,” Gesell said “They want to go out with a bang. Our seniors are going to give it all they’ve got.”
