Randleman baseball

Hayes backtracks to Post 45, carves new path

Hayes backtracks to Post 45, carves new path

Braylen Hayes takes a swing for Randolph County Post 45 this summer. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – Braylen Hayes didn’t anticipate being back with Randolph County Post 45 this summer, but he’s glad that opportunity existed. It’s turning out to be a good thing for Post 45 despite his unexpected availability. The former standout outfielder for Randleman didn’t make it to the finish line in his first college season at UNC Greensboro. “Just having too much fun in college. It went downhill and ended up not having the best grades,” Hayes said. “It was all on me. It’s good, though,…
Read More
Brannon blasts off with Class A team

Brannon blasts off with Class A team

Brooks Brannon’s rise to Class A baseball came with a bang. The 2022 draftee of the Boston Red Sox out of Randleman homered in two of his first three games and three of his first five games with Salem Red Sox of the Carolina League. Brannon, 19, played his first game in the Carolina League on June 29 when Salem played at Fredericksburg. From there, he had a hit in all five games with Salem heading to this week’s break in the schedule. He blasted home runs at Fredericksburg and two at Lynchburg and had nine runs batted in through…
Read More
UCA, Eastern Randolph advance to Class 1-A showdown; Randleman’s reign ends in Class 2-A upset

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

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…
Read More
Randleman hits at another level in baseball playoff romps

Randleman hits at another level in baseball playoff romps

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

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

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…
Read More
Tigers take different route, end up in PAC final

Tigers take different route, end up in PAC final

One strike away from a tournament exit, Randleman overcomes Providence Grove RANDLEMAN – Randleman’s baseball team hadn’t been in many of these situations in recent years. Trailing by two runs and down to their final strike, the Tigers’ stranglehold on the Piedmont Athletic Conference was in jeopardy Tuesday night. Providence Grove was on the cusp of pulling off an upset in the PAC Tournament semifinal. “I haven’t been in that many situations like that.” Randleman junior Seth Way said. “Do what you have to do to win the game.” So he did. Down 0-2 in the count with runners on…
Read More
Prep Roundup: Randleman claims PAC baseball crown

Prep Roundup: Randleman claims PAC baseball crown

Eastern Randolph’s softball team has had lots to cheer about this season despite last week’s loss to Southwestern Randolph. (File photo) RANDLEMAN – Randleman avenged a loss from three nights earlier to defeat visiting Trinity 6-1 on Friday night and secure another Piedmont Athletic Conference baseball championship. The Tigers (17-4 overall, 10-2 PAC) won their regular-season home finale. They’ll be the top seed for the conference tournament as a prelude to their bid for a third consecutive Class 2-A state championship. Second-place Trinity won 3-2 earlier last week behind Cade Hill’s complete-game pitching and Landon Mowery’s home run. The Bulldogs…
Read More
Prep Baseball: Patriots pin streak-halting loss on Randleman

Prep Baseball: Patriots pin streak-halting loss on Randleman

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

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

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…
Read More
Randleman Tigers adopt new script, keep on winning in baseball

Randleman Tigers adopt new script, keep on winning in 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…
Read More