Whiteville wins first game of 1-A baseball state championship series

ZEBULON, NC (WWAY) — Whiteville pitcher Mackenzie Gore was dominant Friday evening for Whiteville in game 1 of the best of 3 state championship 1-A series in Zebulon. Gore struck out 13 South Stanly batters in a complete game 7-0 victory over the Rebel Bulls. South Stanly only managed 1 hit.

Whiteville scattered 9 hits on Friday, but the biggest hit clearly was a solo shot in the 4th inning from Whiteville junior Nick Hood that gave Whiteville a 3-o lead. Whiteville scored 4 runs in the 6th inning on 4 unearned runs. Hunter Harwood and Turner Brown both had 2 hits. South Stanly committed 4 errors.

Whiteville captured the 1-A baseball state title last year. Can the Wolfpack win back-to-back state championships?  We’ll know on Saturday. Whiteville will go for the sweep in Zebulon on Saturday at 11am in game 2 of the best 3 state title series.

1-A Baseball: Whiteville vs South Stanly Five County Stadium, Zebulon

Game 1: June 5 5:00 PM…. Whiteville wins 7-0

Game 2: June 6 11:00 AM

Game 3: June 6 5:00 PM   **If necessary

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ZEBULON,NC (NCHSAA) — Mackenzie Gore fired a one-hit shutout and also drove in two runs to lead Whiteville to a convincing 7-0 victory over South Stanly on Friday in the opening game of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 1-A baseball championship series at Five County Stadium.

Gore fanned 13 and was in command the whole way.

The Wolfpack scored twice in the third inning on a two-run single by Gore, and then Nick Hood led off the bottom of the fourth with a home run off the video board to make it 3-0.  Whiteville blew it open with four runs in the sixth, keyed by a two-RBI hit by Hunter Cartrette.

Hunter Harwood and Turner Brown each had two hits for the winners,

Both teams have great baseball traditions.  Whiteville is the defending 1-A champion and has earned six previous NCHSAA crowns while South Stanly is making its fifth trip to the championship series in the last seven years and won state titles in 2012 and ’13.  Whiteville is now 27-4 while South Stanly is 21-7.

Game two of the best-of-three is set for Saturday morning at 11 o’clock. This is the 99th year for baseball championships in the NCHSAA. The Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance serves as a host city sponsor for the championship.

NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
STATE BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Five County Stadium, Zebulon
Class 1-A: Game One

South Stanly              0  0  0       0   0   0       0—0   1   4
Whiteville                   0  0  2       1   0   4       x—7   9   0
WP—Mackenzie Gore.  LP—Dylan Starnes.   HR—Nick Hood, Whiteville, 4th with none on.