Trinity Bulldogs - Randolph Record

14 May

Randleman keeps the faith, overcomes Trinity in state-playoff baseball thriller

Bob SuttonSportsBraxton Walker, Brody Little, Class 2-A, Ethan Willard, Jackson Hill, Jake Riddle, Jake Smith, John Kirkpatrick, Lincoln Coble, McCrary Park, Prep baseball, Randleman Tigers, Ryan Spencer, state playoffs, Tate Andrews, Trinity Bulldogs

Randleman’s Jackson Hill heads for the plate to score the winning run in the Tigers’ Class 2A state-playoff victory against Trinity. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) ASHEBORO — Members of the Randleman baseball team were certain they’d figure out a way to win the third-round round game of the Class 2A state playoffs against Trinity. They just weren't quite sure how. “We always had faith that we were going to win the game,” infielder Tate Andrews said. “That helps us not let the pressure get to us.” The Tigers erased a two-run deficit and then went to the bottom of…

11 May

UCA holds highest seed among county teams for girls’ soccer state playoffs

Randolph RecordSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, class 1-A, Class 2-A, Class 3-A, prep soccer, Providence Grove Patriots, Randleman Tigers, state playoffs, Trinity Bulldogs, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles, Wheatmore Warriors

Uwharrie Charter Academy girls' soccer coach Frankie Aguilar receives a water bath after the team defeated Wheatmore 2-1 on Monday to clinch the Piedmont Athletic Conference championship. Both teams are in the field for the state playoffs, which begin Monday. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) Piedmont Athletic Conference champion Uwharrie Charter Academy is the No. 3 seed for the Class 1A West Region state playoffs in girls' soccer. The Eagles open the postseason Monday against No. 30 seed South Davidson. In Class 2A, seventh-seeded Providence Grove will start the postseason at home against No. 26 seed Black Mountain Owen. Wheatmore,…

10 May

UCA, E. Randolph, Randleman, Trinity advance in baseball; Cougars, Tigers, Eagles move on in softball

Randolph RecordSportsAlyssa Harris, Braxton Walker, class 1-A, Class 2-A, Eastern Randolph Wildcats, Jake Riddle, Macie Crutchfield, Prep baseball, Prep softball, Randleman Tigers, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, Trinity Bulldogs, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

Randleman's Jake Riddle made key contributions as the Tigers advanced through two rounds of the baseball state playoffs. (Randolph Record file photo) ASHEBORO — Two-time defending state champion Uwharrie Charter Academy pulled out a 3-2 baseball victory against 12th-seeded East Wilkes in the Class 1-A second round Friday. Brett Smith and Logun Wilkins combined to strike out 10 batters for the fifth-seeded Eagles, who travel to fourth-seeded North Stokes in the third round. UCA opened the playoffs with a 14-2 stomping of No. 28 seed Bessemer City. DJ Brandon, who drove in two runs, and Brody Eagle both supplied three…

03 May

Prep baseball: UCA ends up second in PAC after sweeping Southwestern Randolph

Randolph RecordSportsAndrew Thomas, Brett Smith, piedmont athletic conference, Prep baseball, Providence Grove Patriots, Randleman Tigers, Tate Andrews, Trinity Bulldogs, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

Uwharrie Charter Academy won twice in the final week of the regular season to secure third place in the Piedmont Athletic Conference baseball standings. The Eagles held off last-place Southwestern Randolph 8-1 and 3-2 in eight innings. Jose Ramirez had three hits and three runs batted in the first matchup, with Logun Wilkins notching the pitching victory. UCA’s Brett Smith went the distance in the second game, outdueling Jonah Campbell, who also worked a complete game. ** Third-place Trinity defeated fourth-place Eastern Randolph twice by scores of 14-3 and 5-1. Trinity’s Walker Parrish drove in five runs in the two…

29 Apr

Opinions vary on league baseball tourneys as PAC opts out this year

Bob SuttonSportsEastern Randolph Wildcats, Jake Smith, Nate Cockman, piedmont athletic conference, Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament, Prep baseball, Providence Grove Patriots, Randleman Tigers, Rob Shore, Ryan Spencer, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, Trinity Bulldogs, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles, Wheatmore Warriors

The Providence Grove baseball team will be completing its regular season this week. (Randolph Record) There’s no Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament in baseball this year, something that would have taken place this week. Instead, teams are wrapping up their regular seasons. Opinions vary on the topic of whether to hold a tournament. The decision to nix the tournament was made prior to the school year. “It’s fun to have,” Trinity coach Ryan Spencer said. “We always got to have a couple extra games.” Teams can play up to 24 regular-season games, so a tournament provided opportunities, in some cases, for…

27 Apr

Prep Roundup: Southwestern Randolph secures PAC softball crown

Randolph RecordSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, piedmont athletic conference, prep soccer, Prep softball, Providence Grove Patriots, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, Trinity Bulldogs, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles, Wheatmore Warriors

Southwestern Randolph outfielder Nauttica Parrish, left, and shortstop Alyssa Harris react after Parrish’s diving catch during a softball game earlier this season. (Randolph Record) ASHEBORO — Southwestern Randolph registered three shutouts in Piedmont Athletic Conference softball last week. Those latest zeroes added up to another conference championship. In building an 11-0 record in PAC play, the Cougars have notched nine shutouts. Last week’s trio of blankings began with Alyssa Harris tossing a no-hitter with 10 strikeouts in a 13-0, six-inning ripping of host Eastern Randolph. Kami Dunn knocked in four runs. Macie Crutchfield struck out 12 batters in a 5-0…

25 Apr

Randleman slams Trinity, secures another PAC baseball title

Bob SuttonSportsBraxton Walker, Jake Smith, John Kirkpatrick, piedmont athletic conference, Prep baseball, Randleman Tigers, Ryan Spencer, Tate Andrews, Trinity Bulldogs

Randleman’s Braxton Walker unloads for a tiebreaking grand slam against Trinity in the Tigers’ PAC-clinching victory. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) RANDLEMAN — Randleman’s baseball team ended up in a familiar spot by the time the Piedmont Athletic Conference portion of its season was complete. The Tigers are in first place again. “I had no doubt,” pitcher / first baseman Braxton Walker said. “The guys come to practice and we and the team morale is as high as it ever has been.” The clinching victory came with an 8-1 decision against visiting Trinity on Friday night as John Kirkpatrick threw…

18 Apr

Prep baseball: Area teams collect mixed results during spring break

Randolph RecordSportsAndrew Thomas, Asheboro Blue Comets, Braxton Walker, Eastern Randolph Wildcats, Jake Riddle, Prep baseball, Providence Grove Patriots, Randleman Tigers, Trinity Bulldogs, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles, Wheatmore Warriors

Trinity’s Nick Beane dives toward the plate to score a run against Wilmington Christian. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) There were many winners among Randolph County baseball teams during spring break. Asheboro and Randleman both won twice, while other teams largely struggled. Here’s a look at some of the results: ** In the ZooKeepers Classic at McCrary Park in Asheboro, Wheatmore, Southwestern Randolph and Eastern Randolph all finished with losing marks. Southwestern Randolph went 1-2, winning with an 11-1 whipping of Southern Lee behind three runs batted in apiece from Brady Armfield and Jake Gainey combined with Lane Poole’s pitching…

11 Apr

Prep baseball: Randleman, UCA make progress in PAC race

Randolph RecordSportsJohn Kirkpatrick, Prep baseball, Randleman Tigers, Trinity Bulldogs, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

There was little movement in the Piedmont Athletic Conference baseball standings this week with a slate of games rained out or suspended. But Randleman inched closer to another conference championship. The Tigers have won or shared regular-season league titles every year since a second-place spot in 2009. Randleman rode six innings of pitching from John Kirkpatrick to an 8-2 home victory against Providence Grove. Kirkpatrick also had two hits and scored two runs. Tate Andrews scored two runs. The rematch was suspended in the fourth inning Thursday at Providence Grove. It will resume April 23. So with no conference games…

01 Apr

UCA’s Alston places second in wrestling nationals; Others post winning records

Bob SuttonSportsAiden Burkholder, Ayden Sumners, David Lambright, Dominic Hittepole, Jose Flores, Joseph Trahan, Lorenzo Alston, prep wrestling, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, state champion, Trinity Bulldogs, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles, Wheatmore Warriors

Lorenzo Alston of Uwharrie Charter Academy came close to winning a national tournament. (Randolph Record) Lorenzo Alston of Uwharrie Charter Academy finished as a runner-up in the National High School Coaches Association’s national tournament during the weekend at Virginia Beach Sports Center in Virginia Beach, Va. The three-time state champion had the highest finish of any North Carolina entrant in all of the boys’ high school divisions. Alston, a North Carolina State commit, competed in the 145-pound division for juniors. Alston mostly breezed through the bracket until falling by 6-4 to Pennsylvania’s Michael Turi in the championship bout. Turi is…