From staff reports
Bobby Parnell (East Rowan) boosted his chances to open the baseball season in the New York Mets bullpen with a scoreless inning against the Atlanta Braves Tuesday.
The 24-year-old right-hander would likely be the seventh-inning specialist for the Mets, working in front of J.J. Putz and closer Francisco Rodriguez.
“Bobby’s ahead of a large group of folks, I’ll put it that way to you,” Mets manager Jerry Manuel told the New York Post Tuesday. “He could be the No. 1 option. I wouldn’t hesitate. There’s no question he can be a crossover guy (pitching to both righties and lefties).”
Parnell has allowed just one hit in the past 42/3 innings.
– Wednesday’s baseball
Carson won its fourth game in a row ó a school record ó with a 10-0, six-inning win at North Iredell.
It was the first road game of the season for the Cougars, who are 2-0 in the NPC heading into Friday’s game with unbeaten East Rowan.
“I was a little disappointed we didn’t come keyed in at the start,” Carson coach Chris Cauble said. “But we won, and it’s the first time we’ve ever come back from North Iredell with a good feeling and a victory.”
Nich Glass (2-0) pitched four shutout innings and allowed two hits. He fanned two and got six outs on groundballs. Tyler Freeze went 3-for-4 at the plate and pitched two strong innings in relief.
Carson put together a six-run fifth that included run-scoring hits by Scott Ashby and Kenny Karriker and a sac fly by Patrick Bearden.
* North Rowan lost at Ledford 9-4 in a CCC opener.
North (0-5, 0-1) scored four runs in the first inning but couldn’t hang on.
Kyle Munday, Travis Honeycutt and Matt Laurens had RBIs for the Cavaliers.
Patrick Snider took the loss on the mound despite fanning seven.
“Patrick pitched well enough to win,” North coach Robbie Linder said. “We just didn’t get it done for him defensively. They scored six unearned runs.”
* A.L. Brown scored twice in the seventh inning and nipped Parkwood 2-1 for an SPC win. The game was a makeup of Friday’s postponement.
The Wonders (2-4, 2-2) won despite being held to two hits.
John Tuttle (1-1) pitched a five-hitter and started the winning rally with a walk and stolen base.
Zach Wright singled home Tuttle, went to third on an error and scored on Spencer Falls’ squeeze bunt.
* Aaron Meadows had a two-run double, Billy Nantz had two hits, and Dylan West homered as Mooresville edged Statesville 4-3 for an NPC win. The Blue Devils got all their runs in the fourth inning. Wes Dumford was the winning pitcher.
* Jordan Hudson and Alex Grubb pitched West Davidson to a 2-1 CCC victory against Providence Grove.
– College baseball
Travis McSweeney limited host St. Andrews to one run over seven innings as Catawba defeated the Knights 10-3 on Wednesday.
Josh Hohn hit a grand slam for Catawba (12-8).
Kevin McMillan (North Rowan) doubled in two runs.
Catawba got two hits from Hohn and Query (A.L. Brown). Query and Craige Lyerly (East Rowan) each scored three runs.
* Jason Brown pitched Pfeiffer to a 2-1 victory against Newberry. Will Davis had two doubles and two RBIs.
* UNC Pembroke’s Rudy Brown (South Rowan) pitched two strong innings with three strikeouts in a 6-2 win against Coker on Wednesday.
– Jayvee baseball
North Rowan edged Ledford 8-7 on Wednesday.
Colton Fries, David Cheek and Jamone Kelly had three hits each for the Cavaliers. Mason Jennings and Dusty Agner had two each.
Jennings was the winner in relief of Agner.
– Salisbury tennis
Salisbury’s tennis team beat Ledford 6-3 on Wednesday.
It was a surprise, as Ledford had beaten Lexington and Lexington had beaten Salisbury.
Steven Page, Austin Flynn, Alan Lebowitz, Seth Gentry and Wes McNeely logged singles wins for the Hornets (5-1, 3-1 CCC).
– Prep soccer
Madison Kennedy scored two goals to lead Salisbury to a 3-1 victory over East Davidson on Wednesday as the Hornets broke open a 1-1 deadlock at halftime and won their CCC opener. Katherine Heidt also scored for the Hornets (1-2).
Karen Presnell and Allison Lee had assists.
Keeper Mackenzie Overcash, Emily Dean and freshman defensive whiz Taylor Capito, who made her season debut, had big games for SHS.
“We made some strides tonight,” SHS coach Matt Parrish said.
* Sophomore Brittany Gibbons led West Rowan with four goals in an 8-0 NPC victory against Carson on Wednesday.
Nicole Lucente, Patricia Ascencion, Allison Baucom and Claire Kistler also scored for the Falcons.
Rachel Brown had two assists. Ascencion, Baucom, Lucente and Allison Parker had one each.
West is at North Iredell tonight.
* Lake Norman topped Mooresville 2-1 in a battle of NPC powerhouses on Wednesday.
– College golf
Catawba finished sixth out of seven teams at the Chick-fil-A Intercollegiate men’s golf tournament which concluded on Tuesday at the 6,610-yard, Par-72 Lake Hickory Country Club.
UNC Pembroke earned the team title with a score of 602 to defeat host Lenoir-Rhyne by seven shots. Catawba had a 626 total for the two rounds.
Catawba junior Eric Schmehl led Catawba with a third-place finish. He had rounds of 72 and 77 ó 149.
Elliot Blake shot 155 for 13th.
* Catawba junior Kelsey Babos claimed medalist honors at the Chick-fil-A Intercollegiate women’s golf tournament which concluded on Tuesday at the 5,893-yard, par-72 Lake Hickory Country Course. Babos edged Lenoir-Rhyne’s Brenna Martens on the first playoff hole.
Wingate won the eight-team event with a score of 685. Catawba was fifth at 744.
Babos and Martens each shot identical rounds of 85 and 75 for a 160 total. The 75s were the tournament’s low rounds.
– Wachovia Cup
In the CCC’s Wachovia Cup standings for overall athletic excellence, West Davidson leads with 87 points. Salisbury is second with 86, while Central Davidson is third with 82. North Rowan is eighth with 43.5 points.
* Lake Norman leads the NPC with Mooresville is second, with Northwest Cabarrus third.
South Rowan is fourth, East Rowan fifth, West Rowan seventh and Carson 10th.
* Mount Tabor leads in the CPC. Davie is fourth.
* Marvin Ridge leads in the SPC. A.L. Brown is sixth.
– College tennis
Catawba romped to a 9-0 win over visiting USC-Lancaster Wednesday to improve to 8-3.