RALEIGH — South Granville used a couple of big innings to roll to a convincing 9-2 victory over Randleman in the opening game of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 2-A baseball championship series at Doak Field at Dail Park on the campus of N.C. State University.
The Vikings erupted for five runs in the third and three more in the fourth to take command.
Ty Adcock’s two-run double in the third was a big blow, and then Justin Bullock ripped a two-run double in the fourth.
Adcock and Zack Moore had two hits apiece and two runs batted in for the winners. Caleb Webster and Bailey Welch each went two for four for Randleman.
South Granville starting pitcher Clay Walters, who was relieved in the fourth, got the win while Tanner Routh (13-2) was the losing pitcher.
Randleman is in the NCHSAA baseball championships for the third time in the last five years, while South Granville is in the finals for the first time since 1982. Randleman dropped to 26-5 overall while South Granville improved to 24-2.
South Granville has both its baseball and softball teams seeking state titles this weekend, the only school with both squads in action, and both teams won Friday night.
Game two of the best-of-three is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Saturday. 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
Doak Field at Dail Park, N.C. State
Class 2-A: Game One
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Randleman 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 8 3
South Granville 0 0 5 3 1 0 x 9 8 0
WP — Clay Walters
LP — Tanner Routh