4-17-22 roundup: Pro golf, basketball and soccer, High school baseball and softball

By Richard Walker

Gastonia’s Harold Varner III keeps knocking on the door of his first PGA tour victory.

But for the second straight year, Varner finished frustratingly close to a win when he finished one shot off the lead and tied for third place in the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head, S.C.

Varner (67-73-63-70) finished at 12-under-par for the tournament to finish in a seven-way tie for third – and one shot behind Jordan Spieth and Patrick Cantlay; Spieth won the event in a playoff.

Varner’s third-place finish was the second-best of his seven-year PGA career; Only last year’s tie for second at the same tournament is better.

A 2008 Forestview High graduate who has won two international golf tournaments, Varner is currently ranked No. 39 in the World Golf Rankings and No. 46 in the FedEx Cup standings.

 

 

 

 

 

High school baseball

High school baseball teams from Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln counties will play in baseball tournaments in Gastonia, Shelby, Hickory, Shallotte and Myrtle Beach, S.C., this week.

Here are the schedules:

Gaston County Baseball Championship at Sims Legion Park in Gastonia:

(Monday’s games)
Bessemer City vs. East Gaston, 10 a.m.
Highland Tech vs. Forestview, 1 p.m.
North Gaston vs. Huss, 4 p.m.
Cramer vs. Ashbrook, 7 p.m.

(Tuesday’s games)
Monday’s 10 a.m., 1 p.m. losers, 10 a.m.
Monday’s 4 p.m., 7 p.m. losers, 1 p.m.
Monday’s 10 a.m., 1 p.m. winners, 4 p.m.
Monday’s 4 p.m., 7 p.m. winner, 7 p.m.

(Thursday’s games)
7th place, 10 a.m.
5th place, 1 p.m.
3rd place, 4 p.m.
Championship, 1 p.m.

Shelby Easter tournament at Veterans Field at Keeter Stadium:

Pool 1: Shelby, Crest, Piedmont, South Caldwell
Pool 2: Burns, Kings Mountain, South Point, Bandys

(Monday’s games)
Shelby vs. Piedmont, 4 p.m.
South Caldwell vs. Crest, 7 p.m.

(Tuesday’s games)
Kings Mountain vs. Bandys, 4 p.m.
Burns vs. South Point, 7 p.m.

(Wednesday’s games)
Shelby-Piedmont loser vs. Kings Mountain-Bandys loser, 11 a.m.
South Caldwell-Crest loser vs. Burns-South Point loser, 1:30 p.m.
Shelby-Piedmont winner vs. Kings Mountain-Bandys winner, 4 p.m.
South Caldwell-Crest winner vs. Burns-South Point winner, 7 p.m.

(Thursday’s games)
7th place, 11 a.m.
5th place, 1:30 p.m.
3rd place, 4 p.m.
Championship, 7 p.m.

Catawba County Easter Baseball Classic at the Hickory American Legion Fairgrounds:

(Monday’s games)
No. 2 Foard vs. No. 7 West Lincoln, 11 a.m.
No. 3 St. Stephens vs. No. 6 Bunker Hill, 1:30 p.m.
No. 1 Alexander Central vs. No. 8 Newton-Conover, 4 p.m.
No. 4 Hibriten vs. No. 5 Hickory, 6:30 p.m.

(Tuesday’s games)
Consolation games, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Foard-West Lincoln winner vs. St. Stephens-Bunker Hill winner, 4 p.m.
Alexander Central-Newton-Conover winner vs. Hibriten-Hickory winner, 6:30 p.m.

(Wednesday’s games)
3rd place, 4 p.m.
Championship, 6:30 p.m.

Beach Diamond Invitational at West Brunswick in Shallotte:

(Monday’s games)
Rock Hill Legion Collegiate vs. South Columbus, 11 a.m.
Scotland County vs. Northwest Guilford, 1 p.m.
Southwest Guilford vs. West Stanly, 4 p.m.
Cherryville at West Brunswick, 7 p.m.

(Tuesday’s games)
Consolation games and semifinals

(Wednesday’s games)
Placement games

Myrtle Beach, S.C., Ripken Experience:

(Monday)
East Lincoln vs. Canfield, Ohio, 8 p.m.

(Tuesday)
East Lincoln vs. North Royalton, Ohio, 2:30 p.m.

(Wednesday)
East Lincoln vs. Boardman, Ohio, 11:45 p.m.

 

 

 

Pro basketball

Here’s the schedule for this week’s NBA play-in tournament:

(Tuesday’s games)
East-7 Brooklyn 115, East-8 Cleveland 108 (Brooklyn becomes East-7)
West-7 Minnesota 109, West-8 L.A. Clippers 104 (Minnesota becomes West-7)

(Wednesday’s games)
East-9 Atlanta 132, East-10 Charlotte 103
West-9 New Orleans 113, West-10 San Antonio 103

(Friday’s games)
Atlanta 107, Cleveland 101
New Orleans 105, L.A. Clippers 101

Here’s the schedule for upcoming NBA playoffs:

(Eastern Conference)
1-Miami vs. 8-Atlanta
Game 1 at Miami: April 17 (Miami 115-91)
Game 2 at Miami: April 19
Game 3 at Atlanta: April 22
Game 4 at Atlanta: April 24
Game 5 (if necessary) at Miami: April 26
Game 6 (if necessary) at Atlanta: April 28
Game 7 (if necessary) at Miami: April 30

4-Philadelphia vs. 5-Toronto
Game 1 at Philadelphia: April 16 (Philadelphia 131-111)
Game 2 at Philadelphia: April 18
Game 3 at Toronto: April 20
Game 4 at Toronto: April 23
Game 5 (if necessary) at Philadelphia: April 25
Game 6 (if necessary) at Toronto: April 28
Game 7 (if necessary) at Philadelphia: April 30

2-Boston vs. 7-Brooklyn
Game 1 at Boston: April 17 (Boston 115-114)
Game 2 at Boston: April 20
Game 3 at Brooklyn: April 23
Game 4 at Brooklyn: April 25
Game 5 (if necessary) at Boston: April 27
Game 6 (if necessary) at Brooklyn: April 29
Game 7 (if necessary) at Boston: May 1

3-Milwaukee vs. 6-Chicago
Game 1 at Milwaukee: April 17 (Milwaukee 93-86)
Game 2 at Milwaukee: April 20
Game 3 at Chicago: April 22
Game 4 at Chicago: April 24
Game 5 (if necessary) at Milwaukee: April 27
Game 6 (if necessary) at Chicago: April 29
Game 7 (if necessary) at Milwaukee: May 1

(Western Conference)
1-Phoenix vs. 8-New Orleans
Game 1 at Phoenix: April 17 (Phoenix 110-99)
Game 2 at Phoenix: April 19
Game 3 at New Orleans: April 22
Game 4 at New Orleans: April 24
Game 5 (if necessary) at Phoenix: April 26
Game 6 (if necessary) at New Orleans: April 28
Game 7 (if necessary) at Phoenix: April 30

4-Dallas vs. 5-Utah
Game 1 at Dallas: April 16 (Utah 99-93)
Game 2 at Dallas: April 18
Game 3 at Utah: April 21
Game 4 at Utah: April 23
Game 5 (if necessary) at Dallas: April 25
Game 6 (if necessary) at Utah: April 28
Game 7 (if necessary) at Dallas: April 30

2-Memphis vs. 7-Minnesota
Game 1 at Memphis: April 16 (Minnesota 130-117)
Game 2 at Memphis: April 19
Game 3 at Minnesota: April 21
Game 4 at Minnesota: April 23
Game 5 (if necessary) at Memphis: April 26
Game 6 (if necessary) at Minnesota: April 29
Game 7 (if necessary) at Memphis: May 1

3-Golden State vs. 6-Denver
Game 1 at Golden State: April 16 (Golden State 123-107)
Game 2 at Golden State: April 18
Game 3 at Denver: April 21
Game 4 at Denver: April 24
Game 5 (if necessary) at Golden State: April 27
Game 6 (if necessary) at Denver: April 29
Game 7 (if necessary) at Golden State: May 1

 

 

 

 

High school baseball

Standings for Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln counties through April 14:

Big South 3A
Kings Mountain 9-1, 11-3
Crest 8-2, 11-5
South Point 6-4, 9-5
North Gaston 6-4, 7-6
Forestview 6-4, 8-7
Cramer 4-6, 9-7
Ashbrook 1-9, 5-11
Huss 0-10, 0-12

Southern Piedmont 1A/2A
Burns 9-1, 14-2
East Gaston 10-2, 12-5
Shelby 7-3, 12-5
Cherryville 6-4, 9-6
Bessemer City 3-7, 3-11
Highland Tech 1-9, 4-11
Thomas Jefferson 0-10, 0-12

Western Foothills 3A
North Lincoln 9-2, 12-2
Foard 9-2, 11-3
East Lincoln 8-3, 12-3
St. Stephens 8-3, 13-4
Hickory 5-6, 8-7
North Iredell 1-8, 5-9
West Iredell 1-8, 2-12
Statesville 0-9, 0-13

Catawba Valley 2A
Bandys 10-2, 13-5
Lincolnton 9-3, 11-6
Bunker Hill 8-4, 8-8
West Lincoln 8-4, 8-10
Maiden 6-6, 7-10
East Burke 4-8, 4-10
Newton-Conover 3-9, 5-10
West Caldwell 0-12, 1-17

Catawba Shores 1A/2A
Pine Lake Prep 6-1, 11-4
Lincoln Charter 5-1, 13-3
Comm Sch of Davidson 3-1, 7-3
Christ the King 3-3, 7-4
Langtree Charter 1-6, 7-10
Mtn Isl Charter 1-7, 5-10

Metro 7 1A
Corvian Comm 5-1, 5-8
Bradford Prep 4-1, 6-7
Queen’s Grant 4-1, 5-4
Piedmont CC 4-3, 7-6
Carolina Intl 1-6, 2-11
Sugar Creek 0-6, 0-6
Cabarrus Charter no team

Metrolina NCISAA
Metrolina Christian 7-1, 12-3
Hickory Grove Christian 3-1, 7-7-1
SouthLake Christian 3-1, 6-6
Gaston Christian 3-3, 6-6
Concord Academy 2-5, 5-9
Gaston Day 0-7, 2-11

 

 

High school softball

Standings for Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln counties through April 14:

Big South 3A
Crest 10-0, 14-1
Cramer 8-2, 12-3
North Gaston 8-2, 10-5
Kings Mountain 6-4, 7-7
Forestview 4-6, 8-7
South Point 3-7, 4-9
Ashbrook 1-9, 1-10
Huss 0-10, 0-12

Southern Piedmont 1A/2A
Burns 9-1, 14-1
Cherryville 8-1, 10-4
East Gaston 8-3, 8-7
Highland Tech 4-6, 6-7
Shelby 4-6, 4-10
Bessemer City 1-9, 3-11
Thomas Jefferson 1-9, 1-10

Western Foothills 3A
East Lincoln 11-0, 16-0
North Lincoln 9-2, 12-6
St. Stephens 8-3, 10-5
Foard 8-3, 8-8
North Iredell 3-8, 5-11
West Iredell 2-8, 2-10
Hickory 2-9, 4-13
Statesville 0-10, 0-11

Catawba Valley 2A
Bandys 11-1, 16-3
West Lincoln 11-1, 13-4
Maiden 7-4, 8-6
East Burke 7-5, 7-9
West Caldwell 5-7, 8-10
Lincolnton 3-7, 4-10
Bunker Hill 1-10, 1-13
Newton-Conover 0-10, 0-10

Catawba Shores 1A/2A
Mtn Isl Charter 5-1, 9-5
Lincoln Charter 4-1, 7-3
Comm Sch of Davidson 2-3, 2-4
Pine Lake Prep 2-4, 5-6
Langtree Charter 0-5, 0-13
Christ the King no team

Metro 7 1A
Piedmont CC 3-1, 8-3
Queen’s Grant 2-1, 6-8
Sugar Creek 0-1, 0-1
Bradford Prep 0-2, 0-3

Metrolina
Metrolina Christian 6-0, 9-5
Hickory Grove Christian 3-1, 5-6
Gaston Christian 1-2, 1-7
South Lake Christian 0-3, 0-4
Concord Academy 0-4, 3-8

 

 

 

 

Pro soccer

Here’s the full Charlotte FC schedule for the 2022 season (with results):

Feb. 26 at D.C. (L 0-3)
March 5, L.A. (L 0-1)
March 13, at Atlanta (L 1-2)
March 19, New England (W 3-1)
March 26, Cincinnati (W 2-0)
April 2, at Philadelphia (L 0-2)
April 10, Atlanta (W 1-0)
April 16, at New England (L 1-2)
April 23, at Colorado, 9 p.m.
April 30, at Orlando, 7:30 p.m.
May 7, Miami, 3:30 p.m.
May 14, Montreal, 7 p.m.
May 22, Vancouver, 5 p.m.
May 29, at Seattle, 9:30 p.m.
June 11, New York, 3 p.m.
June 18, at Columbus, 7:30 p.m.
June 25, at Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
June 30, Austin, 7 p.m.
July 3, at Houston, 8:30 p.m.
July 9, Nashville, 7 p.m.
July 16, at Miami, 8 p.m.
July 23, at Toronto, 7:30 p.m.
July 30, Columbus, 7 p.m.
August 3, D.C., 7 p.m.
August 6, Chicago, 7 p.m.
August 13, at LAFC, 10:30 p.m.
August 17, at New York City, TBD
August 21, Orlando, 7 p.m.
August 27, Toronto, 7 p.m.
September 3, at Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m.
September 10, New York City, 7 p.m.
September 17, at Chicago, 8 p.m.
October 1, Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
October 9, at New York, TBD