Ardrey Kell baseball escapes big jam, wins Game 1 of NCHSAA state final series

Ardrey Kell had to wait awhile to get the win in Game 1 of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4A state baseball championship series, but the Knights are now one game away from the title.

Ardrey Kell beat Fuquay-Varina 3-0 in Zebulon Friday, a game that was delayed for more than 40 minutes in the bottom of the sixth inning with Ardrey Kell batting.

The Knights (27-5) won their sixth straight game and will try to win the second state championship in school history Saturday. Ardrey Kell and Fuquay-Varina will play at 2 p.m. at Five County Stadium in the best-of-three series. Ardrey Kell lost in the 2008 championship round but won the title in 2009.

On Friday, the Knights built a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning. UNC recruit Cam Brantley doubled and left runners at second and third with one out. Parker Ledford's double scored two runs, and Trey Tujetsch, the starting pitcher, hit a line-drive double that scored Ledford.

The Knights left a runner on third base in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Ardrey Kell pitcher Trey Tujetsch pitched six innings and struck out 10 batters. He allowed four hits. With reliever Garrett Sullivan on the mound in the seventh, Fuquay-Varina loaded the bases, courtesy of three straight walks after an initial out.

Luke Carpenter then entered for the Knights as the relief pitcher. He struck out two batters with the bases loaded to preserve the win.

This story was originally published June 1, 2018 at 10:42 PM with the headline "Ardrey Kell baseball escapes big jam, wins Game 1 of NCHSAA state final series."