8-7-26 roundup: Pro football, baseball, basketball, auto racing, soccer and rodeo, Legion baseball

By Richard Walker

We’re down to the Final 4 teams in both the Southeast Regional at Cherryville’s Fraley Field and the Mid-South Regional at Gastonia’s Sims Legion Park following Friday’s results.

Here are the results and pairings for the two regionals being held in Gaston County:

Region 3 (Southeast)

Fraley Field, Cherryville, N.C.

Wednesday’s results

Game 1: Harrison (Ohio) Post 199 d. Dorado (P.R.) Post 45, 13-3. Starter and winner Corbin Shondel (6-hitter), Jack Geers (2 hits, double, home run, 2 RBIs), Austin Vangen (2 hits, 2 RBIs), Lared Lammers (2 hits, 2 RBIs) and Chris Richmond (2 hits, 1 RBI) led Harrison and Fauzi Nofal (2 hits) led Dorado.

Game 2: Florence (S.C.) Post 1 d. Chesapeake (Va.) Post 280, 6-3. Starter and winner Brandon Anderson (5 innings), Jaden Atkinson (3 hits, double), Newt Hinson (3 hits, double, home run, 3 RBIs) and James Wyatt Arthur (2 hits, double, 1 RBI) led Florence and Hank Brown (2 hits, 1 RBI) led Chesapeake.

Game 3: Garner (N.C.) Post 232 d. Wheeling (W. Va.) Post 1, 6-5. Reliever Cam Copley (1 innings, 2 strikeouts) worked out of a jam in the bottom of the seventh inning for Garner, whose offense was led by Cash Grimsley (2 hits) and Jack Piccini (2 hits). Andrew Murdock (3 hits, double, 1 RBI) led Wheeling.

Game 4: Jacksonville (Fla.) Post 316 d. Cherryville (N.C.) Post 100, 4-3. Reliever and winner Lukas Broughman (2 1/3 innings, 5 strikeouts) and reliever Kaleb Stockwell (1 inning, 2 strikeouts, save) held the hosts scoreless to preserve a one-run victory. Jacksonville manufactured its four runs on two hits, five walks, two hit batters and one Cherryville fielding error. Nate Rollins (triple, 2 walks, 2 runs) led Cherryville.

Thursday’s Results

Game 5: Wheeling (W. Va.) Post 1 d. Dorado (P.R.) Post 45, 3-0; Dorado eliminated. Starter and winner Aleksander Zanieski (5 1/3 innings, 7 strikeouts) and reliever Erik Blazier (1 2/3 innings, 2 strikeouts, save) combined on a 1-hitter for Wheeling, whose offense was led by Brady Ernest (2 hits, home run, RBI).

Game 6: Chesapeake (Va.) Post 280 d. Cherryville (N.C.) Post 100, 6-1; Cherryville eliminated. Starter and winner Joel Flynn (4 2/3 innings, 3 strikeouts) and Santiago Gomez (2 hits, double, 3 RBIs) led Chesapeake and Tyler Gates (home run) led Cherryville.

Game 7: Garner (N.C.) Post 232 d. Harrison (Ohio) Post 199, 11-1 in 5. Reliever and winner Cam Copley (2 innings, 3 strikeouts), Cash Grimsley (4 hits, double, 2 RBIs) and Dylan Palmer (2 hits, 3 RBIs) led Garner.

Game 8: Florence (S.C.) Post 1 d. Jacksonville (Fla.) Post 316, 14-4 in 5. Tristan Hickman (4-hitter, 3 strikeouts), Gabe McLaughlin (2 hits, double, 2 RBIs), Newt Hinson (2 hits, 2 RBIs) and James Wyatt Arthur (2 hits, double, 1 RBI) led Florence, which used a nine-run bottom of the fifth to knock off previously unbeaten Jacksonville (24-1).

Friday’s Results
Game 9: Chesapeake (Va.) Post 280 d. Harrison (Ohio) Post 199, 9-5 in 9 innings; Harrison eliminated. Reliever and winner Mitchel Byers (2 innings, 3 strikeouts), Hank Brown (2 doubles, 4 RBIs) and Chris Martinez (2 hits, 1 RBI) led Chesapeake and Chase Luebbe (3 hits, 1 RBI) led Harrison.

Game 10: Jacksonville (Fla.) Post 316 d. Wheeling (W. Va.) Post 1, 10-3; Wheeling eliminated. Reliever and winner Bryson Williams (4 1/3 innings, 2 strikeouts), Mason Jones (2 doubles, 2 RBIs), Kaeson Johns (2 hits, triple, 2 RBIs) and Braden McKee (grand slam home run) led Jacksonville.

Game 11: Garner (N.C.) Post 232 d. Florence (S.C.) Post 1, 14-10. Cash Grimsley (3 hits, home run, 3 RBIs), Caleb Johnson (3 hits, 1 RBI) and Dylan Palmer (3 hits, home run, 2 RBIs) led Garner, which overcame a early 9-5 deficit.

Saturday’s Games
Game 12: Chesapeake (Va.) Post 280 vs. Florence (S.C.) Post 1, 4:30 p.m.
Game 13: Jacksonville (Fla.) Post 316 vs. Garner (N.C.) Post 232, 7:30 p.m.

Sunday’s Games
Game 14: Winner 12 vs. Winner 13, 1:30 p.m.
Game 15 (if necessary) 4:30 p.m.

Region 4 (Mid-South)

Sims Park, Gastonia, N.C.

Thursday’s Results

Game 1: Tupelo (Miss.) Post 49 49ers d. Columbia (Tenn.) Post 19, 5-2. Starter and winner Cade Lott (4 innings, 3 strikeouts), reliever JohnDaly Whitaker (3 innings, save) and Colin Flury (double, home run, 3 RBIs) led Tupelo

Game 2: Bryant (Ark.) Blacksox d. Bossier City (La.) Phillies, 5-1. Andrew TateLee (3-hitter, 7 strikeouts), Jaxon Riggs (3 hits) and Jake Elliot (2 hits, double) led Bryant.

Game 3: Baldwin County (Ala.) Post 199 d. Ada (Okla.) Braves, 4-3. Reliever and winner Colin Watson (4 innings, 6 strikeouts as pitcher, 2 hits, triple, game-winning run), K.C. Jones (2 hits), Noah Mosley (2 hits) and Alex Harrington (walk off sacrifice fly) led Baldwin County.

Friday’s Results
Game 4: Bossier City (La.) Phillies d. Columbia (Tenn.) Post 19, 2-1; Columbia eliminated. Starter and winner Tanner Webb (6 innings, 8 strikeouts) and Jackson Waller (game-winning 2-run single in 5th inning) led Bossier City and Jayden Aaron (2 hits) led Columbia.

Game 5: Tupelo (Miss.) Post 49 49ers d. Ada (Okla.) Braves, 7-1; Ada eliminated. Reliever and winner Jax Coker (5 innings, 5 strikeouts), Brody Thompson (2 hits, double) and Kadin Bennett (2 hits, double, 2 RBIs) led Tupelo and Reese Littlefield (3 hits, double, 1 RBI) led Ada.

Game 6: Baldwin County (Ala.) Post 199 d. Bryant (Ark.) Blacksox, 3-1. Starter and winner Alex Harrington (6 2/3 innings, 7 strikeouts) and Brody McDavid (3 hits, double, 1 RBI) led Baldwin County.

Saturday’s Games
Game 7: Bossier City (La.) Phillies vs. Bryant (Ark.) Blacksox, 9:30 a.m.
Game 8: Tupelo (Miss.) Post 49 49ers vs. Baldwin County (Ala.) Post 199, 3:30 p.m.
Game 9: Winner 7 vs. Loser 8, after Game 8

Sunday’s Games
Game 10: Winner 8 vs. Winner 9, 1 p.m.
Game 11 (if necessary) 4 p.m.

-American Legion World Series (at Shelby NC)
Stars division: Northeast, Southeast, Great Lakes, Northwest
Stripes division: Mid-Atlantic, Mid-South, Central Plains, Western

(Thursday, Aug. 13)
Northeast vs. Great Lakes, 10 a.m.
Central Plains vs. Western, 1 p.m.
Southeast vs. Northwest, 4 p.m.
Mid-Atlantic vs. Mid-South, 7:30 p.m.

(Friday, Aug. 14)
Northeast vs. Northwest, 4 p.m.
Southeast vs. Great Lakes, 7 p.m.

(Saturday, Aug. 15)
Mid-Atlantic vs. Western, noon
Mid-South vs. Central Plains, 3 p.m.
Southeast vs. Northeast, 7:30 p.m.

(Sunday, Aug. 16)
Mid-Atlantic vs. Central Plains, 1 p.m.
Great Lakes vs. Northwest, 4 p.m.
Mid-South vs. Western, 7 p.m.

(Monday, Aug. 17)
Semifinals: Stripes winner vs. Stars runner-up, 4 p.m.
Semifinals: Stars winner vs. Stripes runner-up, 7 p.m.

(Tuesday, Aug. 18)
Championship: Monday winners, 6 p.m.

 

 

 

 

Pro football

Here is the Panthers’ full 2026 schedule:

(preseason)
Aug. 6 – Arizona (at Canton, Ohio) W 33-30
Aug. 15 – at Buffalo, 1 p.m.
Aug. 21 – at Jacksonville, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 28 – Houston, 7 p.m.
(regular season)
Sept. 13 – Chicago, 1 p.m.
Sept. 20 – at Atlanta, 1 p.m.
Sept. 27 – at Cleveland, 1 p.m.
Oct. 4 – Detroit, 8:20 p.m.
Oct. 8-12 – BYE week
Oct. 18 – at Philadelphia, 1 p.m.
Oct. 25 – Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.
Oct. 29 – at Green Bay, 8:15 p.m.
Nov. 8 – Denver, 1 p.m.
Nov. 15 – at New Orleans, 1 p.m.
Nov. 22 – Baltimore, 1 p.m.
Nov. 30 – at Tampa Bay, 8:15 p.m.
Dec. 6 – at Minnesota, 4:25 p.m.
Dec. 13 – New Orleans, 1 p.m.
Dec. 20 – Cincinnati, 1 p.m.
Dec. 24-28 TBA – at Pittsburgh, TBA
Jan. 3 – Seattle, 1 p.m.
Jan. 9-10 TBA – Atlanta, TBA

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pro soccer

Charlotte FC 2, Atlas 0: A pair of late goals from Liel Abada and Tyger Smalls improved Charlotte to 2-0 in Leagues Cup action on Friday night at Bank of America Stadium.

The 2026 Charlotte FC schedule:

(7-7-4 record)
Saturday, Feb. 21 at St. Louis (T 1-1)
Saturday, Feb. 28 at L.A. Galaxy (L 0-3)
Saturday, March 7 Austin (W 3-1)
Saturday, March 14 Miami (T 0-0)
Saturday, March 21 New York Red Bulls (W 6-1)
Saturday, Apr. 4 Philadelphia (W 2-1)
Saturday, Apr. 11 Nashville (L 1-2)
Saturday, Apr. 18 at New York (W 2-1)
Wednesday, Apr. 22 at Orlando (L 1-4)
Saturday, Apr. 25 at Nashville (L 2-4)
Saturday, May 2 at New England (L 0-1)
Saturday, May 9 Cincinnati (T 2-2)
Wednesday, May 13 New York (L 0-1)
Saturday, May 16 Toronto (W 3-1)
Saturday, May 23 New England (W 1-0)
Wednesday, July 22 Atlanta, 8:00 PM (T 2-2)
Saturday, July 25 at New York Red Bulls (W 2-0)
Saturday, Aug. 1 at Chicago (L 1-2)
Saturday, Aug. 15 Columbus, 7:30 PM
Wednesday, Aug. 19 at Toronto, 7:30 PM
Saturday, Aug. 22 DC, 7:30 PM
Saturday, Aug. 29 at Atlanta, 7:30 PM
Saturday, Sept. 5 Houston, 7:30 PM
Wednesday, Sept. 9 at Montreal, 7:30 PM
Saturday, Sept. 12 at Cincinnati, 7:30 PM
Saturday, Sept. 19 at DC, 7:30 PM
Saturday, Sept. 26 Chicago, 7:30 PM
Saturday, Oct. 10 Dallas, 7:30 PM
Wednesday, Oct. 14 at Columbus, 7:30 PM
Saturday, Oct. 17 at Philadelphia, 2:30 PM
Saturday, Oct. 24 at Portland, 10:30 PM
Wednesday, Oct. 28 Montreal, 7:30 PM
Saturday, Oct. 31 Orlando, 1:00 PM
Saturday, Nov. 7 at Miami, 4:00 PM

(U.S. Open Cup)
Wednesday, Apr. 15 Charlotte Independence (W 6-0)
…at Mecklenburg County Sportsplex
Tuesday, Apr. 28 Atlanta United FC (L 0-2)
…at Mecklenburg County Sportsplex

(Leagues Cup)
Tuesday, Aug. 4 Pumas UNAM (W 3-0)
Friday, Aug. 7 Atlas (W 2-0)
Tuesday, Aug. 11 Pachuca, 7:30 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

Pro basketball

The Charlotte Hornets have announced their 2026 preseason schedule that features two home games and two road games. The full 2026-27 regular season game will be released in the next few weeks.

The Charlotte Hornets’ 2026-27 schedule:

(Preseason)

Oct. 6 Brooklyn (at Spectrum Center), 7 p.m.
Oct. 11 Milwaukee (Spectrum Center), 7 p.m.
Oct. 14 at Boston, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 16 at Memphis, 8 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pro baseball

Charlotte 5, Durham 4: Mario Camilletti (2 hits, home run, 3 RBIs) led the Knights to a win in the fourth game of the six-game home series. The fifth game is Saturday at 6:05 p.m.

Here is the full Charlotte Knights’ 2026 schedule:

(61-51 record, 42-33 1st half, 19-18 2nd half)
-1st half
March 27-29 Durham 3-0 (W 19-2, W 2-1 in 11, W 4-3)
March 31-April 5 at Nashville 1-4 (L 3-7, W 9-3, L 0-4, L 6-7, ppd, L 5-7)
April 7-12 Memphis 3-3 (L 4-9, W 7-3, L 1-4, W 9-8 in 10, L 4-6, W 13-4)
April 14-19 at Jacksonville 2-4 (L 0-3, L 2-3, L 3-5, L 1-4, W 2-0, W 9-4)
April 21-26 Nashville 4-3 (L 1-5, W 9-4, W 3-2 in 10, W 11-9, L 5-12, W 16-6, L 1-5)
April 28-May 3 Gwinnett 3-3 (L 7-10, W 10-9, L 5-9, L 3-4, W 21-1, W 10-9)
May 5-10 at Jacksonville 3-3 (W 5-3, L 6-8, W 16-1, W 8-5, L 5-6, L 1-6)
May 12-17 Norfolk 3-3 (L 6-9, L 8-9, W 4-1, W 4-1, L 10-11, W 15-3)
May 19-24 at Gwinnett 4-2 (W 5-4, W 4-3, L 3-7, W 4-3 in 10, L 1-5, W 3-2)
May 26-31 Jacksonville 3-3 (W 4-0, susp, L 3-6, W 12-5, W 12-4, L 6-15, L 5-6)
June 2-7 at Durham 6-0 (W 6-1, W 18-7, W 11-6, W 4-3, W 7-5, W 12-5)
June 9-14 Oklahoma City 3-3 (L 3-6, L 1-10, W 9-8, W 12-7, L 7-11, W 4-3)
June 16-21 at Buffalo 4-2 (L 5-9, W 5-1, W 4-0, W 10-5, L 2-4, W 5-0)
-2nd half
June 23-28 Rochester 2-4 (L 9-10, W 10-2, W 7-6 in 11, L 2-6, L 1-3, L 4-9)
June 30-July 5 at Memphis 2-4 (L 5-10, W 2-0 in 8, L 6-8, L 3-4 in 11, W 8-6, L 1-2 in 11)
July 7-12 Nashville 3-3 (W 8-2, L 3-6, W 9-2, L 9-11, L 2-4, W 12-4)
July 17-19 at Durham 1-2 (L 2-8, W 7-5, L 2-3)
July 21-26 Norfolk 5-1 (W 7-6, W 8-4, ppd, L 1-2, W 6-1, W 7-6 in 10, W 7-4)
July 28-August 2 at Nashville 3-3 (W 6-1, W 12-5, W 6-4, L 2-4, L 3-6, L 3-5)
August 4-9 Durham 3-1 (ppd, W 4-1, L 1-7, W 8-5, W 5-4)
August 11-16 at Rochester
August 18-23 at Scranton-WB
August 25-30 Memphis
September 1-6 at Gwinnett
September 8-13 Buffalo
September 15-20 at Norfolk

 

Here is the full Gastonia Ghost Peppers’ 2026 schedule:

(56-37 record, 40-23 1st half, 16-14 2nd half)
-1st half
April 21-23 at High Point 1-2 (W 3-1, L 5-6, L 0-5)
April 24-26 High Point 3-0 (W 4-3, W 18-8, W 9-2)
April 28-May 3 at York 4-2 (W 14-2, ppd, W 2-1, W 5-4, L 4-5, W 10-2, L 3-9)
May 5-10 Southern Maryland 1-5 (L 2-3, L 11-18, L 2-12, L 4-5, W 7-3, L 1-14)
May 12-17 at Long Island 3-3 (L 3-6, L 3-11, W 10-0, L 4-6, W 8-6, W 6-5)
May 19-20 Charleston, W.Va. 3-0 (W 9-4, W 6-2, W 9-6)
May 22-24 at Charleston, W.Va. 3-0 (W 17-4, W 8-4, W 12-4)
May 26-28 at Lexington 3-0 (W 10-6, W 3-2, W 3-1)
May 29-31 Charleston, W.Va. 3-0 (W 6-3, W 10-7, W 9-2)
June 2-7 Lancaster 2-4 (W 11-2, L 1-3, W 14-3, L 3-4, L 8-9, L 5-17)
June 9-14 at Lexington 3-3 (L 13-15, L 6-8, W 7-5, L 9-10, W 7-1, W 12-8)
June 16-21 Staten Island 6-0 (W 10-4, W 9-6, W 26-3, W 11-4, W 12-3, W 13-8)
June 23-28 at Lexington 4-2 (W 4-3, W 6-3, W 7-4, W 8-6, L 5-12, L 4-9)
June 30-July 2 Lexington 1-2 (L 7-9, L 1-11, W 14-6)
-2nd half
July 3-5 Charleston, W.Va. 2-1 (L 13-16, W 10-3, W 13-9)
July 7-12 at Hagerstown 1-5 (L 4-13, L 4-14, L 5-6, L 3-10, W 7-3, L 6-13)
July 14-19 Lexington 2-4 (L 2-9, W 16-5, W 12-11, L 0-9, L 5-7, L 2-6)
July 21-26 at Charleston, W.Va. 4-2 (ppd, L 8-9, W 9-8, W 5-1, L 4-9, W 11-3, W 15-6)
July 28, 30-31-Aug. 2 Hagerstown 4-2 (W 9-8, L 0-5, W 9-6, W 8-2, W 7-4, L 0-1)
Aug. 4-6 Southern Maryland 2-0 (W 10-4, W 20-3, ccd)
Aug. 7-9 at Lexington 1-0 (W 8-1)
Aug. 11-16 at High Point
Aug. 18-23 Charleston, W.Va.
Aug. 25-30 at Southern Maryland
Sept. 1-6 High Point
Sept. 8-10 Lexington
Sept. 11-13 at High Point

 

 

 

 

 

 

Auto racing

Here is the full 2026 NASCAR Cup Series schedule with race winners in parentheses:

Feb. 4 — Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium (Ryan Preece)
Feb. 15 — Daytona 500 (Tyler Reddick)
Feb. 22 — Atlanta (Reddick-2)
March 1 — Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas (Reddick-3)
March 8 — Phoenix (Ryan Blaney)
March 15 — Las Vegas (Denny Hamlin)
March 22 — Darlington, South Carolina (Reddick-4)
March 29 — Martinsville, Virginia (Chase Elliott)
April 5 — off weekend
April 12 — Bristol, Tennessee (Ty Gibbs)
April 19 — Kansas (Reddick-5)
April 26 — Talladega, Alabama (Carson Hocevar)
May 3 — Texas (Elliott-2)
May 10 — Watkins Glen, New York (Shane van Gisbergen)
May 17 — All-Star Race (Dover) (Hamlin-2)
May 24 — Coca-Cola 600 (Charlotte) (Daniel Suarez)
May 31 — Nashville, Tennessee (Hamlin-3)
June 7 — Michigan (Hamlin-4)
June 14 — Pocono in Long Pond, Pennsylvania (Hamlin-5)
June 21 — San Diego (Corey Heim)
June 28 — Sonoma, California (Shane van Gisbergen)
July 5 — Chicagoland (Chase Briscoe)
July 12 — Atlanta (Blaney-2)
July 19 — North Wilkesboro (Joey Logano)
July 26 — Brickyard 400 (Indianapolis) (Corey Heim)
Aug. 2 — off weekend
Aug. 9 — Iowa
Aug. 15 — Richmond, Virginia
Aug. 23 — New Hampshire
Aug. 29 — Daytona, Florida
Sept. 6 — Darlington
Sept. 13 — Gateway in Madison, Illinois
Sept. 19 — Bristol
Sept. 27 — Kansas
Oct. 4 — Las Vegas
Oct. 11 — Charlotte Roval
Oct. 18 — Phoenix
Oct. 25 — Talladega
Nov. 1 — Martinsville
Nov. 8 — Homestead, Florida

 

 

 

 

Rodeo

Professional Bull Riding Unleash the Beast tour schedule for Greensboro-based Carolina Cowboys:

Feb. 1 – Golden 1 Center Sacramento- Austin Gamblers (L 173.90-256.90)
Feb. 21 – Progressive PBR Jacksonville- Florida Freedom (L 158.70-169.25)
March 22 – Ram Trucks PBR Indianapolis- Nashville Stampede (W 88.70- 0.00)
(DNQ for playoffs)

Team Challenge playoff results
March 29 at Albuquerque: Semifinal- (No. 1 Missouri Thunder def. No. 4 Florida Freedom 83.65-0.00)
April 17 at Billings: Semifinal- (No. 2 Austin Gamblers def. No. 3 Kansas City Outlaws 87.10-84.50)
April 26 at Tacoma: Championship- (No. 1 Missouri Thunder def. No. 2 Austin Gamblers 254.75-171.35)

Upcoming events:
Sept. 18-20 – Greensboro First Horizon Coliseum Complex