By PBR Staff
Prep Baseball Report of NC

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In-depth player reports from these games and more can be seen on the NC HS Scout Blog.

Ledford Outlasts SW Guilford in a Non-Conference

Two of the top teams in the Triad area, and in North Carolina, faced off at Ledford in a non-conference battle.  With each team playing conference games this week, they used this game to show off some of their pitching depth. 

Ledford entered Wednesday ranked No. 2 in the 3A class.  Their rotation is fronted by a couple of NC State commits, Logan Whitaker (RHP, 2018) and Chris Villaman (LHP, 2019).  With those two not available for this game, Coach Adams turned to Junior RHP Avery Cain (C/RHP, 2018, Winston-Salem State commit).  Cain attacked the zone with a fastball that sat 80-81, touching 83.  Cain worked 2 scoreless innings, earning two strikeouts. 

Offensively, the Panthers rely on their ability to create runs with execution and team speed.  At the top of the order, Josh Yeager (OF, 2017) set the tone.  A leadoff double in the 1^st led to the first run of the game.  Leading off again in the third inning a drag single became his second run scored.  Stealing second, Yeager advanced to third on a ground ball from Anthony Cuozzi (SS, 2017, UNC Asheville commit) to the right side.  Luke Spiva (OF, 2017) got the RBI with a ground ball to first base. 

Staked to a two run lead, Will Bethune (RHP, 2019) worked four innings, only allowing a base-runner via walk.  Filling up the zone with a fastball – slider combination, Bethune was able to get weak contact with the action on his fastball. 

In the bottom of the sixth, Ledford blew the game open, with four runs.  The inning began with three consecutive singles, followed by doubles from Noah Soles (OF, 2019) and Logan Hale (INF, 2018).  The 6-0 lead would hold up in the seventh but not before SW Guilford made a late push.  With the bases loaded and the go-ahead run at the plate, Justin Vaughn (RHP, 2018) was able to induce a ground ball to give the Panthers the win.

SW Guilford         000 000 3            3 – 3 – 2
Ledford                101 004 x            6 – 10 – 0

Win: Avery Cain                2 IP – 1 H – 0 R – 0 ER – 2 K – 2 BB
Loss: Eli Mills                     4 IP – 4 H – 2 R – 2 ER – 4 K – 0 BB
Save: Justin Vaughn         0.2 IP – 0 H – 0 R – 0 ER – 0 K – 2 BB

Leading Hitters:
SWGHS:               Sean McIntosh – 1-1, Double, 1 RBI
                              Isaiah Hairston – 1-3, Double

Ledford:              Josh Yeager – 2-4 with 2 runs scored
                           Cameron Mills – 2-3 with 1 RBI and 1 run scored
                            Noah Soles – 2-3 with a double, 2 RBI’s and 1 run scored

Weddington takes Game 2 of the 3 Game Set with Cuthbertson

A day after Cuthbertson blitzed Weddington by the tune of 13-1, Weddington was able to even the series.  Weddington jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first on an unearned run, but the game quickly settled into a pitchers dual. In the seventh, Weddington got to the Cuthbertson pitching staff for four runs.  On the bump, Weddington’s Austin Roseberry (2017, RHP) limited the Cavs to four hits.  He established a pace to the game with three, 1-2-3 innings.

Weddington                      100 000 4                           5    9    0
Cuthbertson                      000 000 0                           0    4    3

Win: 2017 Austin Roseberry          7IP; 4H; 0R; 6K; 1BB
Loss: 2017 Zach Houston              6.1IP; 4H; 4R; 1ER; 6K; 1BB

Leading Hitters:                                                            
WEDD:  2018 Matt Burke  2 - 4 (RS).                       
               2018 Ryan Healy 1-4 (RBI).                         

CUTH:   2017 Callen Nuccio 1-3.   .                          
               2017 Sam Mennitt 1-3                  
               2017 Ryan Johnson 1-3 (2B)        

Marvin Ridge Edges Sun Valley

As conference play begins in the Southern Carolina 3A, teams will see the same opponent each week for three games.  This can bring out the best in teams and make the games very competitive.  In a back and forth game the home team Marvin Ridge came away with a 5-4 conference victory.

Jake Kuchmaner (LHP, 2017, East Carolina commit) uncharacteristically got roughed up by the scrappy Spartans, working four innings, giving up 6 hits and 3 runs, while striking out 6.  Behind 3-2, Demarco Reaves came in for Marvin Ridge and worked the final three innings, only allowing 1 hit and 2 walks as he positioned himself for the win. 

In the top of the fifth, the Mavs scored 3 runs, giving them the lead with the help of aggressive base-running. With one out, Cory Parr (OF, 2017) walked, advanced to second on a pass ball.  On a 3-1 count, Parr stole third safely, allowing Kuchmaner to help his own cause with a hard single to left.  With the help of three walks, Marvin Ridge was able to score on a couple of pass balls pushing their lead to 5-3 as the inning closed. 

In the sixth, Sun Valley would make one more push.  Zack Budzik (SS, 2018) walked and stole second.  A single to left off the bat of Luke Parks (C/CIF, 2017) scored Budzik, giving the game its final of 5-4.

Sun Valley           012 001 0            4 – 7 – 0
Marvin Ridge       100 130 x            5 – 4 – 2

Win: DeMarco Reaves                     3IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 K’s, 2 BB
Loss: Kyler Eckert                            0.1IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 K, 1 BB

Leading Hitters:

Sun Valley:          Josh Swartz – 1-3 with an RBI
                            Nate Nygaard – 1-3
                            Luke Parks – 2-2 with 1 RBI

Marvin Ridge:    Jake Kuchmaner – 2-3, 2 RBI’s, 1 Run Scored
                          Matt Helms – 1-2, 1 RBI