Hunter Atkins - Randolph Record

19 Jun

Post 45 churns out more victories

Randolph RecordSportsAmerican Legion baseball, Drake Purvis, Hunter Atkins, Randolph County Post 45, Tanner Marsh

RANDLEMAN – A four-night stretch full of variety for Randolph County Post 45 also had a certain consistent component. The American Legion baseball team won each of its games last week. That included stiff non-league tests and its Area 3 Northern Division opener. Post 45 boosted its record to 11-1 entering this week. Then Monday night’s game at Greensboro was rained out. The showdown last week came with Rowan County Post 342, with Post 45 winning 4-3 on Friday night at Salisbury. Tanner Marsh provided a home run and a run-scoring double and Pierce Leonard scored two runs. Drew Harmon,…

12 Jun

Returnees help Post 45 hit early groove

Randolph RecordSportsAdam Cole, American Legion baseball, Austin Lemons, Braylen Hayes, Carter Brown, Connor Adams, Ethan Frye, Hunter Atkins, Josh Meadows, McCrary Park, Pierce Leonard, Post 45, Randolph County Post 45, Ronnie Pugh, Tanner Marsh, Tyler Parks

Pierce Leonard takes a swing for Randolph County Post 45. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) Randolph County Post 45 has been off a strong start to the American Legion baseball season. The team has a good core of returning players who’ve produced across the first couple of weeks of the season. Post 45 had a 7-1 record – capped with a 5-4 victory at Davidson County last week – before a five-day break in the schedule. The team is slated to be back in action this week. The lone loss came by a 3-2 score at Rowan County. Twelve days later, Post…

20 May

UCA, Eastern Randolph advance to Class 1-A showdown; Randleman’s reign ends in Class 2-A upset

Randolph RecordSportsEastern Randolph athletics, Hunter Atkins, nchsaa, Prep baseball, Randleman baseball, Rob Shore, Uwharrie Charter Academy athletics

Coach Rob Shore has guided Uwharrie Charter Academy deep into the state playoffs in his first season in that role. (Randolph Record) There will be a Randolph County baseball team in the state finals. It won’t be Randleman. Either Uwharrie Charter Academy or Eastern Randolph will be in the Class 1-A state championship series in the first weekend of June. Those teams will meet in a best-of-3 West Regional final. Two-time defending Class 2-A state champion Randleman was bounced in Friday night’s fourth round by Eden Morehead. Here’s a recap of how it has shaken out: Class 1-A The only…

15 May

Randleman hits at another level in baseball playoff romps

Bob SuttonSportsAustin Lemons, Caleb Dunn, Class 2-A, Forbush, Hunter Atkins, Jake Smith, nchsaa, Prep baseball, Randleman baseball, Seth Way

RANDLEMAN – As the Class 2-A state playoffs began, Randleman’s baseball team cranked it up a notch. The Tigers know what it takes this time of the year. “We’ve got to keep up the energy,” senior second baseman Shawn Miller said. “We all know we’re good enough to be on the field.” For the two-time defending state champions, the bats have awakened. With Friday night’s power display, it was reminiscent of a season ago – with mostly different guys taking the swings. “More of what I expected throughout the year,” coach Jake Smith said of the offense. “Hopefully, we’re hitting…

04 May

Lemons sours Trinity in eventful PAC Tournament final for Randleman’s baseball team

Bob SuttonSportsAustin Lemons, Drake Purvis, Hunter Atkins, nchsaa, piedmont athletic conference, Prep baseball, Randleman baseball, Seth Way, Trinity athletics

Randleman’s Austin Lemons had a big night on the mound and at the plate in the PAC Tournament final. (Bob Sutton/Randolph Record) RANDLEMAN – There was so much going on with Randleman’s baseball team in the Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament final. Everything from Drake Purvis making his much-anticipated season debut to the Tigers racking up their 20th victory of the year. Yet pretty much nothing could overshadow Austin Lemons. The senior who mostly waited in the wings behind a stacked roster from a year ago emerged as the pitching and hitting standout in Randleman’s 4-0 victory against visiting Trinity on…

17 Apr

Prep Baseball: Patriots pin streak-halting loss on Randleman

Bob SuttonSportsAndrew Canter, Hunter Atkins, Lemuel Coltrane, piedmont athletic conference, Prep baseball, Providence Grove athletics, Randleman athletics, Randleman baseball, Seth Way

Logan Fox of Providence Grove had a role in tight baseball games with Randleman last week. (Randolph Record file photo) Providence Grove did what might have seemed like the unthinkable in Piedmont Athletic Conference baseball last week. The Patriots knocked off state power Randleman and ended a multi-year streak of domination. “Probably was unexpected,” Providence Grove coach Glen Hunt said. “Not a lot of people thought we could go in and win that game.” Providence Grove’s 3-2 victory halted Randleman’s 38-game winning streak against conference opponents that spread across parts of five seasons. And two days later, the Patriots nearly…

11 Apr

Prep Baseball: Randleman rolls up wins in South Carolina; County teams split in Classic

Randolph RecordSportsCaleb Dunn, Eli Gravely, Hunter Atkins, Pierce Leonard, Prep baseball, Randleman baseball, Seth Way

Eastern Randolph’s Kahlin Graham reaches to make a tag on North Moore’s Austin Patterson during a game in the ZooKeepers Classic last week at Southwestern Randolph. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) Randleman’s baseball team went to the Mingo Bay Classic in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and came away with a 4-0 mark in the event during spring break. It began with a 4-3 victory against Woodson, Va., as Caleb Dunn drove in two runs in a four-run first inning. The Tigers rode Seth Way’s bat and arm in a 9-3 victory against Robinson, Va. Way worked six innings on the mound, while he…

25 Mar

Randleman Tigers adopt new script, keep on winning in baseball

Bob SuttonSportsAdam Cole, Hunter Atkins, Jake Smith, piedmont athletic conference, Prep baseball, Randleman baseball, Seth Way, Southwestern Randolph baseball

Randleman’s Hunter Atkins takes a swing during a game earlier this season at Eastern Randolph. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – The script looks a bit different, but Randleman’s baseball team has kept the winning formula. The two-time reigning Class 2-A state champions are cranking out victories on a regular basis. “We’ve had some tough games that we’ve battled through,” shortstop Hunter Atkins said. “We’ve just been competing. It’s just about competing when it comes down to it. Our team has the grit.” And Randleman owns an 8-2 overall record. The Tigers have made it halfway through their 12-game Piedmont Athletic…

06 Mar

Prep Roundup: Wheatmore girls start in good soccer groove; Mixed results in baseball, softball

Randolph RecordSportsBrent Haynes, Eli Gravely, Ellie Garrison, Emma Mazzarone, Hunter Atkins, Macie Crutchfield, prep athletics, Prep baseball, prep soccer, Prep softball, Rob Shore, Stratton Barwick, Summer Bowman

Providence Grove’s Rori Luther makes a move with West Davidson’s Marly Gouker approaching during last week’s game. West Davidson won 1-0. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) Wheatmore opened the season with a 6-0 victory with Ellie Garrison scoring four goals against visiting Ledford last week in girls’ soccer. Natalie Bowman and Summer Bowman had the other goals. It was a nice start for the Warriors, who were undefeated Class 2-A state champions with a 25-0 record last year. Here are some other items of note from the opening week of the spring season: Baseball ** Randleman suffered an 11-0, six-inning loss March…

28 Feb

New-look Tigers keep lofty goals for baseball season

Bob SuttonSportsClass 2-A, Hunter Atkins, Jake Smith, nchsaa, piedmont athletic conference, Randleman athletics, Randleman baseball, Seth Way

Randleman coach Jake Smith receives a water bath courtesy of Riley Edwards after the Tigers won the 2022 state championship in Burlington. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) Randleman’s baseball team embarks on another season of high expectations RANDLEMAN – Randleman has been at the top of the Class 2-A baseball world in the state for the past two years. Going into this season, the Tigers are going to look different. The goals haven’t changed. “It’s exciting for the kids, a lot of them waiting their turn,” coach Jake Smith said. “I think we’ve got a lot of guys who are excited about…