North Johnston clinches Eastern Plains 2A baseball championship | Raleigh News & Observer

North Johnston pulled off a three-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning Friday night to down North Pitt 4-3 and clinch the Eastern Plains 2A Conference baseball championship.

The Panthers (18-2 overall, 8-0 conference) hold a three-game lead over the rest of the conference with only two games left in the regular season.

The big seventh inning started with four consecutive hits from Blake McLean, Dylan Radford, Garrett Littleton and Dallas Krob and a walk from Holden Hales. Steven Worley followed with the game-winning hit to score Krob.

Worley also picked up the win with an inning-and-two-thirds of relief work of Krob.

Princeton turns back state champs: Princeton avenged its only softball loss of the season Saturday afternoon, edging North Duplin 1-0 in 11 innings behind a 10 strikeout performance by senior pitcher Hailey Wood and Casey Mitchell’s solo home run in the top of the 11^th inning.

The result puts both teams at 9-1 in the Carolina 1A Conference for the season. Princeton is 13-1 overall.

The Bulldogs were outhit in the game 5-3 and made three errors to the Rebels’ one, but got out of inning after inning with its sharp defense and the Appalachian State signee’s work on the mound.

Bulldogs move up in baseball: Princeton moved into a tie for second place in the Carolina 1A Conference baseball race with an 8-4 win over North Duplin on Saturday. The Bulldogs stand at 9-3 in the league, along with Rosewood, both two games behind Spring Creek.

Princeton scored seven runs in the final three frames of play, keyed by a four-run sixth. Matthew Boyette drove in four runs for the Bulldogs and a double among his two hits; Anthony Jones and Tyler Ricks also had two hits each.

Tanner Flowers got the win with six-and-a-third innings of work with no earned runs, no walks and eight strikeouts.