Prep roundup: Marvin Ridge ends Hough’s baseball season
Seventh-seeded Hough entered the second round of the NCHSAA playoffs Friday with a 19-4 record, home field advantage and a five-game winning streak.
None of that mattered to Marvin Ridge.
The Mavericks, a No. 10 seed in the 4A playoffs, jumped to a 3-1 first-inning lead Friday and never relented, winning 9-3.
Marvin Ridge is now 11-1 on the road this season.
“Our guy on the mound did a really good job, we played well defensively and I was proud overall,” Marvin Ridge coach Trey Putnam said. “They kind of get up for these games. They love going to good baseball environments and this team loves to compete.”
Hough starter Hank Tipton lasted just two-plus innings, getting lifted after a Nico Soul home run and a double by Luke St. John in the third inning staked the Mavs to a 4-2 lead.
Bennett Holder extended that lead with a two-RBI single in the third, Lucas De La Cruz added an RBI single two batters later and the rout was on.
The Mavs scored three runs in the first inning, four in the third and another one in both the fourth and sixth innings.
Marvin Ridge starter Colin Slep was sharp. The junior went 5.2 innings, allowed six hits and struck out three.
“I wanted to throw strikes, and make them hit it,” Slep said. “It wasn’t my best, but we are moving on.”
Reliever Drew Fletcher worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth inning and finished the seventh frame to move the Mavs onto the third round.
“I knew I was going to do something this game,” Soul said. “I didn’t get anything to hit in my first at bat, but I got my pitch and it turned out to be a home run to get my team going.”
THREE WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE
Colin Slep, Marvin Ridge: The junior righthander was solid, holding off a Hough offense that averaged more than 10 runs per game this season.
Nico Soul, Marvin Ridge: The senior’s third-inning solo home run seemed to shift the momentum for the Mavs.
Sydnee Bumgartner, South Caldwell softball: Adjacent to the baseball field, South Caldwell rallied from a 3-2 deficit behind Bumgartner’s seventh-inning homer to end the Huskies’ season with a 5-2 win.
OTHER PLAYOFF BASEBALL
Charlotte Christian 8, Carmel Christian 0: Charlotte Christian (26-5) advanced to the NCISAA 4A semifinals, behind a no-hit effort from three pitchers. Cohen Bettencourt slammed a home run.
Christ the King 10, Polk County 0: The Crusaders (16-7) rolled to a 1A victory, as Patrick Walsh went 4-for-4, with a home run and three runs batted in. Troy Alderfer had three hits.
Cuthbertson 9, Sun Valley 8: The 4A West’s top seed survived a scare against a Union County rival and advanced to the third round of the playoffs. The visiting Spartans scored twice in the top of the seventh inning for an 8-8 tie, but Cuthbertson (23-4) got a walk-off run in the bottom of the inning.
High Point Wesleyan 6, Charlotte Latin 0: Winning pitcher Nick Papciak fired a three-hitter and struck out 11.
Lake Norman Charter 9, West Henderson 4: The Knights (13-10) scored five times in the top of the fourth inning, building a 9-1 lead, and they coasted to a 3A victory. Janson Kane homered, and Braden Wilkie drove in three runs with two hits.
Metrolina Christian 1, Rabun Gap 0: Sophomore Case Gibbs fired a no-hitter, walking four and striking out 10, as the Warriors advanced in NCISAA 4A play. Metrolina Christian (27-1) got only one hit and scored when Jackson Pierce’s sacrifice brought home Jacob Seamon.
Myers Park 7, Mooresville 0: The Mustangs (20-7) advanced to a third-round 4A game at top-seeded Cuthbertson, as Henry Bauer fired a one-hit shutout. Sam Bundon, Thomas Jokinen and Evan Howard each drove in two runs.
North Stokes 6, Union Academy 5: Beckett Gurian drove in three runs for Union Academy, which led 5-0 in this 1A game before North Stokes scored three times in the bottom of the fifth and three times in the sixth.
Butler star advances at NCHSAA tennis championships
Butler High’s Kai Villagomez is one of several Charlotte-area players still alive in the NCHSAA individual tennis championships.
Villagomez beat West Forsyth’s Sean Cooper 6-0, 6-0 in a first round match Friday and advanced to the semifinals with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Jordan’s Bryant Ross.
▪ Also advancing to semifinals were Tejas Sridhar (Lake Norman Charter, 3A); Carson Brown and Lawson Miller (East Lincoln, 3A); James Dover and Rex Dover (South Point, 3A); Jackson Grathwohl (Pine Lake Prep, 2A); Dylan Patel and Christian Endsjo (Pine Lake Prep, 2A)
▪ Play continues Saturday, with the 1A beginning championship rounds at 9 a.m., and the other three classes beginning semifinal rounds.
4A SEMIFINALS
Singles: Trishiv Premanand (Green Level) vs. Isaac Lewis (TC Roberson); Kai Villagomez (Butler) vs. Eshaan Dabadghav (Northwest Guilford)
Doubles: Ved Chotalia/Max Gao (Panther Creek) vs. Luke Thompson/Connor Yett (South Meck)/Owen Phillips/Carter Harris (East Chapel Hill)
3A SEMIFINALS
Singles: Shaw Akula (South Central) vs. Drew Hedgecoe (Terry Sanford); Graham Powers (Hickory) vs. Tejas Sridhar (Lake Norman Charter)
Doubles: Journey Perry/Nathan Call (CB Aycock) vs. Carson Brown/Lawson Miller (East Lincoln); James Dover/Rex Dover (South Point) vs. Adam Boylston/Timothy McDowell (Western Alamance)
2A SEMIFINALS
Singles: Sammie Isaak (Research Triangle) vs. Alphonso Sison (Franklin Academy); Jackson Grathwohl (Pine Lake Prep) vs. Rex Wang (North Stanly)
Doubles: Dylan Patel/Christian Endsjo (Pine Lake Prep) vs. Derek Shute/Nick Delisio (Franklin Academy); Alfred Ye/Nimish Kandekar (NCSSM) vs. Akshaj Goel/Jeffery Zhong (Raleigh Charter)
1A FINALS
Singles: Luke Ansari (Bishop McGuinness) vs. Eli Edwards (Eno River)
Doubles: Connor Ballard/Aidan Ballard (Elkin) vs. Nate Bermeo/Jack Kroothoep (Eno River)
NCHSAA softball
Cannon School 10, Metrolina Christian 0: The Cougars advanced to the NCISAA Division 1 semifinals, as Addie Hartz tossed a one-hitter and struck out 12. Carly Benz had three hits, including a pair of triples. She also scored twice and drove in two runs.
Covenant Day 10, North Raleigh Christian 0: Izzy Horton and Bella Coffren each drove in three runs, as Covenant Day (18-6) advanced to the NCISAA Division 1 semifinals. Alison Vandiver tossed a two-hit shutout.
Hickory Ridge 7, Providence 5: The Ragin’ Bulls (21-4) advanced in the 4A West, scoring four times in the bottom of the sixth for a 7-3 lead. Kennedy Morgan and Alexis Smereka each drove in a pair of runs. Camryn O’Connor homered for Providence (21-6).
Northern Guilford 10, Marvin Ridge 8: The Mavericks (18-4) trailed 10-2 after four innings in this 4A game, before launching a rally that fell short.
Piedmont 3, West Rowan 2: The Panthers (21-5) won a 3A thriller, scoring three times in the bottom of the seventh. Winning pitcher Jailyn Thomas scattered three hits and struck out eight. Taylyn Steele had two hits.
Union Academy 10, South Stanly 0: Avery Wilson tossed a perfect game, striking out 10, as the Cardinals (23-1) moved on to the third round in the 1A West.
NCISAA lacrosse: Cannon gets historic win
Cannon School beat Charlotte Christian 15-4 in the NCISAA Division I girls’ lacrosse playoffs, earning the first postseason win in school history.
Cannon, in its fifth season, is 11-7 and will play Providence Day in Tuesday’s state semifinals.
On Friday, sophomores Maggie Murphy (five goals, one assist), Addison Maynor (three goals, eight draw controls) and Kate Martin (four goals, assist) had big games. Sophomore goalie Jerica Newby had seven saves.
This story was originally published May 9, 2025 at 10:01 PM.
