Cougars edge Randleman in baseball showdown
Michael Lindsay | Enterprise Sports Writer Mar 18, 2023 Updated 3 hrs ago
THOMASVILLE – There wasn’t a huge amount of difference between top-level teams like High Point Christian and Randleman. But the Cougars made it work nonetheless.
HPCA scratched across a run in the second inning, Dylan Story and Bryson King combined for 10 strikeouts and that was enough to edge powerhouse Randleman 1-0 in the HiToms Varsity Classic baseball showcase Saturday afternoon at Finch Field.
“Coach Jake Smith runs a great program and they’ve got great players, so we like to play teams like that,” Cougars coach Corey Gesell said. “We feel like it’s going to make us better. I’m not worried as much about wins and losses as I am about playing against good teams to help us get better.
“We’re glad to be able to play them on a day like today at Finch with a lot of people here. I told my team it’s like a state playoff type of atmosphere. And this is what we have to get used to if we want to go far in the playoffs.”
Nolan Flemming doubled and scored a run for HPCA (7-0), the reigning NCISAA 3A state champion. Jake Dunlap also had a double, while Evan Goodwin and Jacob Fleming each added a hit as the Cougars took advantage of a limited number of scoring chances.
Dylan Story struck out eight of the 17 batters he faced on the mound, allowing just one hit. In a tight, competitive game he was spot-on – allowing just two batters to reach in five innings and only one to move into scoring position in the fourth.
Bryson King retired all six batters he faced, striking out two, in earning the save.
“It felt great,” said Story, a senior right-handed pitcher. “Another solid team we’re put up against – we’re a solid team, they’re a solid team. They just won a state championship last year. It just feels good to get out here and get a victory.
“Everything – everything was working for me. It’s awesome, especially with the guys out here, just having fun. It’s a big boost for us. Randleman’s always a team everyone’s talking about beating. It doesn’t happen often, so we came out and showed off today.”
Austin Lemons had the lone hit for the Tigers (6-2), the reigning NCHSAA 2A state champions. Chesney Welch took the pitching loss, despite throwing very well – allowing just five hits while striking out five.
The Cougars had a couple chances to tack onto their lead – narrowly missing out on bases loaded with two outs in the third and just barely getting thrown out at the plate in the fifth. But the one run was enough for a solid win against a good opponent.
“We feel like if we can keep guys off base by not walking them, then a team has to get two or three hits to score a run,” Gesell said. “And when we make good pitches it makes it difficult. So, that’s been our emphasis – not walking guys.
“And when you face good teams, like Randleman is, you don’t get too many opportunities. Their pitcher did a whale of a job keeping us off-balance all day. So, we didn’t have too many good at-bats against him. But we were able to scrape across that one run – our hitters came through in the clutch, so I’m proud of them.”
HPCA will return to action Monday at Reagan.
mlindsay@hpenews.com | @HPEmichael
HIGH POINT CHRISTIAN 1, RANDLEMAN 0
RHS 000 000 0 – 0 1 1
HPCA 010 000 X – 1 5 0
WP – Story (5IP, 1BB, 1H, 0R); LP – Welch (6IP, 5K, 5H, 1R, WP); SV – King (2IP, 2K, 0BB, 0H, 0R)
Leading hitters: Randleman – Lemons (1-3), Riddle (0-2, BB); HPCA – Flemming (1-2, 2B, R), Dunlap (1-2, BB), Goodwin (1-2), Fleming (1-2)
HPCA 7-0
Michael Lindsay | Enterprise Sports Writer Mar 18, 2023 Updated 3 hrs ago
THOMASVILLE – There wasn’t a huge amount of difference between top-level teams like High Point Christian and Randleman. But the Cougars made it work nonetheless.
HPCA scratched across a run in the second inning, Dylan Story and Bryson King combined for 10 strikeouts and that was enough to edge powerhouse Randleman 1-0 in the HiToms Varsity Classic baseball showcase Saturday afternoon at Finch Field.
“Coach Jake Smith runs a great program and they’ve got great players, so we like to play teams like that,” Cougars coach Corey Gesell said. “We feel like it’s going to make us better. I’m not worried as much about wins and losses as I am about playing against good teams to help us get better.
“We’re glad to be able to play them on a day like today at Finch with a lot of people here. I told my team it’s like a state playoff type of atmosphere. And this is what we have to get used to if we want to go far in the playoffs.”
Nolan Flemming doubled and scored a run for HPCA (7-0), the reigning NCISAA 3A state champion. Jake Dunlap also had a double, while Evan Goodwin and Jacob Fleming each added a hit as the Cougars took advantage of a limited number of scoring chances.
Dylan Story struck out eight of the 17 batters he faced on the mound, allowing just one hit. In a tight, competitive game he was spot-on – allowing just two batters to reach in five innings and only one to move into scoring position in the fourth.
Bryson King retired all six batters he faced, striking out two, in earning the save.
“It felt great,” said Story, a senior right-handed pitcher. “Another solid team we’re put up against – we’re a solid team, they’re a solid team. They just won a state championship last year. It just feels good to get out here and get a victory.
“Everything – everything was working for me. It’s awesome, especially with the guys out here, just having fun. It’s a big boost for us. Randleman’s always a team everyone’s talking about beating. It doesn’t happen often, so we came out and showed off today.”
Austin Lemons had the lone hit for the Tigers (6-2), the reigning NCHSAA 2A state champions. Chesney Welch took the pitching loss, despite throwing very well – allowing just five hits while striking out five.
The Cougars had a couple chances to tack onto their lead – narrowly missing out on bases loaded with two outs in the third and just barely getting thrown out at the plate in the fifth. But the one run was enough for a solid win against a good opponent.
“We feel like if we can keep guys off base by not walking them, then a team has to get two or three hits to score a run,” Gesell said. “And when we make good pitches it makes it difficult. So, that’s been our emphasis – not walking guys.
“And when you face good teams, like Randleman is, you don’t get too many opportunities. Their pitcher did a whale of a job keeping us off-balance all day. So, we didn’t have too many good at-bats against him. But we were able to scrape across that one run – our hitters came through in the clutch, so I’m proud of them.”
HPCA will return to action Monday at Reagan.
mlindsay@hpenews.com | @HPEmichael
HIGH POINT CHRISTIAN 1, RANDLEMAN 0
RHS 000 000 0 – 0 1 1
HPCA 010 000 X – 1 5 0
WP – Story (5IP, 1BB, 1H, 0R); LP – Welch (6IP, 5K, 5H, 1R, WP); SV – King (2IP, 2K, 0BB, 0H, 0R)
Leading hitters: Randleman – Lemons (1-3), Riddle (0-2, BB); HPCA – Flemming (1-2, 2B, R), Dunlap (1-2, BB), Goodwin (1-2), Fleming (1-2)
HPCA 7-0
