8-1-22 roundup: Pro baseball, College basketball and volleyball, football and soccer, Legion baseball and softball, Auto racing

By Richard Walker

Cleveland Community College didn’t have to look far to find coaches to startup their new men’s and women’s basketball and women’s volleyball programs as well as a new head baseball coach.

It simply found three local successful high school coaches and promoted a local product from assistant coach to head coach, as CCC president Dr. Jason Hurst announced on Monday.

Kings Mountain boys basketball coach Grayson Pierce has been hired as the Yetis’ men’s basketball coach, Shelby girls basketball coach Scooter Lawrence has been hired as Yetis’ women’s basketball coach and Crest volleyball coach Jamie Wilson has been named as Yetis’ women’s volleyball coach. And former Burns High baseball standout John Grigg has been promoted from assistant to head baseball coach.

Pierce is the third-winningest coach in Kings Mountain history with a 170-115 record and had guided the Mountaineers to three conference titles and nine straight state playoff berths. Pierce, 37, is a 2003 Crest High graduate who played basketball at Lees-McRae before graduating in 2008 from Appalachian. His coaching career began at Crest for one year before he spent the last 13 years at Kings Mountain, the last 11 as head coach.

Lawrence has the highest winning percentage (92.8) as a girls basketball coach in Shelby history (64-5) the past three seasons highlighted by the school’s first girls basketball state title in history in 2021; After that title-winning season, Lawrence was named Associated Press N.C. girls basketball coach of the year. A 2004 Shelby High graduate, Lawrence played college basketball at UNC Pembroke and Lander and previously led Crest to a 14-13 record as boys basketball coach in the 2018-19 season.

Wilson is a Crest High graduate and Appalachian State graduate who has 17 years of coaching experience highlighted by earning Big South Conference coach of the year honors at Crest. Her last five teams have won three league titles and made the state playoffs each season.

Grigg is a 2016 Burns High graduate and 2021 Lenoir-Rhyne graduate where he played college baseball. Grigg was an assistant for the Yetis last season as they finished with a 31-23 record and as NJCAA Region 10 Division II tournament runner-up.

 

 

 

 

Pro football

Former East Lincoln and Lincolnton High star Sage Surratt signed a free agent contract with the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday to give Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln counties five NFL players in training camp this season.

Surratt, a 2017 Lincolnton High graduate who played his first three years of high school athletics at East Lincoln, just recently helped the Birmingham Stallions with the 2022 USFL championship.

A 6-foot-2, 233-pound tight end, Surratt caught 12 passes for 157 yards as the Stallions went 11-1 including playoffs capped by their 33-30 victory over the Philadelphia Stars in the title game. Surratt, an All-ACC wide receiver at Wake Forest, also was a Detroit Lions free agent signee in 2021.

Three of the area’s other four NFL players are with the Minnesota Vikings, including Sage Surratt’s older brother Chazz Surratt.

Chazz Surratt, a 6-foot-2, 233-pounder and 2016 East Lincoln High graduate, was a third-round pick of the Vikings in the 2021 draft and is beginning his second year as a linebacker for Minnesota.

Nick Muse, a 6-foot-5, 252-pound tight end and 2017 South Point High graduate, was a seventh-round pick of the Vikings in the 2022 after playing at the University of South Carolina.

And Jonathan Bullard, a 6-foot-3, 296-pound veteran defensive lineman, signed a free agent contract with the Vikings on June 2. A 2012 Crest High graduate, Bullard was a third-round pick out of Florida in 2015 by the Chicago Bears and has also played for the Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons.

The fifth local NFL product is Tanner Muse – Nick’s older brother – with the Seahawks. A 6-foot-2, 227-pound linebacker and 2015 South Point High graduate who was a two-time national champion at Clemson, Tanner Muse was a third-round draft pick of the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020.

 

 

 

 

 

Legion softball

The 2022 N.C. Legion softball state tournament pairings with Shelby Post 82 hosting the event at Big League Camp in Marion:

August 1
Game 1 – Davidson County Post 8 vs. Wilkes County Post 31 (DC 7-4)
Game 2 – Wayne County Post 11 vs. Wake County Post 116 (Wayne 5-0)
Game 3 – Wayne County Post 11 vs. Shelby Post 82 (Wayne 2-0): Shelby pitcher Aidan Ledbetter lost despite throwing a two-hitter with 11 strikeouts.

August 2
Game 4 – Wilkes County Post 31 vs. Wake County Post 116, 2 p.m.
Game 5 – Davidson County Post 8 vs. Wayne County Post 11, 4:30 p.m.
Game 6 – Shelby Post 82 vs. Game 4 winner, 7:30 p.m.

August 3
Game 7 – Game 5 loser vs. Game 6 winner, 11 a.m.
Game 8 (championship) – Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 winner, 2 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

Legion baseball

The pairings for the Region 3 Southeast Regional at McCrary Park in Asheboro:

August 3
Game 1 – KY champ (Owensboro) vs. SC runner-up (Camden), 9:30 a.m.
Game 2 – GA champ (Evans) vs. TN champ (Columbia), 12:30 p.m.
Game 3 – FL champ (Belleview) vs. NC champ (Wilmington), 4:30 p.m.
Game 4 – SC champ (Rock Hill) vs. Host (Randolph County NC), 7:30 p.m.

August 4
Game 5 – Loser 1 vs. Loser 3, 9:30 a.m.
Game 6 – Loser 2 vs. Loser 4, 12:30 p.m.
Game 7 – Winner 1 vs. Winner 3, 4:30 p.m.
Game 8 – Winner 2 vs. Winner 4, 7:30 p.m.

August 5
Game 9 – Winner 6 vs. Loser 7, 12:30 p.m.
Game 10 – Winner 5 vs. Loser 8, 4:30 p.m.
Game 11 – Winner 7 vs. Winner 8, 7:30 p.m.

August 6
Game 12 – Winner 9 vs. Loser 11, 4:30 p.m.
Game 13 – Winner 10 vs. Winner 11, 7:30 p.m.

August 7
Game 14 – Winner 12 vs. Winner 13, 1:30 p.m.
Game 15 (if necessary), 4:30 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pro baseball

The full Gastonia Honey Hunters’ 2022 schedule (Games times 6:15 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 4:15 on Sunday):

First half record: 44-21 (South Division winner)
Second half record: 19-4

April (8-1)
21 Lancaster, Pa. (L 2-5)
22 Lancaster, Pa. (W 4-3)
23 Lancaster, Pa. (W 8-1)
24 Lancaster, Pa. (W 13-4)
26 Wild Health, Ky. (W 12-1)
27 Wild Health, Ky. (W 17-4)
28 Wild Health, Ky. (W 6-4)
29 Staten Island (W 5-4)
30 Staten Island (W 6-5)

May (16-10)
1 Staten Island (W 10-5)
3 at York, Pa. (W 3-1)
4 at York, Pa. (L 4-5 in 10)
5 at York, Pa. (W 12-7)
6 at Staten Island (ppd.)
7 at Staten Island (ppd.)
8 at Staten Island (W 4-1)
8 at Staten Island (W 7-2)
10 at So. Maryland (W 2-0)
11 at So. Maryland (L 0-4)
12 at So. Maryland (L 2-4)
13 at Staten Island (ppd.)
14 at Staten Island (ppd.)
15 at Staten Island (L 1-2)
15 at Staten Island (W 1-0)
16 at Staten Island (W 8-3)
17 So. Maryland (L 4-5)
18 So. Maryland (L 6-8)
19 So. Maryland (W 13-1)
20 Charleston, W.Va.(W 12-10)
21 Charleston, W.Va.(W 6-4)
22 Charleston, W.Va.(L 1-8)
24 at Lancaster, Pa.(W 2-1)
25 at Lancaster, Pa.(L 3-13)
26 at Lancaster, Pa.(L 1-4)
27 at Long Island (W 5-3)
28 at Long Island (W 10-3)
29 at Long Island (W 3-2)
30 at Long Island (W 5-2)
31 Long Island (L 7-8)

June (17-9)
1 Long Island (L 9-10 in 11)
2 Long Island (L 0-5)
3 at High Point (W 5-4)
4 at High Point (W 8-3)
5 at High Point (W 8-3)
7 at Charleston,W.Va.(L 5-7)
8 at Charleston,W.Va.(W 6-0)
9 at Charleston,W.Va.(W 3-2)
10 High Point (W 7-6)
11 High Point (W 6-4)
12 High Point (W 9-5)
14 Charleston, W.Va. (L 4-6)
15 Charleston, W.Va. (W 14-7)
16 Charleston, W.Va. (W 2-0)
17 at Lexington, Ky. (W 6-1)
18 at Lexington, Ky. (L 2-3 in 10)
19 at Lexington, Ky. (W 4-0 in 11)
21 Charleston, W.Va. (W 8-7)
22 Charleston, W.Va. (L 1-4)
23 Charleston, W.Va. (W 5-4)
24 at So. Maryland (ppd.)
25 at So. Maryland (W 6-3)
25 at So. Maryland (W 3-0)
26 at So. Maryland (L 7-9)
28 Wild Health, Ky. (W 4-0)
29 Wild Health, Ky. (L 2-10)
30 Wild Health, Ky. (L 6-7)

July (21-5)
1 at Lexington, Ky. (W 12-11)
2 at Lexington, Ky. (W 10-6)
3 at Lexington, Ky. (W 10-5)
4 High Point (L 1-8)
–end of 1st half of season
5 High Point (W 8-5 in 5/weather)
6 at High Point (W 7-6)
7 at High Point (W 6-4)
8 High Point (ppd.)
9 High Point (W 4-0)
10 High Point (W 5-2)
10 High Point (ppd., no date)
12 at Wild Health, Ky. (W 8-6)
13 at Wild Health, Ky. (W 6-2)
14 at Wild Health, Ky. (W 4-1)
15 Lexington, Ky (ppd.)
16 Lexington, Ky. (W 4-1)
16 Lexington, Ky. (W 5-3)
17 Lexington, Ky. (W 12-5)
19 at York, Pa. (W 19-5)
20 at York, Pa. (W 10-0)
21 at York, Pa. (L 2-6)
22 at High Point (L 1-2)
23 at High Point (W 5-3)
24 at High Point (L 6-7)
26 Lexington, Ky. (L 4-10)
27 Lexington, Ky. (W 11-0)
28 Lexington, Ky. (W 8-6)
29 York, Pa. (W 3-2)
30 York, Pa. (ppd.)
31 York, Pa. (W 8-7)
31 York, Pa. (W 5-1)

August
2 at Lexington, Ky.
3 at Lexington, Ky.
4 at Lexington, Ky.
5 High Point
6 High Point
7 High Point
9 Staten Island
10 Staten Island
11 Staten Island
12 at High Point
13 at High Point
14 at High Point
16 So. Maryland
17 So. Maryland
18 So. Maryland
19 High Point
20 High Point
21 High Point
23 at Charleston,W.Va.
24 at Charleston,W.Va.
25 at Charleston,W.Va.
26 at High Point
27 at High Point
28 at High Point
30 High Point
31 High Point

September
1 High Point
2 Wild Health, Ky.
3 Wild Health, Ky.
4 Wild Health, Ky.
6 at Wild Health, Ky.
7 at Wild Health, Ky.
8 at Wild Health, Ky.
9 Lexington, Ky.
10 Lexington, Ky.
11 Lexington, Ky.
13 at High Point
14 at High Point
15 at High Point
16 at Charleston,W.Va.
17 at Charleston,W.Va.
18 at Charleston,W.Va.

—ALPB playoffs
(Southern Division championship: Best-of-5)
20 home at 6:15 p.m.
21 home at 6:15 p.m.
23 away TBA
24 (if necessary) away TBA
25 (if necessary) away TBA

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pro football

The Carolina Panthers Fan Fest comes to Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium on Thursday, Aug. 11. The event, presented by Daimler Truck North America, begins at 5:30 p.m. at Bank of America Stadium. Tickets are $5 and are on sale to the public now on Panthers.com and Ticketmaster.

During Fan Fest, fans can see the Panthers practice on the stadium field and enjoy performances by the TopCats, Sir Purr, PurrCussion and the Black & Blue Crew before the night culminates with a fireworks and laser show.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pro soccer

Saturday’s Charlotte FC home match against Columbus was suspended with no score in the 16th minute by weather. It will be rescheduled at a later date.

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

(8-12-2 record)
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 (T 0-0)
April 30, at Orlando (L 1-2)
May 7, Miami (W 1-0)
May 14, Montreal (L 0-2)
May 22, Vancouver (W 2-1)
May 29, at Seattle (L 1-2)
June 11, New York (W 2-0)
June 18, at Columbus (T 1-1)
June 25, at Montreal (L 1-2)
June 30, Austin (L 0-1)
July 3, at Houston (W 2-1)
July 9, Nashville (W 4-1)
July 16, at Miami (L 2-3)
July 23, at Toronto (L 0-4)
July 30, Columbus (suspended, no date)
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, 5:30 p.m.
October 9, at New York, TBD

 

 

 

 

 

Auto racing

The 2022 NASCAR cup schedule (with winners):

Feb. 6 Busch Light Clash (Joey Logano)
Feb. 17 Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1 (Brad Keselowski)
Feb. 17 Bluegreen Vacations Duel 2 (Chris Buescher)
Feb. 20 Daytona 500 (Austin Cindric)
Feb. 27 Wise Power 400 (Kyle Larson)
Mar. 6 Pennzoil 400 (Alex Bowman)
Mar. 13 Ruoff Mortgage (Chase Briscoe)
Mar. 20 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 (William Byron)
Mar. 27 EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix (Ross Chastain)
Apr. 3 Toyota Owners (Denny Hamlin)
Apr. 9 Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 400 (William Byron-2)
Apr. 17 Food City Dirt Race (Kyle Busch)
Apr. 24 Geico 500 (Ross Chastain-2)
May 2 DuraMAX Drydene 400 (Chase Elliott)
May 8 Goodyear 400 (Joey Logano)
May 15 AdventHealth 400 (Kurt Busch)
May 22 NASCAR All-Star Open (Daniel Suarez)
May 22 NASCAR All-Star (Ryan Blaney)
May 29 Coca-Cola 600 (Denny Hamlin-2)
June 5 Enjoy Illinois 300 (Joey Logano-2)
June 12 Toyota/Save Mart 350 (Daniel Suarez)
June 26 Ally 400 (Chase Elliott-2)
July 3 Kwik Trip 250 (Tyler Reddick)
July 10 Quaker State 400 (Chase Elliott-3)
July 17 Ambetter 301 (Christopher Bell)
July 24 NASCAR Cup Series at Pocono (Chase Elliott-4)
July 31 Verizon 200 at the Brickyard (Tyler Reddick-2)
Aug. 7 FireKeepers Casino 400
Aug. 14 Federated Auto Parts 400
Aug. 21 Go Bowling at The Glen
Aug. 27 Coke Zero Sugar 400
Sept. 4 Cook Out Southern 500
Sept. 11 Hollywood Casino 400
Sept. 17 Bass Pro Shops Night Race
Sept. 24 AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500
Oct. 2 YellaWood 500
Oct. 9 Bank of America ROVAL 400
Oct. 16 South Point 400
Oct. 23 Dixie Vodka 400
Oct. 30 Xfinity 500
Nov. 6 NASCAR Cup Series Championship