GRAHAM — A rugged non-conference schedule can always pay dividends come league play. It certainly appears to be doing the trick for the Chatham Central baseball team.
For the second time in as many days, the Bears run-ruled a conference foe, pummeling River Mill 12-0 on March 20 to get off to a 2-0 start in the 1A Central Tar Heel Conference.
Chatham Central (3-3 overall) got the win in six innings behind Carson Brewer hurling five innings of one-hit, shut-out ball. Brewer struck out five while Micah Gurley fanned the side in the bottom of the sixth to notch the save.
Offensively, Brewer was given plenty of run support as the Bears plated two runs in the top of the first to take the lead for good before tacking single runs in the second, third and fourth frames, and blowing the game wide open with three more in the fifth, and four in the sixth.
The Bears pounded out 10 hits, drew five walks and received the help of four Jaguar errors.
Lofton Dodson paced the Central attack with a 2-for-3 effort with a run, two RBI, two doubles and a stolen base while Drew Cox was 2-for-3 with a run, RBI and a double.
Chase Murray added a 1-for-1 outing with a two-run single while Holden Johnson was 1-for-3 with two runs and a walk, Carter Fuquay 1-for-2 with a run and a walk, Caleb Staley 1-for-3 with a run, two RBI and a walk, Hunter Strickland 1-for-1 with a run, Tyson Measamer 1-for-3 with an RBI.
Also for the Bears in the win, Michael Moore walked twice and scored a run, Jackson Gray scored a run and drove in another, Zach Ritter scored a run and Collin Lagenor scored a run and drove in a run.
Taylor Stewart had the lone hit for River Mill in the loss while Cameron Lutterloh suffered the defeat on the mound.