Blogging with Bryan C. Hanks

This blog will be your up-to-the-minute update area for the four Lenoir County playoff games tonight as I’ll be posting updates every half-inning from Pittsboro Northwood at North Lenoir and South Columbus at South Lenoir baseball, along with Franklinton at North Lenoir and Hillsborough Cedar Ridge at South Lenoir softball.

Thanks to Keith Spence (NL baseball game), Dusty Davis (NL softball game) and Jimmy Smith (SL softball game) for the updates they will be giving me as I cover the SL baseball game tonight.

Johnny Kennedy takes home the UNC-Wilmington at East Carolina baseball tickets. The game will be played Tuesday night in Greenville.

Johnny – E-mail me or give me a call and I’ll get the tix to you.

Jonathan Tribula won the first draw, but he’s unable to go to the game.

There were 15 correct answers (212-96-1). Thanks for playing! If you guys are interested, I might run some trivia contests for K-Tribe tickets — but you guys let me know if you want to do that.

A press conference announcing the hiring of Ken Grantham as the new Greene Central head football coach will be held at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Grantham is expected to be approved at tonight’s Greene County School Board meeting, as first reported here on Friday.

He is the son of GC’s winningest football coach, Spence Grantham, who won 130 games in 22 seasons.

Here’s the final trivia question of the baseball season for ECU baseball tickets. PLEASE do not leave your answer in the comments; instead — send it to my e-mail at bhanks@freedomenc.com and I will draw a winner out of all the correct answers. Your deadline to enter is 4 p.m. on Monday.

READ THIS: If you want to be a spoiler and leave your answer in the comments, your account will be terminated and you will not be allowed to post any longer on this blog.

The question: What was Keith LeClair’s record while he was at ECU?

Thanks to our good friend, Rocky Mount’s Charles Alston:

4A

EAST

Ashley (15-7) at Durham Riverside (19-3)

Raleigh Leesville Road (15-8) at Pinecrest (19-4)

Fuquay-Varina (23-2) at Lumberton (18-8)

Raleigh Millbrook (16-7) at Greenville Rose (21-3)

New Bern (15-9) at Wilmington Hoggard (19-4)

Cape Fear (19-6) at Apex (17-5)

Durham Jordan (18-7) at West Johnston (19-5)

Richmond (20-5) at Raleigh Sanderson (16-6)

WEST

Page (7-14) at Ardrey Kell (23-4)

Davie County (16-8) at North Mecklenburg (20-4)

Shelby Crest (15-7) at North Davidson (21-3)

Watauga (17-10) at East Forsyth (20-5)

Greensboro Grimsley (18-6) at Huntersville Hopewell (22-4)

Providence (18-8) at East Gaston (15-8)

Mount Tabor (13-11) at South Caldwell (22-1)

South Mecklenburg (9-15) at Monroe Weddington (20-7)

3A

EAST

Wilson Hunt (16-9) at Greenville Conley (15-9)

Pikeville Aycock (19-6) at West Brunswick (19-6)

West Craven (14-8) at Eastern Wayne (20-6)

Southern Wayne (14-10) at South Central (11-14)

South Johnston (16-9) at Northern Nash (13-8)

Rocky Mount (20-5) at Southern Lee (15-8)

Erwin Triton (16-7) at Wilson Fike (19-4)

NE Guilford (14-11) at South Granville (20-5)

WEST

Lake Norman (12-13) at SW Guilford (17-8)

Monroe Piedmont (14-11) at East Rowan (23-2)

Ragsdale (20-7) at Glenn (19-5)

West Rowan (15-10) at Moorevsille (19-5)

Hickory St. Stephens (19-7) at Belmont South Point (16-8)

NW Cabarrus (15-10) at Kings Mountain (13-10)

Gastonia Forestview (18-6) at Char. Olympic (19-5)

Asheville Roberson (15-10) at R-S Central (22-3)

2A

EAST

East Duplin (16-8) at Whiteville (14-6)

South Brunswick (12-10) at West Bladen (18-5)

South Columbus (16-7) at South Lenoir (20-3)

Croatan (13-9) at First Flight (22-0)

North Pitt (19-6) at Hillsborough Orange (20-3)

West Stokes (21-3) at Roanoke Rapids (19-3)

Northwood (16-5) at North Lenoir (19-1)

Graham (18-5) at McMichael (18-7)

WEST

Wilkes Central (17-6) at Ledford (21-6)

North Stanly (21-7) at West Lincoln (16-9)

Surry Central (14-9) at Central Davidson (17-8)

Salisbury (17-8) at Starmount (14-9)

Mountain Heritage (8-13) at Lenoir Hibriten (18-5)

Shelby (6-18) at West Henderson (22-3)

Morganton Patton (15-10) at Black Mountain Owen (14-9)

Brevard (18-5) at East Rutherford (17-8)

1A

EAST

Perquimans (14-8) at Williamston (16-7)

Roanoke (5-18) at Gates County (16-5)

Princeton (14-10) at Jamesville (17-2)

Louisburg (19-4) at Camden (14-7)

North Johnston (13-6) at East Columbus (13-8)

Topsail (18-6) at Wallace-Rose Hill (12-11)

Hobbton (8-15) at Midway (15-7)

Trask (9-13) at East Bladen (14-8)

WEST

Elkin (10-12) at South Stokes (19-5)

Jordan-Matthews (16-7) at NC Science and Math (14-11)

Albemarle (9-14) at West Wilkes (23-5)

North Moore (11-14) at Bishop McGuinness (8-13), Tue., 4:30

Hayesville (10-10) at Cherryville (17-7)

Hendersonville (10-10) at Swain County (20-2)

Robbinsville (7-14) at Polk County (15-5)

East Montgomery (7-17) at Hiwassee Dam (16-5)

Region player of the year: Hunter Chase, LCC

Defensive player of the year: Todd Seymour, LCC

Coach of the year: Stony Wine, LCC

All Region team:

Hunter Chase, LCC (IF)

Tanner Smith, Southeastern CC (IF)

Ryan Norton, LCC (OF)

Brian Mills, LCC (OF)

Kent Burford, LCC (IF)

Ben Billingsley, LCC (IF)

Drew Sowers, LCC (P)

Keith Spinner, LCC (P)

Darrin Tew, LCC (P)

Zach Andrews, SCC (C)

Charlie Gore, Brunswick CC (OF)

Greg Dissinger, LCC (DH)

Congratulations to first-year Bethel Christian Academy coach Kenny Sutton and the Trojans baseball team for its first baseball state title since 1999. The Trojans defeated Cramerton Christian 7-5 on Saturday to win the NCCSA 2A title in Cramerton.

We’ll have a brief in Sunday’s paper and a big story in Tuesday’s edition.

Congrats to Shane Flynn, Aaron Wells, the Pitts triplets and the rest of the Trojans for bringing a championship back to Kinston!

The game is set to start in a few minutes; the winner of today’s action goes to the district tournament next weekend in Maryland.

The starting lineups:

Southeastern CC (19-27)

Rock Scott, CF

Clay Hutchins, 2B

Tanner Smith, 1B

Dustin Williamson, DH

Scott Stephens, 3B

Luke Harmer, SS

Cody Jones, RF

Coty Sawyer, LF

Zack Andrews, C

Starting pitcher for SCC is Stephen Nealy

Lenoir CC (47-9)

Scott Driggers, SS

Justin Bagley, 2B

Ryan Norton, RF

Brian Mills, DH

Brandon Rouse, 1B

Todd Seymour, LF

Bud Lanier, CF

Taylor Honeycutt, C

Hunter Chase, 3B

Starting pitcher for LCC is Darrin Tew

Middle of the first inning: SCC 0, LCC coming to bat — Tew retires side 1-2-3, two by K

End of the first inning: SCC 0, LCC 0 — Nealy retires LCC 1-2-3

Middle of the second inning: SCC 0, LCC 0 –Tew retires side 1-2-3

End of the second inning: LCC 2, SCC 0 — Mills led off the inning with a double while Seymour and Lanier walked to load bases. After Honeycutt struck out for the second out, Chase doubled to score Mills and Seymour for the 2-0 lead

Middle of the third inning: LCC 2, SCC 0 — Sawyer earned a one-out walk but was stranded at first

End of the third inning: LCC 6, SCC 0 –Bagley was walked, then was followed by Norton and Mills, who were each hit by a pitch. Brandon Rouse then made South Lenoir proud by banging a grand slam home run to left field. SCC relief pitcher Shane Rowe came into the game and after walking Seymour, retired the next three batters

Middle of the fourth inning: LCC 6, SCC 0 — Tew gave up his first hits, two-out Texas-league singles to Smith and Williamson, but coaxed a double-play to end the inning

End of the fourth inning: LCC 6, SCC 0 — Bagley had a one-out 2B but was left at second. Greg Dissinger replaced Ryan Norton in the batting lineup after Norton’s knee was injured by his HBP in the third. Dissinger is now at first, Rouse went to LF and Seymour went to right

Middle of the fifth inning: LCC 6, SCC 0 — Tew gave up an infield single to Jones, but left him at first

End of the fifth inning: LCC 6, SCC 0 — Seymour earned a one-out walk — his third of the game — but that was all the offense LCC could muster in the frame

Middle of the sixth inning: LCC 6, SCC 0 — Hutchins reached on a fielder’s choice, advanced to second on an error and third on a groundout but was stranded there

End of the sixth inning: LCC 7, SCC 0 — Driggers drew a one-out walk, stole second and advanced to third when the catcher overthrew the second baseman. Dissinger’s single sent Driggers home for a run

Middle of the seventh inning: LCC 7, SCC 0 — With LCC reliever J. B. Brewer replacing Tew (6 IP, 3 hits, 0 runs, 3 K, 2 BB), he gave up a two-out walk

End of the seventh inning: LCC 7, SCC 0 — Seymour earned his fourth walk of the game and SCC replaced Rowe with Drew Robinson on the mound. Robinson gave up a single to Lanier but retired the final two Lancers

Middle of the eighth inning: LCC 7, SCC 1 — Billy Dudding replaced Brewer, but loaded the bases on a single to Scott and two BBs. He was replaced by Jimmy Tanner, who saw an infield error score SCC’s first run.

End of the eighth inning: LCC 9, SCC 1 — Two walks and two HBPs score two more runs for LCC. Seymour draws his fifth walk of the game while Lanier got a bases-loaded HBP to earn an RBI

FINAL: LCC 9, SCC 1 — Tanner gives up one walk but that’s it…

The Lancers win the D10 R2 title for the fifth straight year! Congrats to Stony Wine and the Lancers

Thanks to our good friend, Charles Alston of Rocky Mount, for this comprehensive first-round prep baseball playoff scoreboard:

4A

Durham Riverside 3, Pine Forest 2

Ashley 2, Smithfield-Selma 1

Pinecrest 4, Middle Creek 3

Leesville Road 5, Clayton 4

Lumberton 2, Person County 0

Fuquay-Varina 5, Laney 0

Greenville Rose 12, Jack Britt 2 (5)

Millbrook 4, E. Chapel Hill 3

Hoggard 12, Northern Durham 3

New Bern 6, Holly Springs 3

Apex 5, Broughton 4

Cape Fear 11, Scotland County 10

West Johnston 4, Green Hope 2

Durham Jordan 2, South View 1

Sanderson 2, Garner 1

Richmond County 5, Athens Drive 1

Ardrey Kell 11, Mallard Creek 1

Page 2, East Burke 1

Davie County 15, Harding 0

North Davidson 5, Butler 0

Shelby Crest 13, Concord Robinson 0

East Forsyth 7, Douglas Byrd 4

Watauga 14, Garringer 0

Hopewell 11, Alexander Central 0

Grimsley 3, Myers Park 2

East Gaston 5, Asheville Reynolds 0

Providence 6, West Forsyth 1

South Caldwell 7, Ashbrook 0

Mount Tabor 13, Northwest Guilford 12 (Thurs.)

South Mecklenburg 2, West Mecklenburg 1

Weddington 8, Central Cabarrus 3

 

3A

D,H Conley 9, Burlington Williams 0

Wilson Hunt 8, Bertie 2 (Thurs.)

West Brunswick 10, West Carteret 0

C.B. Aycock 16, Oxford Webb 4

Eastern Wayne 10, Western Alamance 6 (Thurs.)

West Craven 5, Gray’s Creek 2

Southern Wayne 1, Currituck 0 (8)

South Central 14, Jacksonville 1 (5)

South Johnston 14, Rockingham 2

Northern Nash 4, Southern Alamance 2

Southern Lee 6, Bartlett Yancey 0

Rocky Mount 9, Greensboro Dudley 0

Wilson Fike 8, Eastern Alamance 0

Triton 11, West Guilford 1

NE Guilford 3, Harnett Central 1

Lake Norman 6, SE Guilford 5

SW Guilford 3, Porter Ridge 1

East Rowan 3, SW Randolph 0

Piedmont 6, W-S Parkland 5

Kernersville Glenn 16, Parkwood 1 (Thurs.)

Ragsdale 5, Anson County 1

West Rowan 2, Marvin Ridge 1

Mooresville 6, Newton Foard 4

St. Stephens 9, W-S Reagan 5

South Point 4, North Buncombe 3

NW Cabarrus 14, Enka 1

Kings Mountain @ Charlotte Catholic, Friday

Forestview 2, Asheville 0

Olympic 4, Randleman 3

R-S Central 8, South Rowan 0

Asheville Roberson 5, Hunter Huss 2

 

2A

Whiteville 11, North Brunswick 1

East Duplin 6, Northeastern 3

West Bladen 6, Clinton 3

Paquotank 10, South Brunswick 4

South Lenoir 10, Cardinal Gibbons 9

South Columbus 8, Red Springs 3

SW Onslow @ First Flight, Friday

Croatan 3, Fairmont 1

North Pitt 13, Franklinton 4 (Thurs.)

Orange 15, Southern Guilford 3

West Stokes 5, Tarboro 3

Roanoke Rapids 3, Cedar Ridge 2

Northwood 8, Eastern Guilford 4

North Lenoir 11, Southern Vance 0 (Thurs.)

Graham 12, Bunn 1

McMichael 9, Farmville Central 8

Ledford 8, Forest Hills 3

Wilkes Central 4, Lincolnton 3

West Lincoln 10, West Davidson 0 (5)

North Stanly 4, Forbush 2

Central Davidson 9, West Stanly 7

Starmount 2, Bessemer City 0

Salisbury 11, East Lincoln 3

Hibriten 13, Ashe County 3

Mountain Heritage 10, East Henderson 9

West Henderson 16, Maiden 1

Shelby 4, Madison 0

Owen 4, Mitchell 3

Patton 4, North Henderson 1

East Rutherford 11, West Caldwell 3

Brevard 3, Bandys 1

 

1-A

 

Gates County 13, Manteo 12

Roanoke 4, Bear Grass 3

Jamesville 5, Plymouth 4 (Thurs.)

Princeton 15, Northampton-East 0

Camden 11, Columbia 0 (Thurs.)

Louisburg 11, Lakewood 1

East Columbus 10, East Carteret 0 (Thurs.)

North Johnston 7, Pamlico 3

Wallace-Rose Hill 4, Jones County 1 (Thurs.)

Topsail 14, West Columbus 7

Hobbton 3, Dixon 0 (Thurs.)

Midway 7, Pinetown Northside 1

East Bladen 6, Ayden-Grifton 3 (Thurs.)

Trask 7, Rosewood 4

Elkin 2, South Stanly 0

South Stokes 7, West Montgomery 6 (Thurs.)

NC Science and Math 12, Thomasville 7

Jordan-Matthews 1, East Surry 0

Albemarle 9, Chatham Central 2

North Moore 8, South Davidson 4

Bishop McGuinness 1, Gray Stone 0

Cherryville 11, Mount Airy 1

Hayesville 6, Rosman 4

Swain County 11, Avery County 1

Hendersonville 3, East Wilkes 2

Robbinsville 7, Murphy 6

Hiwassee Dam 12, Andrews 2

East Montgomery 6, Highland Tech 5

Thanks to blogger ASTHSR for this update (and congratulations to South Lenoir for its win over Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons):

2A High School Baseball Playoffs, East Region

SL (20-3) upends Cardinal Gibbons 10-9 and will face  South Columbus in second round.

South Columbus defeated Red Springs 8-3 to improve to 16-7 on the season.

NL 11, Southern Vance 0, NL (19-1) faces 16-5 Pittsboro Northwood in 2nd Round
Northwood 8, Eastern Guilford 4
West Stokes 5, Tarboro 3
Roanoke Rapids 3, Cedar Ridge 2, W. Stokes vs. Roanoke Rapids, 2nd Round
N. Pitt 13, Franklinton 4
Orange 15, Southern Guilford 3, N. Pitt vs. Orange, 2nd Round
W. Bladen 6, Clinton 3
South Brunswick 4, Pasquotank 0, W. Bladen vs. S. Brunswick, 2nd Round

Whiteville 11, N. Brunswick 1, Whiteville 2nd Round TBD
McMichael pounds Farmville Central, 9-8, McMichael 2nd Round TBD