SILER CITY — For the second year in a row North Stokes paid a visit to Siler City and knocked Chatham Charter out of the NCHSAA 1A State Playoffs in baseball.
Chatham Charter (8-8) fell behind early 3-0 and never could recover in falling 9-5 in opening round action.
The Vikings jumped in front 1-0 after one inning, added two more in the second to go up 3-0, and then blew the game open with five runs in the fourth and one more in the fifth to go up 9-2.
Chatham Charter would continue to battle and plated three runs in the sixth to go down swinging.
Connor Murphy led the Knights at the plate with a 2-for-3 effort that included a run and a walk while Trevor Golden was 1-for-4 with a two-run single, Cameron Kennedy 1-for-3 with an RBI and a walk, and Jacob Brannon 1-for-3 with an RBI.
Tanner Kidd also walked three times and scored two runs while Landon Hussey also walked twice for Chatham Charter.
North Stokes (12-12) was led by Joey Bullins who went 1-for3 with a double, a sacrifice fly and four RBI while Jake Craddock was 1-for-3 with two runs and a double, and Zach Chesnet 1-for-3 with a double.
Golden took the loss on the mound for the Knights after working five innings and yielding nine hits, nine runs (seven earned), five walks and striking out four.
Connor Murphy hurled two innings of perfect ball while fanning four.
Picking up the win on the mound for the Vikings was Bullins who went 5.1 innings and allowed five hits, three runs (two earned), six walks and whiffed seven.
Isaiah East notched the save after going 1.2 innings and allowing one hit, a walk and fanning three.