American Legion baseball - Randolph Record

02 Jul

Asheboro grad Adams deals with injury, but can still pitch for Post 45

Bob SuttonSportsAmerican Legion baseball, Connor Adams, Post 45, Post 81, Randolph County Post 45, Ronnie Pugh

Connor Adams (Bob Sutton / Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – The role for Connor Adams with Randolph County Post 45 is going to be different. After surgery for a wrist injury, he’ll be content with having a way to contribute. Adams, who’s in his third season with Post 45, has torn cartilage in his left wrist. That means he wasn’t able to bat when the American Legion season began, but he could still pitch. “That’s what I’m best at anyway – pitching,” Adams said. “I feel more comfortable pitching.” Adams completed his senior high school season for Asheboro in the spring,…

25 Jun

Stickle stays in groove with Randolph County Post 45

Bob SuttonSportsAmerican Legion baseball, Caleb Stickle, Grat Dalton, Liberty Post 81, Parker Kines, Post 45, Randolph County Post 45, Ronnie Pugh, Trey Kennedy, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

Caleb Stickle, who began the month helping Uwharrie Charter Academy win a state championship, is a key infielder for Randolph County Post 45. (Bob Sutton / Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – Some of the tension might have lessened since the thrilling baseball postseason in high school for Caleb Stickle. But he said he doesn’t want his mindset to change with Randolph County Post 45. Fresh of Uwharrie Charter Academy’s second consecutive Class 1A state championship, he has graduated. Last week, he committed to play for Guilford Tech. “It was getting late,” he said of the desire to lock in a plan.…

18 Jun

American Legion baseball: Post 45 edges Post 81 again in intra-county clash

Bob SuttonSportsAmerican Legion baseball, Caleb Dunn, Liberty Post 81, Nate Cockman, Parker Kines, Pierce Leonard, Post 45, Post 81, Randolph County Post 45, Ronnie Pugh

Post 45 pitcher Parker Kines (Bob Sutton / Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – Parker Kines wasn’t certain he would play American Legion baseball, but it has turned out to be a good thing for him and Randolph County Post 45 so far this season. Kines was on the mound for a strong start as Post 45 topped Liberty Post 81 for the second time in five nights, a 6-4 decision Monday night at McCrary Park. “I wasn’t planning on this,” he said of the summer activity. “But my coach (at Wheatmore) said it would be a good idea.” Kines, a rising…

13 Jun

Results vary for American Legion teams as season heats up

Randolph RecordSportsAmerican Legion baseball, Jayten Beasley, Liberty Post 81, McCrary Park, Post 45, Post 81, Randolph County Post 45, Samuel Asbill

Post 45 and Post 81 are scheduled to meet twice across a five-night period ASHEBORO – There has been a sampling of results for Liberty Post 81 and Randolph County Post 45 through the first few weeks of the American Legion baseball series. It’s about to get serious for these teams with league play picking up after a layoff. Post 81 racked up a 9-3 record through last week. Randolph County checked in at 3-5, though its roster of available players had been limited because of the high school postseason. Randolph County and Liberty meet for the first time since…

29 May

Post 45 looking to fit parts together as season launches

Bob SuttonSportsAmerican Legion baseball, Austin Lemons, Braxton Walker, Carter Brown, Connor Adams, Drew Harmon, Grat Dalton, Jake Riddle, McCrary Park, Post 45, Randolph County Post 45, Ronnie Pugh, Tanner Marsh

Manager Ronnie Pugh says that pitching could be strong for Randolph County Post 45. (Bob Sutton / Randolph Record) Young team to play for Randolph County ASHEBORO – It’s going to take time for Randolph County Post 45 to put it all together with a more youthful roster than in the past. But the group still intends to be one of the top American Legion baseball teams in the state. A week into the season, Post 45 split its first two outings. “We’re getting some things done,” manager Ronnie Pugh said. “All of the things we’re going to put in,…

21 May

Post 81 returns to action after one-year hiatus in American Legion baseball

Bob SuttonSportsAmerican Legion baseball, Eastern Randolph, Liberty Post 81, Nate Cockman, Post 81, Providence Grove

RAMSEUR – Baseball is back on the top American Legion level for Post 81. The Liberty Post 81 team began the season last week after a one-year hiatus. “With the community involvement, we were able to make it happen,” said Nate Cockman, the head coach. “We took that summer off to get those young guys ready.” With 18 players on board and potentially a couple of more, it’s a foundation that Cockman said he likes even with about half the players coming off their freshman years of high school. “It’s good for the future,” he said. “It’s going to be…

13 Jan

Asheboro man heard around the state

Bob SuttonFeatures, SportsAmerican Legion baseball, Asheboro, Don Bullins, N.C. State athletics, PA announcer

Don Bullins of Asheboro makes some pregame announcements recently at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh. (Bob Sutton/Randolph Record) RALEIGH – Don Bullins of Asheboro has been a busy man behind the mic as a public address announcer for various sports events during the past month. In some ways, it’s a continuation of assignments during many stretches of the year. Just since December, he has handled assignments for high school football and basketball and college basketball. “It has been a busy few weeks,” Bullins said. “I didn’t take off a lot of time.” Bullins spends a good amount of time as a…

12 Aug

Post 45 cherishes season’s successes, improvements

Bob SuttonSportsAmerican Legion baseball, Carter Brown, Hunter Atkins, Post 45, Randolph County Post 45, Ronnie Pugh, Southeast Regional, Tyler Parks

Randolph County manager Ronnie Pugh, center, makes a mound visit in extra innings in the Southeast Regional to check on pitcher Hunter Atkins, right. Catcher Caleb Dunn looks on. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – Hunter Atkins built a reputation largely as a hitter during high school for Randleman’s baseball team. But that’s far from his only attribute, something that was on display at times during the American Legion season for Randolph County Post 45. In what became the season finale, Atkins threw six innings of relief against eventual regional champion Florence (S.C.) Post 1. It came while he labored…

06 Aug

Florence leaves Asheboro with Southeast Regional title

Randolph RecordSportsAmerican Legion baseball, Florence (S.C.) Post 1, McCrary Park, Southeast Regional

ASHEBORO – Florence (S.C.) Post 1 completed a sweep of the Southeast Regional in American Legion baseball, winning Sunday afternoon’s title game by 8-5 against Fuquay-Varina Post 116. Florence went 5-0 in the regional at McCrary Park, including Saturday night’s 5-4 decision in 11 innings against host Randolph County Post 45. Florence (30-5) needed just one victory Sunday, but an extra game wasn’t required as Post 1 topped Fuquay-Varina, the North Carolina state champion, for the second time in the regional. Post 1 goes on to the American Legion World Series later this week in Shelby. This marked Florence’s third…

05 Aug

Post 45’s season ends with 11-inning loss in Southeast Regional

Bob SuttonSportsAmerican Legion baseball, Hunter Atkins, McCrary Park, Randolph County Post 45, Ronnie Pugh, Southeast Regional, Tanner Marsh, Tyler Parks

ASHEBORO – It took most of Saturday night before Randolph County Post 45 was dismissed from the Southeast Regional. The host team battled for 11 innings with Florence (S.C.) Post 1 before suffering a 5-4 loss at McCrary Park. “We’ve been playing all night,” Post 45 manager Ronnie Pugh said. “This was a classic. Our guys sucked it up and played.” Florence (29-5) is unbeaten in the double-elimination regional and will play Fuquay-Varina Post 116 (30-6) at 1:30 p.m. Sunday. If Fuquay-Varina wins, another winner-take-all game will follow. Post 45 ended the season with a 25-8 record, going 2-2 in…