4-4-23 roundup: Pro basketball, soccer and baseball, High school baseball, softball and soccer, Middle school baseball and soccer
By Richard Walker
Former East Lincoln High product Alec Burleson is making an impact for the St. Louis Cardinals through three games.
The 2017 East Lincoln High graduate, Burleson is hitting .308 with one home run and two RBIs while playing left field.
Burleson had become the first East Lincoln High alumnus to play in the major leagues in September 2022 when the Cardinals promoted him from Class AAA Memphis.
At Memphis, Burleson had hit .331 with 20 home runs and 87 RBIs and was named the Redbirds’ Player of the Year in October.
A second round pick in the 2020 draft out of East Carolina, Burleson has played Class A, Class AA and Class AAA in the Cardinals’ organization.
High school baseball
(Tuesday, April 4)
North Gaston 14, Ashbrook 0 (5 innings): Chase Ghantt (no-hitter, 10 strikeouts, 3 hits, double, grand slam home run, 6 RBIs) and Ashton Pope (3 hits, double, 3 RBIs) led North Gaston.
Cramer 13, Huss 1 (6 innings)
Crest 6, South Point 1: Asher Smith (2-hitter, 9 strikeouts), Vari Green (3 hits), Ethan Hayes (1 hit), Ryan Ropp (1 hit), Dae Dae Pettis (1 hit), Jude Stilwell (1 hit) and Houston Cook (1 hit) led Crest.
Kings Mountain 4, Forestview 2
Burns 3, Highland Tech 0
Cherryville 11, East Gaston 1 (6 innings)
Bessemer City 5, Thomas Jefferson 1
East Lincoln 10, North Lincoln 0 (6 innings): Carson Dahle (2-hitter, 4 strikeouts, 1 hit, 2 runs, 1 RBI), Isaac Armstrong (2 hits, 2 runs, 2 RBIs), Matthew Phuntek (2 hits, 2 RBIs), Nathan Borchardt (2 hits, home run, 2 runs, 2 RBIs), Evan Matile (2 hits, 1 RBI), Aiden Perkins (1 hit, 2 runs, 2 stolen bases, 1 RBI) and Aden Tompkins (1 hit, 1 run, 1 RBI) led East Lincoln.
Newton-Conover 7, Lincolnton 0
Maiden 14, West Lincoln 5
Lincoln Charter 12, Langtree Charter 1 (5 innings)
Hickory Grove 5, Gaston Christian 4
(Wednesday, April 5)
Burns at Bandys
Kings Mountain at Shelby
Piedmont CC at Carolina International
Pine Lake Prep at Mountain Island Charter
(Thursday, April 6)
Forestview at Kings Mountain
Huss at Cramer
North Gaston at Ashbrook
South Point at Crest
Bessemer City at Thomas Jefferson
Cherryville at East Gaston
Highland Tech at Burns
East Lincoln at Hickory
North Lincoln at Statesville
Bandys at Lincolnton
Gaston Christian at Gaston Day
(Friday, April 7)
West Lincoln at Bunker Hill
Langtree Charter at Lincoln Charter
Pine Lake Prep at Mountain Island Charter
High school softball
(Tuesday, April 4)
Ashbrook 17, Huss 2
Cramer 10, Forestview 6
Crest 4, Kings Mountain 2: Aidan Ledbetter (10-hitter, 13 strikeouts), Jaylen Ledbetter (2 hits), Jourdan Martin (2 hits), Maddie Bowen (home run), Riley Parker (1 hit), Addie Beaver (1 hit), Molly Beam (1 hit) and Madison Crocker (1 hit) led Crest.
North Gaston 12, South Point 0
Burns 16, Highland Tech 5 (6 innings): Sayge Strange (12 strikeouts, 3 hits, double, home run, 6 RBIs), Laylah Haynes (4 hits, stolen base),
Hunter Morgan (4 hits, 2 RBIs, stolen base) and Jaycee Bivins (3 hits, 3 RBIs) led Burns.
Cherryville 12, East Gaston 2: Krista Davis (2-hitter), Emma Proctor (2 doubles, 3 RBIs), Landyn McBride (2 singles, 2 RBIs) Riley Bryant (2 singles, 2 RBIs) and Lexi McSwain (2 singles, 2 RBIs) led Cherryville.
Bessemer City 11, Thomas Jefferson 3
East Lincoln 4, North Lincoln 1: Leah Correll (3-hitter, 4 strikeouts), Taniyah Thomas (single, run, reached on error), Jaelyn Freeston (single, reached on error), Madison Currence (run, walk), Katelyn Gust (reached on error, run), Emery Pether (double, RBI), Lyla Haywood (single, double) and Aubrey Gust (run) led East Lincoln.
Lincolnton 11, Newton-Conover 5
Maiden 7, West Lincoln 4
Hickory Grove 4, Gaston Christian 3
Lincoln Charter 16, Langtree Charter 0
(Wednesday, April 5)
Forestview at South Point
Bandys at East Lincoln
Chase at Shelby
Piedmont CC at Sugart Creek
Pine Lake Prep at Mountain Island Charter
West Lincoln at Patton
(Thursday, April 6)
Ashbrook at Kings Mountain
Cramer at North Gaston
Huss at Crest
Bessemer City at Thomas Jefferson
Cherryville at East Gaston
Highland Tech at Burns
East Lincoln at Hickory
North Lincoln at Statesville
Bandys at Lincolnton
West Lincoln at Bunker Hill
Lincoln Charter at Providence
(Friday, April 7)
Lincoln Charter at Langtree Charter
High school girls soccer
Ashbrook 3, Huss 2: Trinity Osorio (3 goals) and America Santiago (1 assist) led Ashbrook.
Crest 5, Kings Mountain 0: Morgan Setzer and Cadence Setzer had 2 goals apiece and Emma Harrill had 1 goal for Crest.
Middle school baseball
Standings through games of April 4:
Belmont 5-0
Chavis 4-0-x
Cramerton 4-1
Stanley 4-1
W.C. Friday 3-1
Mount Holly 3-1
Holbrook 1-3
Grier 0-3
Southwest 0-4-x
Bessemer City 0-5
York Chester 0-5
x-missing Tuesday result
(Tuesday’s games)
Chavis at Southwest, no report
Cramerton 16, Bessemer City 1 (3 innings): Brock Windham (9 strikeouts) was the winning pitcher, Jesse Ledford, Grayson Lunsford and Caleb Johnson had 2 hits apiece and Windham, Owen Kelly, Ryan Payseur, M.J. Liwosz, Brock Dentilman, C.J. Davis, Bentley Horne and Mason McCarey had 1 hit apiece for Cramerton.
(Wednesday’s game)
Grier at Bessemer City
(Thursday’s games)
Belmont at W.C. Friday, Southwest at Mount Holly, Stanley at Holbrook, York Chester at Grier
Middle school girls soccer
Standings through games of April 4:
Belmont 5-0
W.C. Friday 4-0
Cramerton 4-1
Stanley 4-1
Mount Holly 3-1
Chavis 2-2-x
Holbrook 2-2
Grier 0-3
Southwest 0-4-x
Bessemer City 0-5
York Chester 0-5
x-missing Tuesday result
(Tuesday’s games)
Chavis at Southwest, no report
Cramerton 9, Bessemer City 0: JyiYanna Watkins (2 goals), Savannah Barnhill (1 goal, 1 assist), Brooklyn Cheatham (1 goal, 1 assist), Lily Porter (1 goal, 2 assist), Ava Cabe (1 goal, 1 assist), Audrey Howell (2 goals), Lydia Gould (1 goal), Bailey Middlebrooks (1 assist) and Tori and Layla Wagner (goalkeeping shutout) led Cramerton.
(Wednesday’s game)
Grier at Bessemer City
(Thursday’s games)
Belmont at W.C. Friday, Southwest at Mount Holly, Stanley at Holbrook, York Chester at Grier
Pro basketball
The Charlotte Hornets got a career-high 20 points from Bryce McGowens but it wasn’t enough in a 120-100 loss to the visiting Toronto Raptors.
Here’s the 2022-23 Charlotte Hornets schedule:
(26-54 record)
October
19 at San Antonio (W 129-102)
21 New Orleans (L 112-124)
23 at Atlanta (W 126-109)
26 at New York (L 131-134, OT)
28 at Orlando (L 93-113)
29 Golden State (W 120-113, OT)
31 Sacramento (L 108-115)
November
2 at Chicago (L 88-106)
4 at Memphis (L 99-130)
5 Brooklyn (L 94-98)
7 Washington (L 100-108)
9 Portland (L 95-105)
10 at Miami (L 112-117, OT)
12 at Miami (L 115-132)
14 at Orlando (W 112-105)
16 Indiana (L 113-125)
18 at Cleveland (L 122-132, 2 OT)
20 at Washington (L 102-106)
23 Philadelphia (W 107-101)
25 Minnesota (W 110-108)
28 at Boston (L 105-140)
December
2 Washington (W 117-116)
3 Milwaukee (L 96-105)
5 L.A. Clippers (L 117-119)
7 at Brooklyn (L 116-122)
9 New York (L 102-121)
11 at Philadelphia (L 113-131)
14 Detroit (L 134-141, OT)
16 Atlanta (L 106-125)
18 at Denver (L 115-119)
19 at Sacramento (W 125-119)
21 at L.A. Clippers (L 105-126)
23 at L.A. Lakers (W 134-130)
26 at Portland (L 113-124)
27 at Golden State (L 105-110)
29 Oklahoma City (W 121-113)
31 Brooklyn (L 106-123)
January
2 L.A. Lakers (L 115-121)
4 Memphis (L 107-131)
6 at Milwaukee (W 138-109)
8 at Indiana (L 111-116)
10 at Toronto (L 120-132)
12 at Toronto (L 114-124)
14 Boston (L 106-122)
16 Boston (L 118-130)
18 at Houston (W 122-117)
21 at Atlanta (W 122-118)
23 at Utah (L 102-120)
24 at Phoenix (L 97-128)
26 Chicago (W 111-96)
29 Miami (W 122-117)
31 at Milwaukee (L 115-124)
February
2 at Chicago (L 98-114)
3 at Detroit (L 112-118)
5 Orlando (L 113-119)
8 at Washington (L 104-118)
10 at Boston (L 116-127)
11 Denver (L 105-119)
13 Atlanta (W 144-138)
15 San Antonio (W 120-110)
24 at Minnesota (W 121-113)
25 Miami (W 108-103)
27 Detroit (W 117-106)
March
1 Phoenix (L 91-105)
3 Orlando (L 106-117)
5 at Brooklyn (L 86-102)
7 at New York (W 112-105)
9 at Detroit (W 113-103)
11 Utah (L 111-119)
12 Cleveland (L 114-118)
14 Cleveland (L 104-120)
17 Philadelphia (L 82-121)
20 Indiana (W 115-109)
23 at New Orleans (L 96-115)
24 at Dallas (W 117-109)
26 Dallas (W 110-104)
28 at Oklahoma City (W 137-134)
31 Chicago (L 91-121)
April
2 Toronto (L 108-128)
4 Toronto (L 100-120)
7 Houston, 7 p.m.
9 at Cleveland, 1 p.m.
Pro baseball
Charlotte 6, Columbus 2: Shortstop Lenyn Sosa hit two home runs as the Knights opened a six-game road series with a victory that improved them to 3-1 on the season. Charlotte continues the six-game road series against the Clippers (Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians) at 6:15 p.m. from Huntington Park on Wednesday.
Pro soccer
Here is Charlotte FC’s full 2023 schedule:
(1-3-2 record)
Feb. 25 New England Revolution (L 0-1)
March 4 at St. Louis City SC (L 1-3)
March 11 Atlanta United FC (L 0-3)
March 18 at Orlando City SC (W 2-1)
March 25 New York Red Bulls (T 1-1)
April 1 at Toronto FC (T 2-2)
April 8 at Real Salt Lake, 9:30 p.m.
April 15 Colorado Rapids, 7:30 p.m.
April 22 Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m.
April 29 at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
May 6 New York City FC, 7:30 p.m.
May 13 at Atlanta United FC, 7:30 p.m.
May 17 Chicago Fire FC, 7:30 p.m.
May 20 Nashville SC, 7:30 p.m.
May 27 at L.A. Galaxy, 10:30 p.m.
May 31 at Philadelphia Union, 7:30 0.m.
June 3 at Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m.
June 10 Seattle Sounders FC, 7:30 p.m.
June 21 at New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
June 24 CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
July 5 at New York City FC, 7:30 p.m.
July 8 FC Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m.
July 15 at CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 20 at Inter Miami CF, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 26 L.A. FC, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 30 Orlando City SC, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 2 at Nashville SC, 8:30 p.m.
Sept. 16 D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 20 Philadelphia Union, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 23 at FC Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 30 at New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 4 Toronto FC, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 7 at Chicago Fire FC, 8:30 p.m.
Oct. 21 Inter Miami CF, TBD
Auto racing
The 2023 NASCAR schedule (with winners in parentheses):
Feb 5 Clash at The Coliseum, Los Angeles CA (Martin Truex, Jr.)
Feb 16 Duel No. 1, Daytona Beach FL (Joey Logano)
Feb 16 Duel No. 2, Daytona Beach FL (Aric Almirola)
Feb 19 Daytona 500, Daytona Beach FL (Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.)
Feb 26 NASCAR Cup Series at California, Fontana CA (Kyle Busch)
Mar 5 NASCAR Cup Series at Las Vegas, Las Vegas NV (William Byron)
Mar 12 NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix, Avondale AZ (William Byron-2)
Mar 19 NASCAR Cup Series at Atlanta, Hampton GA (Joey Logano-2)
Mar 26 NASCAR Cup Series at Circuit of the Americas, Austin TX (Tyler Reddick)
Apr 2 NASCAR Cup Series at Richmond, Richmond VA (Kyle Larson)
Apr 9 NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol, Bristol TN, 7 p.m. on FOX
Apr 16 NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville, Martinsville VA, 3 p.m. on FS1
Apr 23 NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega, Lincoln AL, 3 p.m. on FOX
Apr 30 NASCAR Cup Series at Dover, Dover DE, 2 p.m. on FS1
May 7 NASCAR Cup Series at Kansas, Kansas City KS, 3 p.m. on FS1
May 14 NASCAR Cup Series at Darlington, Darlington SC, 3 p.m. on FS1
May 21 NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Open Race, North Wilkesboro NC, 6 p.m. on FS1
May 21 NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race, North Wilkesboro NC, 8 p.m. on FS1
May 28 NASCAR Cup Series at Charlotte, Concord NC, 6 p.m. at FOX
Jun 4 NASCAR Cup Series at World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison IL, 3:30 p.m. on FS1
Jun 11 NASCAR Cup Series at Sonoma, Sonoma CA, 3:30 p.m. on FOX
Jun 25 NASCAR Cup Series at Nashville, Lebanon TN, 7 p.m. on NBC
Jul 2 NASCAR Cup Series at Chicago, Chicago IL, 5:30 p.m. on NBC
Jul 9 NASCAR Cup Series at Atlanta, Hampton GA, 7 p.m. on USA
Jul 16 NASCAR Cup Series at New Hampshire, Loudon NH, 2:30 p.m. on USA
Jul 23 NASCAR Cup Series at Pocono, Long Pond PA, 2:30 p.m. on USA
Jul 30 NASCAR Cup Series at Richmond, Richmond VA, 3 p.m. on USA
Aug 6 NASCAR Cup Series at Michigan, Brooklyn MI, 2:30 p.m. on USA
Aug 13 NASCAR Cup Series at Indianapolis Road Course, Speedway IN, 2:30 p.m. on NBC
Aug 20 NASCAR Cup Series at Watkins Glen, Watkins Glen NY, 3 p.m. on USA
Aug 26 NASCAR Cup Series at Daytona, Daytona Beach FL, 7 p.m. on NBC
(Cup Playoffs)
Sep 3 NASCAR Cup Series at Darlington, Darlington SC, 6 p.m. on USA
Sep 10 NASCAR Cup Series at Kansas, Kansas City KS, 3 p.m. on USA
Sep 16 NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol, Bristol TN, 7:30 p.m. on USA
Sep 24 NASCAR Cup Series at Texas, Fort Worth TX, 3:30 p.m. on USA
Oct 1 NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega, Lincoln AL, 2 p.m. on NBC
Oct 8 NASCAR Cup Series at Charlotte, Concord NC, 2 p.m. on NBC
Oct 15 NASCAR Cup Series at Las Vegas, Las Vegas NV, 2:30 p.m. on NBC
Oct 22 NASCAR Cup Series at Miami, Homestead FL, 2:30 p.m. on NBC
Oct 29 NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville, Martinsville, 2 p.m. on NBC
Nov 5 NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix, Avondale AZ, 3 p.m. on NBC
Hall of Fame
The Hickory Metro Sports Commission announced on Tuesda its 2023 Catawba County Sports Hall of Fame (CCSHOF) class and this year’s Team of Distinction for a ceremony that will be held on Monday, May 15 at the Highland Recreation Center
The 2023 induction class is six members – former St. Stephens and University of North Carolina wrestling standout Drew Forshey, former Maiden and Lenoir-Rhyne football standout Bruce Icard, former Foard multi-sport athlete, Gardner-Webb volleyball standout and tenured official Audra Harrison, former Maiden and Appalachian State football standout Matt Isenhour, former Bunker Hill and St. Stephens coach ocach and athletic director Jim Woodruff and former Newton-Conover, Wake Forest and professional baseball player and coach Eddie Yount.
The 1990 Catawba Valley Community College golf team, which won the school’s first and only national championship, is being honored as the 2023 Team of Distinction.
Along with these honorees, two students from each of the 11 high schools in Catawba County will be honored as Scholar Athletes of Excellence, which are sponsored by Attorney Blair E. Cody III of Helton, Cody & Associates. Doors open for the ceremony, which is sponsored by the city of Hickory, at 5:30 p.m. and tickets cost $35 and will go on sale Monday, April 17 at all Catawba County high schools and at the Highland Recreation Center. The last day to purchase tickets will be Monday, May 1. No tickets will be sold at the door.