Staff report

CHINA GROVE — Senior outfielder Clayton Gilmore created havoc on the base paths on Friday as Carson beat North Iredell, 6-1, to stay unbeaten in the North Piedmont Conference.

Gilmore had four of Carson’s nine thefts in the game and scored three runs.

Carson’s win, combined with East Rowan’s loss at West Rowan, gave the Cougars a two-game lead over both of their county rivals in the NPC standings.

Carson (14-4, 6-0) got another strong pitching performance from senior lefty Maddux Holshouser. Holshouser (5-1) pitched six innings. Holshouser threw 86 pitches, struck out five, walked one and allowed five hits. The win was the 16th of his career, moving him up to third on Carson’s all-time list.

After a slow start offensively, Carson broke on top in the third inning when Gilmore scored on a wild pitch.

North Iredell (8-7, 2-4) tied it  1-all in the top of the fourth when David Highman drove in a run, but Carson’s four-run bottom of the fourth would prove decisive.

Holshouser got the big innning started himself with an infield hit. Catcher Garrett Alewine had a run-scoring hit for a 2-1 lead. Gilmore singled to push the lead to 3-1, and Cameron Prugh’s sac fly made it 4-1. Brycen Holshouser and Gilmore then pulled off a double steal. Gilmore’s theft of home made it 5-1.

Sollie Holshouser drove in an insurance tally  in the sixth for a 6-1 lead.

Zack Starnes pitched the seventh inning for the Cougars. He walked two, but he finished things off without allowing a run.

Carson has won 13 of its last 14 games after a 1-3 start.

Carson’s only conference championship in school history came in 2013 when the Cougars were 11-1 in the NPC, but, with four leagues games left, they are in great position to win a second one.

North Iredell      000   100  0   — 1   5   0

Carson                001   401  x    —  6  7   0

W — M. Holshouser (5-1). L — Mason Staz.

Leading hitters — N. Iredell: Kyle McCan 2-for-3. Carson: Gilmore 2-for-2, 3 runs, 4 SBs.