PITTSBORO — Tyler Johnson hurled a complete game Thursday night to lift Northwood over Chapel Hill 3-1 in a crucial 3A Big Eight Conference tilt.
Northwood (11-4) answered a run by Chapel Hill (7-7, 9-10) in the first inning with two in the home half of the frame to give Johnson all the support he would need before the locals added an insurance run in the fourth.
The visiting Tigers scored in the first behind a Soloman Donaldson walk, a NW error, and an RBI-single by Will Eble.
The Chargers responded with two runs in the bottom of the first without recording a hit.
Dylan Hitt drew a one-out walk before Michael Posse reached on an error, Eble hit Deuce Powell and Beau Weathers to drive a Hitt, and Posse later scored on an RBI-ground-out from Justin Sczcypinski.
Johnson would allow singles to Connor Basset, Trevor Liebe, and Will Epstein in the top of the third but would get out of the bases-loaded jam by coaxing a two-out fly ball by T. J. Zimmerman to Landon Johnson in center field.
Northwood made Chapel Hill pay for the missed opportunity in the bottom of the fourth when the Chargers used walks to Quin Powell and Tyler Johnson and an RBI-single to center by Hitt to go up 3-1.
Tyler Tachman would led off the seventh with a single to left for the Tigers and Donaldson would single to left two outs later to give the visitors one last chance with runners at the corners.
Johnson bowed his neck, however,and closed the contest by getting Liebe to line sharply to Posse at third on a 1-1 count to send the Chargers to the 3-1 triumph.
Johnson scattered six hits in the seven innings to get the win while walking just one and striking out three.
Northwood managed just one hit at the plate by Hitt to deal Eble a tough loss after he worked just .2 innings and allowed two earned runs while walking one and hitting a pair of Chargers. Zimmerman went 5.1 innings and allowed one hit, one run, four walks and struck out four.
Donaldson led the Tigers at the plate with a 1-for-3 effort that included a run and a walk while Tachman, Zimmerman and Basset were all 1-for-3.