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CHERRYVILLE — All Cherryville baseball players dream of their seasons ending with a celebratory dogpile, wanting to have their names mentioned alongside past Ironmen teams which claimed NCHSAA state titles.
Nine years removed from its last championship, the 2026 Cherryville team has the singular aim of restoring the program to its past glory.
Making its first regional final appearance since 2022, the Ironmen are a win away from an NCHSAA 2A state final, this after a 5-2 victory over Cornerstone Charter at “Buck" Fraley Field in Cherryville Tuesday, May 19.
BASEBALL PLAYOFF SCOREBOARD: NCHSAA baseball regionals start tonight. Follow here for scores, schedules
SOFTBALL PLAYOFF SCOREBOARD: NCHSAA softball regionals start tonight. Here's your schedule, scores
“It feels like (we’re in a regional championship series) every year, but the reality is that’s not always the case,” said Cherryville baseball coach Scott Heavner. “It’s tough to make it to this point, and when you get here there’s a good team waiting in the other dugout. But we got exactly what we expected (in Cornerstone Charter); it was a good, hard-fought game and we’re happy to start off with a win.”
While Cherryville didn’t provide the offensive barrage it is accustomed to, it made up for in quality base hits. Five of the Ironmen’s seven base hits went for extra bases, including two from first baseman Canon Whitesides.
An RBI double in the second inning helped his team draw first blood, bringing Davin Digh around to give Cherryville a 1-0 advantage. Two innings later, Whitesides’ home run gave the Ironmen a two-run cushion.
Cherryville added three runs in the fifth. Parker Anderson did the most damage, sending a Cornerstone Charter pitch over the left-field wall for a two-run homer. Following a Digh double earlier in the frame, pinch-runner Colton Robinson scored on a balk to give the Ironmen a 5-0 lead.
Cornerstone Charter got two of those runs back in the top of the sixth, but was all it would manage against a strong pitching effort by Cherryville starter Camden Williams and reliever Aaron Heavner.
Williams went five innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits with seven strikeouts. Heavner allowed no runs on two hits with a strikeout in two innings of relief.
“I can’t say enough about (Williams),” the Cherryville skipper said. “I mean, what he’s done to step up when (Anderson) hurt his hamstring and trying to nurse that back together. He’s stepped in and made sure we haven’t skipped a beat.”
The Ironmen will travel to Greensboro on Wednesday for Game 2 in the best-of-three series, the matchup moved up a day due to an unfavorable weather forecast. First pitch is at 4:30 p.m.
(2) South Point 4, (1) North Lincoln 3 (8 innings): The Red Raiders scored the game’s final two runs, including a Zeke Pruitt RBI on a fielder’s choice in the eight to help South Point seize command of the best-of-three series.
Game 2 is scheduled for 7 p.m., Thursday, May 21 in Belmont.
(2) Burns 3, (4) Lincoln Charter 1: Freshman Brian Buttrick allowed one run (none earned) on four hits with seven strikeouts over five innings, while Max Davis was 2-for-4 with two runs scored for Burns in a winning effort.
Game 2 is 7 p.m., Thursday, May 21 in Denver.
(2) South Caldwell 9, (1) Kings Mountain 0: Despite 16 strikeouts by Kings Mountain hurler Maddie Huffman, the South Caldwell lineup managed 10 hits, breaking open a close game with seven runs in the final two innings. Kayla McSwain had two hits for Kings Mountain.
Game 2 is Wednesday, May 20 at South Caldwell.
This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Cherryville baseball takes Game 1 of NCHSAA 2A West final
Continue reading...
Nine years removed from its last championship, the 2026 Cherryville team has the singular aim of restoring the program to its past glory.
Making its first regional final appearance since 2022, the Ironmen are a win away from an NCHSAA 2A state final, this after a 5-2 victory over Cornerstone Charter at “Buck" Fraley Field in Cherryville Tuesday, May 19.
BASEBALL PLAYOFF SCOREBOARD: NCHSAA baseball regionals start tonight. Follow here for scores, schedules
SOFTBALL PLAYOFF SCOREBOARD: NCHSAA softball regionals start tonight. Here's your schedule, scores
“It feels like (we’re in a regional championship series) every year, but the reality is that’s not always the case,” said Cherryville baseball coach Scott Heavner. “It’s tough to make it to this point, and when you get here there’s a good team waiting in the other dugout. But we got exactly what we expected (in Cornerstone Charter); it was a good, hard-fought game and we’re happy to start off with a win.”
While Cherryville didn’t provide the offensive barrage it is accustomed to, it made up for in quality base hits. Five of the Ironmen’s seven base hits went for extra bases, including two from first baseman Canon Whitesides.
An RBI double in the second inning helped his team draw first blood, bringing Davin Digh around to give Cherryville a 1-0 advantage. Two innings later, Whitesides’ home run gave the Ironmen a two-run cushion.
Cherryville added three runs in the fifth. Parker Anderson did the most damage, sending a Cornerstone Charter pitch over the left-field wall for a two-run homer. Following a Digh double earlier in the frame, pinch-runner Colton Robinson scored on a balk to give the Ironmen a 5-0 lead.
Cornerstone Charter got two of those runs back in the top of the sixth, but was all it would manage against a strong pitching effort by Cherryville starter Camden Williams and reliever Aaron Heavner.
Williams went five innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits with seven strikeouts. Heavner allowed no runs on two hits with a strikeout in two innings of relief.
“I can’t say enough about (Williams),” the Cherryville skipper said. “I mean, what he’s done to step up when (Anderson) hurt his hamstring and trying to nurse that back together. He’s stepped in and made sure we haven’t skipped a beat.”
The Ironmen will travel to Greensboro on Wednesday for Game 2 in the best-of-three series, the matchup moved up a day due to an unfavorable weather forecast. First pitch is at 4:30 p.m.
Area playoff scoreboard
Baseball
5A West
(2) South Point 4, (1) North Lincoln 3 (8 innings): The Red Raiders scored the game’s final two runs, including a Zeke Pruitt RBI on a fielder’s choice in the eight to help South Point seize command of the best-of-three series.
Game 2 is scheduled for 7 p.m., Thursday, May 21 in Belmont.
4A West
(2) Burns 3, (4) Lincoln Charter 1: Freshman Brian Buttrick allowed one run (none earned) on four hits with seven strikeouts over five innings, while Max Davis was 2-for-4 with two runs scored for Burns in a winning effort.
Game 2 is 7 p.m., Thursday, May 21 in Denver.
Softball
6A West
(2) South Caldwell 9, (1) Kings Mountain 0: Despite 16 strikeouts by Kings Mountain hurler Maddie Huffman, the South Caldwell lineup managed 10 hits, breaking open a close game with seven runs in the final two innings. Kayla McSwain had two hits for Kings Mountain.
Game 2 is Wednesday, May 20 at South Caldwell.
This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Cherryville baseball takes Game 1 of NCHSAA 2A West final
Continue reading...
