Daily Roundup: May 13, 2022

BASEBALL

No. 24 Topsail 5, No. 25 Rolesville 2

Second round NCHSAA 4A playoffs

***Click here to view a gallery of 30 photos from the action***

Junior right hander Jackson Moore struck out nine batters and allowed only one run on two hits in 5 2/3 innings to send the red-hot Pirates into the third round of the playoffs for the first time since 2017. 

Topsail (11-9) has won seven of its last eight games after beginning the season 4-8.

“We hammered it in the guys during workouts and at the beginning of the season to keep trusting in the process. The more we do things the right way, the more the ball will start to bounce our way,” Topsail interim coach Collin Buete said. “I knew at 4-8 there was a slim chance of us making the playoffs, but I also knew the ball just needed to bounce our way one time and we’d get some confidence.”

After allowing a run in the top of the first inning, the Pirates responded with three runs of their own in the bottom of the frame to grab the lead for good.

Joe Hall and Cameron Rickabaugh each walked and scored on a one-out double from Davis Hartman. 

Hartman later crossed the plate on a single to center field off the bat of Grady Swinson.

That was more than enough run support for Moore, who struck out at least one batter in every inning. 

“We’ve kept our foot on the gas over the past couple games and that’s what gotten us this far,” Moore said. 

Swinson entered with two outs in the top of the sixth inning and stranded a pair of runners. He issued a pair of walks in the seventh, but ended the game with a strikeout.

Hartman led the offense by going 3-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Rickaubaugh walked twice and crossed the plate two times.

Topsail will play at No. 1 New Hanover on Tuesday night. The Wildcats won both Mideastern Conference meetings during the regular season.

GIRLS LACROSSE

No. 3 Holly Springs 23, No. 2 Topsail 18

Fourth round NCHSAA playoffs

***Click here to view a gallery of 30 photos from the action***

The deepest playoff run in program history came to a close for the Pirates.

Lillian Austin finished with a team-high six goals to go along with eight draw controls and two assists. 

Topsail (19-2) also got eight draw controls and five goals from Tatum Riggins. Martha Smith chipped in four goals and two assists, while Taryn Ugliono found the back of the net twice.

Avery White had one goal and one assist. Riley Nee dished out a pair of assists.

SOFTBALL

No. 14 Cleveland 7, No. 3 Topsail 5

Second round NCHSAA 4A playoffs

***Click here to view a gallery of 30 photos from the action***

Leadoff batter Zoey Vincent hit a pair of doubles, while Emmy Clark and Andi Tolbert both finished with two hits in the home loss.

Topsail (17-5) scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the first and fifth innings. 

Back-to-back RBI doubles in the fifth from Olivia Visconti and Clark evened the score at 4-all.

Cleveland immediately responded with a run in the top of the sixth inning to grab a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

BOYS TRACK & FIELD

4A East Regional at Hoggard

Hoggard’s 4×800 relay team (William Holmes, Evan Pena, Luke Ward and Andrew Wallace) set a new area record with a time of 7:58.93 to finish first and earn their berth at next weekend’s 4A State Championship. 

Reigning Coastal Preps Track & Field Athlete of the Year Nathan Lau of Topsail won the discus with a school-record throw of 177-10. He placed third in shot put with a distance of 49-2.

The only other area winner was Laney senior Connor Powe. He had a school-record distance of 23-5.75 in long jump. Powe was second in the 110 hurdles with a time of 15.15.

Hoggard qualified a pair of runners in the 800 and 3,200. Wallace was second in the 800 with a time of 1:57.82, while Holmes followed in 1:58.24.

In the 3,200, Pena placed second in 9:24.18 and Ward finished fourth in 9:27.53.

Freshman Jackson Travis cleared 6-2 to finish as the runner-up in high jump. Eli Theodoropoulos (42-11 in triple jump) and Ethan Panz (12-6 in pole vault) both finished fourth.

The Vikings also qualified for states in the 4×400 thanks to a third-place finish. The team of Wallace, Colin Bruins, Jackson Bruins and Justin Rogers completed their four laps in 3:27.35.

New Hanover got a second-place finish from its 4×100 team consisting of Au’Wann Gary, Caden Morton, Brethan Barnhill and Rashawn Simon. They had a season-best time of 42.79.

Simon was third in long jump with a distance of 22-3.

Topsail’s Tristin Reutter finished second in the 300 hurdles with a time of 41.22.

GIRLS TRACK & FIELD

4A East Regional at Hoggard

Three Laney athletes picked up individual victories, while eight other area participants earned their berth to next week’s 4A State Championship.

On the track, Olivia Bufalini captured the 1,600 in a time of 5:01.02 and placed second in the 3,200 in 10:57.72.

Isabella Borelli crossed the finish line first in the 800 with a season-best time of 2:19.70.

The Buccaneers also got a win from sophomore Bailey Willard, who threw 115-4 in discus. Willard was third in shot put with a distance of 35-1. Both were new school records.

Hoggard got a second-place finish in the 1,600 from Molly Parker (5:04.82) as well as fourth-place finishes from Ashlei Summers (3,200 in 11:11.42) and Mollie Brinker (9-6 in pole vault).

The Vikings’ 4×800 relay team of Shea Hoffacker, Annie Mulligan, Luci Hosley and Savannah Moore placed third in 9:40.23.

Kaitlyn Obremski of Topsail was the only other area state qualifier. She completed the 3,200 in 11:02 for a third-place finish.

 

 

 

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