Fuquay-Varina baseball forces third game against Reagan in the 4A state championship
Fuquay-Varina evened the series against Reagan on Saturday, with a dominant 13-3 victory in the second game of the 4A NCHSAA baseball state championship.
After winning 7-0 on Friday, the Raiders came nowhere near that same success Saturday afternoon. Fuquay-Varina struck first in the first inning, going up 1-0 with a run from senior infielder Rhett James. Separation was created in the third, however, after senior third baseman Parker McGraw hit a ball out of the park to left field to score two runners, extending the lead to 4-0.
The Bengals grew their lead to 5-0 heading into the bottom of the third, when Reagan would score its first two runs of the game. Strong field play from Fuquay-Varina kept the Raiders at bay for most of the game, however.
Fuquay-Varina, on the other hand, scored with ease through the game, scoring three runs in the fourth inning and four runs in the sixth. Junior outfielder AJ Hollingsworth reached home plate three times for the Bengals.
Senior pitcher Cyle Phelan led Fuquay-Varina throughout the game, as he played a crucial role in limiting Reagan’s offensive production. He pitched six innings before coming out of the game. McGraw and senior first baseman Aidan Cannaday delivered strong batting performances, with both players recording multiple RBIs during the contest.
The third and final winner-take-all game will be played at Burlington Athletic Stadium at Saturday at 5 p.m.
This story was originally published June 26, 2021 at 3:07 PM.
