Greene Central Overcomes Weather and Blue Devils in Playoff Clash
SNOW HILL—In a thrilling second-round NCHSAA playoff game, the #1 seed undefeated (23-0) Greene Central Rams, one of only two undefeated teams remaining in the state, faced off against the #16 seed (15-7) South Lenoir Blue Devils. Despite a rainstorm an hour before the game, the Rams were able to cover the field with a tarp, ensuring that the game could go on as scheduled at the James R. Fulgham Complex. The match drew a large crowd of enthusiastic fans from both schools, located merely 20 miles apart.
The game started with a pitchers' duel between Greene Central's Braden Burress (9-0) and South Lenoir's Matthew Rhodes (7-2). Both pitchers held strong through the first three innings, keeping the game scoreless. The Rams broke the deadlock in the fourth inning when Cam Taylor hit a single to left field, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Elijah Monroe, and scored on a hit by Brady Anderson.
South Lenoir managed to get Luke Potter on base due to a Rams error and Adam McDonald walked, advancing Potter to third, Burress successfully pitched out of the inning without allowing a run. The pitchers continued their strong performances into the fifth inning.
Momentum shifted in the sixth when Monroe walked and stole second. Jordan Scott’s critical bunt advanced Monroe and gave the Rams runners on the corners with only one out. Rhodes, after pitching 5.1 innings and giving up two earned runs, was replaced by Braden Barnett. With the infield drawn in, Burress, who leads 2A baseball with a .618 batting average, drove in a run with a line drive to the outfield. Easton Creech’s bunt and Will Radford’s two-run double extended the Rams' lead to 5-0.
Burress finished the game strong, pitching a complete game with five hits, two walks, and four strikeouts. Offensively, Radford went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, Taylor had a 2-3 night scoring once, and Burress himself went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
For the Blue Devils, Jacob Howard went 1-for-2 with a walk, and Adam McDonald was 1-for-3 with a walk.
After the game, Rams coach Ben Brann praised the Blue Devils: "They are a good baseball team, they are really scrappy, they competed at the plate, the pitcher (Rhodes) pitched really well for 5-6 innings, they are a good baseball team." ‘
Cam Taylor of the Rams expressed satisfaction with his performance: "I just wanted to come in, get some good hits for the team and do what I needed to do for this team to get the win."
Burress commended the opposition's effort: "That's a good hitting team, everyone on that team had at least one good at bat tonight, I give them props on that. Few of the balls hit hard was mistakes on my part and they made me pay for it... On the other hand, Will (Radford) called a great game, he knew what I was throwing well tonight and I just tried to locate it."
South Lenoir's coach Novicki also expressed pride in his pitcher: "Tadpole throws 57 pitches Tuesday, and 105 tonight and gave them all they wanted, he did a heck of a job I can't be more proud of him.”
Rhodes, known as "Tadpole," remained optimistic despite the loss: "I was just trying to get ahead and let them hit it and trust my defense tonight.”
South Lenoir wrapped up their season with an impressive 15-7 record, securing second place in the East Central Conference, and advanced to the second round of the NCHSAA Playoffs, challenging one of the state's top baseball teams. The Blue Devils, with key players like Jacob Howard, Gage Howard, Christian Coples, Braden Barnett, and ace pitcher Rhodes returning, look forward to a promising future.
The Rams will advance, holding their undefeated record intact, as they continue their pursuit of a state championship.
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