Chatham Central topples 3A Southern Alamance

Posted

MOUNT HERMON — Chatham Central rallied from a 7-2 deficit in the middle innings before holding off a late Southern Alamance rally on Wednesday night to take an exciting 10-9 victory over the 3A Patriots in area high school baseball action.

“I thought we battled all night. Got an early lead, then got behind and battled back again, and we were able to fend of their last rally to hold on late,” said Chatham Central coach Brett Walden. “Jackson Gray was great for us at the plate, 4-for-5 with 5 RBI.”

Walden pointed out his pitchers weren’t as sharp.

“Our pitchers weren’t as sharp as I would have liked, but they made enough pitches when it mattered most,” continued Walden. “Overall, proud of our guys. We beat a really good team tonight.”

Caleb Staley notched the win in relief to move to 3-2 on the year. The senior southpaw worked five innings, allowing seven hits and five runs while striking out four.

Michael Moore started the game for the Bears, surrendering four runs on four hits over two innings, and striking out two.

Gray, meanwhile, singled in the first, singled in the third, singled in the fourth, and singled in the fifth while driving in five runs.

Chatham Central (8-5) got on the board in the first inning when Staley singled on an 0-1 count to plate Michael Moore and Lofton Dodson who had both singled.

After Southern Alamance scored a run in each of the first two innings, and then five more in the third to go up 7-2, Chatham Central responded with three runs in the fourth and four in the fifth, highlighted by a two-run base hit from Gray which broke a 7-all tie.

Chatham Central tacked on an insurance run in the top of the seventh before holding off a two-run rally by the Southern Alamance in the bottom of the frame to escape with the 10-9 win.

The Bears collected 12 hits on the day with Staley going 2-for-3 with a run, two RBI and two walks, Dodson 2-for-4 with two runs, an RBI and a sacrifice fly, Holden Johnson 1-for-1 with an RBI, Collin Lagenor 1-for-2 with two runs, a double and a walk, and Tyson Measamer 1-for-4 with two runs and a walk.

Southern Alamance (9-6) pounded out 11 hits in the game led by Seth Smith who was 2-for-3 with three runs scored, an RBI a walk and a double, Hunter Harrelson 2-for-3 with a walk and a run, and Scottie Thompson 2-for-5 with a run, an RBI and a double. Kaleeb Potts also was 1-for-2 with the Patriots with a triple, a run, an RBI and a walk.