By PBR Staff
Prep Baseball Report of NC

Tuesday March 21^st

Alpieri and 2 Home Runs are Enough for Lake Norman Charter

Lake Norman Charter welcomed South Point to Huntersville on Tuesday afternoon.  2017 RHP Daniel Alperi (Air Force commit) took the mound for LNC, dominate at times and showing a high level of pitch-ability, the South Point lineup never got comfortable.  Alperi worked into the 7^th, striking out 7, walking two, and only allowing 3 hits.  An in-depth report on Alperi will be posted to the NC HS Scout Blog.  Big Grayson Hickert (1B/RHP, 2017) recorded the save, registering the final two outs. 

Offensively, Hickert launched a solo shot to left field on the first pitch he saw on the day.  The run put LNC up 1-0 in the 2^nd inning, a lead they would not relinquish.  In the 3^rd, Ryan Farkas (C, 2017) got into the act, hitting a two-run home run to left.  The three runs would be all LNC would need.

Grant Tilley (RHP, 2017) worked well in relief for South Point.  Entering the game in the 2^nd, he quickly found himself in a jam, with runners on 2^nd and 3^rd with one out.  He escaped with two strikeouts, keeping South Point within striking distance.

South Point                        000 000 0            0 – 3 – 1
Lake Norman Charter        012 000 x            3 – 6 – 1

Win: Daniel Alpieri – 6.1 IP – 3 H – 0 R – 7 K – 2 BB
Loss: Preston Conner – 1 IP – 2 H – 1 R – 1 ER – 0K – 2 BB
Save: Grayson Hickert – 0.2 IP – 0 H – 0 R – 0 K – 0 BB

Leading Hitters:
LNC:      Ryan Farkas – 1-3 with a HR & 2 RBI’s
               Grayson Hickert – 1-2 with HR & 1 RBI
               Michael Ashford – 2-3 with a double

SPHS:    Cam Hilton – 2-2 with a double

6^th Inning Wild Pitch is the Difference for Cedar Ridge

Cedar Ridge captured a 4-3 win over Chapel Hill in a Big 8 conference matchup Tuesday afternoon. This game featured Cedar Ridge’s RHP Brandon Andrews (2017, Nicholls State Commit) and Chapel Hill’s RHP Jake Smith (2019). 

Both arms are very good but would struggle with command on the night and the game would end up in the hands of each teams bullpen.  Andrews worked into the 6^th, giving up 5 hits and 3 walks, while only striking out 1.  He competed throughout, keeping Cedar Ridge in position to win. 

For Chapel Hill, Smith showed good arm strength early but did walk 6 in his 4.1 innings of work, only throwing 46% of his pitches for strikes.  He would get a no-decision on the evening.  Both pitchers will have in-depth reports available on the NC HS Scout Blog.

Cedar Ridge jumped out to a 2 run lead in the first inning aided by hits from Dante DeFranco (MIF, 2019) and Eric Zehnder (2018), a walk and an error. Cedar Ridge tacked on another run in the third inning to take a 3-0 lead.

Chapel Hill was able to score a run in the fifth inning with a double from Tyler Hanson (2018) and tied the score with 2 runs in the sixth inning with a single from Garrett Liebe (C, 2017, Sewanee commit) and a double from Ryan Lonegan (2019).

Cedar Ridge bounced back with the winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning.  A lead-off double by Phillip Berger (2019) was followed by a sacrifice bunt by Brooks Lau (2017).  With Berger on 3B, a wild pitch scored him, giving the Red Wolves the lead for good.

Chapel Hill          000 012 0            3 – 5 – 1
Cedar Ridge       201 001 x            4 – 6 – 1

Win: Evan Hall                  0.1 IP – 0 H – 0 R – 0 K – 1 BB
Loss: Tucker Gardner       1.2 IP – 1 H – 1 R – 1 ER – 2 K – 0 BB
Save: Chris Cox                1.0 IP – 0 H – 0 R – 0 ER – 0 K – 0 BB

Leading Hitters:

Chapel Hill:         Tyler Hansen: 2-3 with a double & 1 RBI
                            Ryan Lonegan: 2-3 with a double

Cedar Ridge:      Jake DeFranco: 2-3
                            Phillip Berger: 1-3 with a double
                            Erik Zehnder: 1-3 with 1 RBI

 

Monday March 20^th

Providence Outlasts East Meck Behind Palinkas

In an non-conference match-up between Providence and East Meck the pitchers owned the early going.  East Meck 2018 lefty Luke Little (Gardner Webb commit) held the Panthers hit-less through 4 innings. In the fifth Providence played small ball and roughed Little up for 4 runs on 5 hits without any of the hits leaving the infield.

Providence 2018 RHP Will Palinkas worked six complete, giving up just one hit and striking out 10.  Palinkas showed quality command, working without issuing a walk.

Providence   000 042 1                   7 - 8 - 0
East Meck     000 000 0                   0 - 1 - 4   

Win:        Will Palinkas  - 6IP; 1H; 0R; 10K; 1HP.
Loss:      Luke Little  -  4.66IP; 5H; 4R; 7K; 2BB; 2HP.

Leading Hitters:
PROV - 2019 Michael Danskey 2-3 scored a run and was hit by a pitch
             2017 Satchel Jerzembeck (UNC commit)  2-5 with 2 runs scored. 

EM -      2018 Luke Little 1-3.