BURLINGTON — Chatham Central is officially the 2019 Central Tar Heel Conference baseball champions — exclamation point.
The Bears overwhelmed host River Mill 18-3 on Thursday afternoon to close league play at 12-0 while moving to 15-7 overall.
Chatham Central exploded for nine runs in the top of the first and never looked back in taking the laugher.
The locals would lead 10-1 after two innings, 11-3 after three, 14-3 after four, before adding four more runs in the fifth to make the final 18-3.
Carson Brewer paced the Chatham Central effort at the plate with a 2-for-2 outing that included two runs, three RBI, and a double while Colin Lagenor was 3-for-5 with a run and three RBI.
Adding a 2-for-4 effort with two runs, two RBI and a double was Drew Cox while Lofton Dodson was 1-for-2 with two runs, hit by a pitch and two RBI, Jackson Gray 1-for-3 with an RBI-double, Zack Ritter 1-for-3 with a run, Holden Johnson 1-for-1 with three runs, an RBI, a double and two walks, Riley Lagenor 1-for-2 with two runs, an RBI, a walk and a home run, and Micah Gurley 1-for-1 with a run, hit by a pitch, and an RBI.
Gurley picked up the win on the mound for the Bears after working three innings and allowing four hits, three runs (two earned), six walks and striking out four.
Brewer notched the save after going the final two innings and yielding one hit, one walk and whiffing a pair.
River Mill was paced by Avery Dorsett as the plate who went 2-for-2 with a run while Antonio Bowden was 1-for-3 with an RBI.
Dorsett suffered the loss on the hill for the Jaguars after lasting .2 innings and allowing three hits, seven runs (five earned), and three walks while Will Hatchel allowed a walk and hit in .1 innings of work, and Dustin Moorefield four hits, eight runs (four earned), four walks and three strikeouts in four innings pitched.