Mountaineers beat Ashbrook,
qualify for state 3A playoffs
Kings Mountain’s Mountaineers clinched a state 3A playoff berth with an 11-6 victory over Ashbrook last week in Gastonia.
The Mountaineers were scheduled to host Gastonia Forestview in their final regular season home game last night and will close out the regular season Thursday night at Crest.
The state playoffs begin June 15. Opponents will be announced at the conclusion of the regular season.
Kings Mountain built an early 6-0 lead at Ashbrook but saw the Green Wave battle back to come within 6-5. The Mountaineers scored three runs in the fourth inning to go up 9-5 and put the win in the bag.
The Mountaineers got their bats going early with a two-run home run over the center field fence by Charlie Melton. Zane Brockman had walked to get things started.
The Mountaineers went up 6-0 with four runs in the top of the second inning. Jaxson Bolin singled and Caleb Broome was hit by a pitch. After a balk moved both runners into scoring position, Jacob Hamrick hit a hard ground ball that the Ashbrook shortstop couldn’t handle. Both runners scored to make it 4-0. With two outs, Cole Irby laced a two-run single to left to give KM a 6-0 lead.
Ashbrook answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning. The rally was sparked with a double by Meeks. After a couple of walks loaded the bases, Ashbrook coaxed a pair of two-out walks to get within 6-2.
The Green Wave kept their rally going in the third, scoring three more runs on four consecutive singles to make the score 6-5.
That would be as close as they would come, though, as the Mountaineers took control at the bat and on the field. The Mountaineers added three runs in the fourth. Caleb Broome led off with a walk and AJ Wylie followed with a single up the middle. Jacob Hamrick’s bunt single loaded the bases. Cole Irby’s sacrifice fly to deep center scored Broome. With two outs, Melton helped his own cause with a two-run single scoring Wylie and Hamrick to make it 9-5.
KM tacked on its final two runs in the seventh when Zane Brockman’s single to center drove in Broome and Hamrick.
Wyatt Davis came on in relief to pitch the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. He allowed only one hit and struck out four.
Brockman pitched final inning, giving up one unearned run on two KM errors. He didn’t allow a hit or walk and struck out two.
Melton picked up the win on the mound to improve his record to 5-1.
KM finished with 12 hits. Jacob Hamrick led the way with three and also scored three runs. Melton was 2-for-3 with four RBIs and a run scored. Peyton Fisher added two hits and Brockman, Irby, Richards, Bolin and Wylie had one each.
The Mountaineers were scheduled to host Gastonia Forestview in their final regular season home game last night and will close out the regular season Thursday night at Crest.
The state playoffs begin June 15. Opponents will be announced at the conclusion of the regular season.
Kings Mountain built an early 6-0 lead at Ashbrook but saw the Green Wave battle back to come within 6-5. The Mountaineers scored three runs in the fourth inning to go up 9-5 and put the win in the bag.
The Mountaineers got their bats going early with a two-run home run over the center field fence by Charlie Melton. Zane Brockman had walked to get things started.
The Mountaineers went up 6-0 with four runs in the top of the second inning. Jaxson Bolin singled and Caleb Broome was hit by a pitch. After a balk moved both runners into scoring position, Jacob Hamrick hit a hard ground ball that the Ashbrook shortstop couldn’t handle. Both runners scored to make it 4-0. With two outs, Cole Irby laced a two-run single to left to give KM a 6-0 lead.
Ashbrook answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning. The rally was sparked with a double by Meeks. After a couple of walks loaded the bases, Ashbrook coaxed a pair of two-out walks to get within 6-2.
The Green Wave kept their rally going in the third, scoring three more runs on four consecutive singles to make the score 6-5.
That would be as close as they would come, though, as the Mountaineers took control at the bat and on the field. The Mountaineers added three runs in the fourth. Caleb Broome led off with a walk and AJ Wylie followed with a single up the middle. Jacob Hamrick’s bunt single loaded the bases. Cole Irby’s sacrifice fly to deep center scored Broome. With two outs, Melton helped his own cause with a two-run single scoring Wylie and Hamrick to make it 9-5.
KM tacked on its final two runs in the seventh when Zane Brockman’s single to center drove in Broome and Hamrick.
Wyatt Davis came on in relief to pitch the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. He allowed only one hit and struck out four.
Brockman pitched final inning, giving up one unearned run on two KM errors. He didn’t allow a hit or walk and struck out two.
Melton picked up the win on the mound to improve his record to 5-1.
KM finished with 12 hits. Jacob Hamrick led the way with three and also scored three runs. Melton was 2-for-3 with four RBIs and a run scored. Peyton Fisher added two hits and Brockman, Irby, Richards, Bolin and Wylie had one each.