JUNE 2011 | BASEBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES - GAME 3
South Point 8, NE Guilford 5 — RALEIGH — South Point redeemed itself.
After blowing a five-run lead in the final inning of Game 2, South Point collected itself in time for an 8-5 victory over Northeast Guilford hours later in the decisive third game to win the 3A state baseball title Saturday.
“It’s unbelievable. It’s like a dream come true,” senior Jeffrey Springs said. “Everybody’s worked so hard and this is our pay day.”
With a host of vocal fans at N.C. State’s Doak Field, South Point capped a 27-3 season with its fourth state championship in school history. The Red Raiders previously won the N.C. High School Athletic Association 3A state title in 1981 and Western N.C. Activities Association titles in 1973 and 1974.
Springs picked up MVP honors after adding two hits and two RBIs in the final game, finishing the series 7-for-11 with seven RBIs and three doubles. The senior Appalachian State signee also pitched a complete game in Game 1.
But the contributions came from many places. Andrew Locklear and Jordan Edgerton also tallied two hits each in the final game as South Point outhit the Rams 11-8. Justin Pace added a run-scoring double, Patrick Horne drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Chuck Lawing had a two-run single.
Meanwhile, Locklear gave South Point its eighth complete-game pitching performance in nine playoff games. The sophomore right-hander surrendered five runs on seven hits while striking out five and walking none.
“I’ve been saved by grace through faith in Christ. As a result, I’ve been blessed by that,” South Point coach Jason Lineberger said. “I’ve been blessed with great players, a great coaching staff, a great community. I’m overwhelmed right now with this.”
Practically everyone at the stadium thought the series was over entering the seventh inning of Game 2 earlier in the day, but Northeast Guilford rallied from a five-run deficit to win 12-11.
South Point then had nearly four hours to either stew over it or get over it.
“When we got done with our meeting and we were leaving the ballpark (for between-game meal), it was over,” Springs said. “We knew it was time to go, that we had another game to play.”
In that wild seventh inning of Game 2, Northeast Guilford did its damage on three hits, one error, two walks and two hit batsmen.
“That was like a bombshell dropping on us to have a five-run lead and to blow it. It took about an hour to get over it,” Lineberger said. “… We just decided there was one left for the state championship and knew we had to go do it if we wanted to do it. Those boys got themselves ready like they have all year.”
South Point came out loose for Game 3 and took control right away, scoring two runs in the first inning. Northeast Guilford (30-3) took a 3-2 lead in the second before South Point answered with four more runs in the third for a 6-3 lead. The Red Raiders never trailed the rest of the way.
Northeast Guilford starter Caleb McCann lasted 2-plus innings with one walk, one strikeout, four hits four runs (three earned). Johnny Brown went 2-for-3 with a solo home run to lead Northeast Guilford’s seven-hit attack.
JUNE 2011 | BASEBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES - GAME 2
NE Guilford 12, South Point 11 — RALEIGH — South Point’s still a win away from a state championship.
But the Red Raiders might be kicking themselves for a few hours after blowing a five-run lead in the final inning of an eventual 12-11 loss to Northeast Guilford in Game 2 of the 3A state championship series.
The decisive Game 3 will take place later tonight at N.C. State’s Doak Field, probably no earlier than 8:30.
South Point (26-3) took an 11-6 lead into the top of the seventh inning before Northeast Guilford (30-2) staged an improbable comeback. After a bases-loaded walk by Jordan Brown and an RBI single by Josiel Colon, Jaylin Davis’ grand slam completed the rally.
JUNE 2011 | BASEBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES - GAME 1
South Point 12, NE Guilford 6 — RALEIGH – When you hear Jeffrey Springs had a lot to do with South Point High’s N.C. 3A baseball championship series victory, you assume he had yet another dominating pitching performance.
Well, Springs was the winning pitcher in the Red Raiders’ 12-6 victory over Northeast Guilford at N.C. State’s Doak Field in the opener of their best-of-three series.
But what he and his teammates did at the plate was the biggest story as South Point moved one win away from the school’s fourth state championship. The Red Raiders will send unbeaten right-hander Logan Walden (11-0) to the mound at 2 p.m. in Game 2 of the series. If a Game 3 if necessary it would be played at either 5 p.m. or 8 p.m. depending on the results of the 2A series between East Rutherford and Randleman.
MAY 2011 | BASEBALL REGIONAL FINALS SERIES - GAME 2
South Point 6, Marvin Ridge 2 — Great pitching performances have defined South Point’s baseball season, but the team hasn’t gone this far without more than a handful of defensive gems and stellar hitting performances.
The Red Raiders put all of the above on display Saturday, beating Marvin Ridge 6-2 to sweep the 3A West Regional series and advance to the state championship series.
“We’re still kind of in shock really,” said left fielder Derek Treffinger, one of five seniors on the roster. “All the seniors are really glad that we’re finishing the year the way we are.”
South Point (25-2) will face Northeast Guilford (29-1) in the best-of-three 3A state championship series Friday and Saturday at Five County Stadium in Zebulon or N.C. State’s Doak Field in Raleigh. The N.C. High School Athletic Association hasn’t set the exact schedule. Northeast Guilford beat Eastern Wayne 8-3 and 4-2 to sweep the 3A East regional championship series and hasn’t lost since the season opener.
MAY 2011 | BASEBALL REGIONAL FINALS SERIES - GAME 1
South Point 4, Marvin Ridge 3 — Patrick Horne told himself it was just another at-bat.
In reality, the stakes were huge with an opportunity to take Game 1 in South Point’s regional final series with Marvin Ridge.
With bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the seventh, Horne calmly took care of business, delivering an RBI single to give South Point a 4-3 home win on Thursday.
“We put ourselves through that at practice each and every day in our mind,” the junior catcher said. “It was a mindset thing.”
Now, South Point (24-2) stands one win away from reaching the state finals. The best-of-three regional series continues with Game 2 tonight at 5 at Marvin Ridge (19-10), which is located in Waxhaw. The earlier start time is necessary because the Mavericks’ stadium doesn’t have lights. Game 3, if necessary, would be 7 p.m. Saturday at South Point.
South Point 3, Hickory 0 — Another shutout, another South Point win.
Junior right-hander Logan Walden tossed a two-hit shutout and South Point cashed in on key Hickory mistakes to pick up a 3-0 road win Tuesday in the fourth round of the 3A state baseball playoffs.
South Point (23-2) broke the school record for most wins in a season and now gets ready for a best-of-three 3A West regional final series against Waxhaw Marvin Ridge (19-9), a 7-6 winner over Monroe Parkwood. Although Marvin Ridge is also a No. 1 seed, South Point will have homefield advantage because the Big South Conference has seeding priority over Marvin Ridge’s Southern Carolina Conference this season.
Game 1 will likely be set for 7 p.m. Thursday at South Point, although the schools hadn’t made arrangements as of Tuesday night. The winner of that series will compete for the state championship the following weekend.
MAY 2011 | BASEBALL PLAYOFFS
South Point 1, N. Buncombe 0 — For roughly two hours Friday evening, North Buncombe’s players competed like they didn’t want the sun to set on their season.
Unfortunately for the Black Hawks, South Point pitcher Jeffrey Springs was just as stubborn.
Despite a brilliant pitching performance by freshman Alex Destino, the Black Hawks weren’t able to get anything going offensively against Springs and absorbed a 1-0 defeat in the third round of the NCHSAA playoffs.
MAY 2011 | BASEBALL PLAYOFFS
South Point 4, Fred T. Foard 0 — Senior right-hander Logan Walden said he didn’t have his best night on the pitcher’s mound for South Point in Wednesday’s N.C. 3A second round playoff game against visiting Foard.
It didn’t matter much, as Walden still managed to fire a three-hit shutout that helped the Red Raiders win 4-0 and advance to the third round for the first time since 2008.
South Point (21-2) will play at Western N.C. Athletic Conference champion North Buncombe (20-8) in the third round of the playoffs. The game is slated to be played on Friday and Red Raiders coach Jason Lineberger said a final decision on game time and day would be made Thursday morning.
MAY 2011 | BASEBALL PLAYOFFS
South Point 7, East Henderson 1 — Rusty or refreshed? South Point was clearly the latter after going eight days without a game to enter the state playoffs.
Jeffrey Springs struck out 16 batters in a complete-game one-hitter and Logan Walden homered to highlight South Point’s 7-1 home victory over East Henderson on Friday.
“I felt like we were definitely ready to play,” South Point coach Jason Lineberger said. “That long time of practice makes you a little hungrier to play and we certainly didn’t take it for granted tonight.”
MAY 2011 | BASEBALL
South Point 11, East Gaston 0 (6 inn.) — One night after having its bid for an undefeated conference season squashed, South Point held nothing back.
Logan Walden struck out 14 in a complete-game performance and Jordan Edgerton slugged his third home run of the season in leading South Point to an 11-0, six-inning defeat of East Gaston.
“This team knows how to handle failure and that’s the difference,” said Edgerton, one of five seniors. “That’s the difference between good teams and great teams.”
South Point (19-2) scored three runs right away in the first inning and never looked back and will now enter the postseason on a high note. The Red Raiders have nine full days without a game before the first round of the state playoffs.
MAY 2011 | JV BASEBALL
South Point 16, East Gaston 4 (5 inn.) — South Point’s JV baseball team defeated East Gaston 16-4 in five innings Wednesday to complete an undefeated season at 17-0.
“They bought into the team concept and we built it on great pitching and great defense,” South Point coach Mickey Lineberger said.
Chuck Lawing went 3-for-3 while Mitchell Painter, Mykel Davis and Aaron Biggerstaff added two hits each for the Red Raiders. Dan Johnson was the winning pitcher, striking out five while scattering five hits in a complete game.
MAY 2011 | BASEBALL
Forestview 4, South Point 3 — With the game on the line, who would a team rather have at the plate than a guy nicknamed Lucky?
Logan Craig’s good fortune on Tuesday came in the form of an RBI bunt in the bottom of the seventh inning to give Forestview a dramatic 4-3 home win against South Point.
“They’ve been our daddies the past three years since I’ve been a sophomore and I’ve always wanted the game in my hand against them,” said Craig, one of nine seniors on the Forestview roster. “That was the opportunity. He gave me the squeeze sign and I was like, ‘This could be it right here.’”
Craig seized the moment, helping Forestview (16-6, 9-2 Big South 3A Conference) become the only the second team to beat South Point (18-2, 11-1) this season. The Jaguars, who lost the season’s first two meetings by one run each, also denied South Point its third undefeated conference season.
MAY 2011 | JV BASEBALL
South Point 14, Forestview 1 — Chase Hannafin (two hits), Adam Andrew (two hits, four RBIs). Aaron Biggerstaff picked up the win, yielding five hits and one run. South Point (16-0) visits East Gaston today.
APRIL 2011 | BASEBALL
South Point 11, Bessemer City 1 — After struggling to find offense in its first two tournament games – two runs in 15 innings – the Red Raiders poured it on early and late to improve to 18-1 on the season.
South Point scored three runs in the first inning, then closed out the game by the 10-run mercy rule with four-run uprisings in the fifth and sixth innings.semifinal.
APRIL 2011 | BASEBALL
South Point 2, Forestview 1 — Logan Walden's RBI single with one out in the eighth gave South Point a 2-1 win in the consolation bracket.
Walden also pitched the win in relief of Jeffrey Springs, going the final 2 2/3 innings.
Forestview tied the score at 1 in the top of the sixth thanks to an error in right field. Even had he made the play, Reilly Hovis would have scored on a sacrifice fly. Either way, South Point coach Jason Lineberger just pulled ace Jeffrey Springs off the mound after he allowed four baserunners this inning (including back-to-back singles by Hovis and Jared Silver). Logan Walden is in.
Walden struck out both of his batters in the sixth as Forestview left the bases loaded.
South Point took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth when an error on a double-play attempt allowed Justin Pace to score.
The game was scoreless through 3 1/2 innings behind strong pitching by both teams' aces: South Point's Jeffrey Springs and Forestview's Reilly Hovis.
APRIL 2011 | BASEBALL
East Gaston 1, South Point 0 — Brandon Bates pitched a three-hit shutout as the Warriors ended rival South Point's bid at a perfect season.
Bates, a senior left-hander, struck out nine as the Warriors improved to 9-7 and advanced to Wednesday's 4 p.m. semifinal.
East Gaston scored the game's only run on pinch-hitter Jared Chapman's two-out RBI single to left in the top of the seventh. Ethan Frazier had hit a two-out double to center, before being replaced by pinch-runner Sawyer McGraw, who scored easily on Chapman's hit.
South Point (16-1) plays again in Tuesday's 4 p.m. loser's bracket semifinal.
APRIL 2011 | BASEBALL
South Point 4, North Gaston 2 — South Point wrapped up its 18th regular-season conference baseball title in school history Thursday night. But it’s the first time the Red Raiders have clinched a league title with two weeks left in the regular season.
Of course, as South Point coach Jason Lineberger would tell you after Thursday’s 4-2 come-from-behind victory, this Red Raiders’ team is quite special for more reasons than simply making quick work of this year’s league title.
“I believe we’re taking the same approach to every game and, really, to every situation,” said Lineberger, whose team improved to 16-0 overall and 11-0 in the league. “That’s what makes this group of boys so special.”
Click here for pictures of the game and seniors with their parents for "senior night."
APRIL 2011 | BASEBALL
South Point 2, Ashbrook 0 — Jeffery Springs improved to 7-0, tossing a complete-game two-hitter with 13 strikeouts. Springs helped his cause with a solo home run. Logan Walden added an RBI for the Red Raiders. Cramer Lewis tossed a complete game for Ashbrook, yielding just four hits and two earned runs. South Point (15-0, 10-0 Big South 3A) hosts North Gaston on Thursday.
APRIL 2011 | JV BASEBALL
South Point 12, Ashbrook 0 — Adam Andrew (3-for-3) and Aaron Biggerstaff (2-for-3) led the Red Raiders (14-0, 10-0). Dan Johnson (three hits, seven strikeouts and one walk) got the win.
APRIL 2011 | BASEBALL
South Point 9, Hunter Huss 0 — Logan Walden tossed a one-hitter with 13 strikeouts in seven innings. Walden faced the minimum 21 batters. Spencer Wiles (two hits), Andrew Locklear (two hits), Jordan Edgerton (two hits, home run) and Jeffery Springs (two hits) led South Point at the plate. Cody Perry led off the game with a single for Hunter Huss. The Red Raiders (14-0, 9-0 Big South 3A) host Ashbrook on Tuesday.
APRIL 2011 | JV BASEBALL
South Point 14, Hunter Huss 3 — Chase Hannafin (three hits) and Dan Johnson (two hits) led South Point at the plate. Tyler Potter picked up the win for South Point (13-0, 9-0), while Zacc Ramano and Mitchell Painter also saw action on the mound.
APRIL 2011 | BASEBALL
South Point 13, Clover 1 — Andrew Locklear pitched four innings for the win while Jordan Edgerton (2-for-4), Patrick Horne (2-for-3), Derek Treffinger (2-for-4) and Jeffrey Springs (home run) provided the offense for South Point (13-0), which visits Hunter Huss tonight at 7.
APRIL 2011 | BASEBALL
South Point 1, Crest 0 — Facing Crest for the second time in eight days, Jeffrey Springs figured he better bring something new to the table.
“I was actually able to throw the change-up this game compared to last game,” the senior said after leading South Point to a 1-0 home win on Tuesday. “I knew I saw them just a week ago and I had to throw something different.”
The Appalachian State signee was on top of his game again, improving to 6-0 with a complete-game two-hitter. Springs struck out 12, walked two and did it all in an efficient 110-pitch outing.
APRIL 2011 | JV BASEBALL
South Point 5, Crest 1 — Aaron Biggerstaff allowed one hit for the win and cranked a homer as South Point (12-0, 8-0) stayed undefeated. Mitch Painter also homered for the Red Raiders.
APRIL 2011 | BASEBALL
South Point 6, Kings Mountain 5 — As the unbeaten leader of the Big South 3A Conference baseball race, South Point High knows it’s going to get everyone’s best shot.
On Thursday at Red Raider Field, Kings Mountain gave South Point all it could handle. The Mountaineers got off to a fast start and got solid performances from each of the two pitchers they used.
Still, it wasn’t enough as the Red Raiders rallied for a 6-5 victory that improves them to 11-0 overall and 7-0 in the league.
APRIL 2011 | JV BASEBALL
South Point 5, Kings Mountain 3 — Landon Bolin pitched a complete game for the junior Mountaineers, striking out three and giving up six hits. Zach Hegler had a two-run single, and Daniel Barrett, Cameron Bullock and Bolin each added a hit for Kings Mountain (7-5, 3-4 Big South 3A), which plays at Ashbrook next Friday.
APRIL 2011 | BASEBALL
South Point 10, Crest 0 — The South Point High baseball team faced little resistance in rolling to a 10-0 Big South 3A victory at Crest on Tuesday.
Jeffrey Springs pitched a complete-game, two-hit shutout, while the Red Raiders (10-0, 6-0 Big South 3A) used a quartet of home runs to stay perfect.
MARCH 2011 | BASEBALL
South Point 5, North Gaston 1 — Logan Walden pitched his fourth win of the season and South Point found its offensive groove late in a 5-1 win at North Gaston on Friday.
MARCH 2011 | BASEBALL
South Point 4, Forestview 3 — Before Friday’s Big South 3A Conference baseball games began, there were two unbeaten teams in league play and three others with one league loss.
When the dust settled Friday night, South Point emerged atop the conference standings as its lone league unbeaten following a scrappy 4-3 comeback victory over Forestview.
MARCH 2011 | BASEBALL
South Point 10, Ashbrook 1 — Jeffrey Springs struck out 14 in six innings and yielded two hits before Jordan Edgerton struck out the side in the seventh to close out a dominating Big South 3A Conference victory Tuesday. Spencer Wiles and Justin Pace had two hits each and Derek Treffinger added a two-run homer — his first of the season — for South Point (7-0, 3-0), which plays host to Forestview on Friday.
MARCH 2011 | BASEBALL
South Point 8, Kings Mountain 1 — Spencer Wiles (two hits) and Logan Walden (home run) paced South Point at the plate. Jeffery Springs tossed a complete-game, yielding three hits with 16 strikeouts. The Red Raiders (5-0, 1-0 Big South 3A) host Hunter Huss on Friday at 7 p.m. Dallas Conner’s solo home run was the only breakthrough against Red Raiders’ Springs. Will Sellers and Brian Brown had the only other hits for the Mountaineers (1-4) against Springs. Connor started and went 1.2 innings and took the decision. Kings Mountain is back in action Friday at 5 p.m. in a non-conference doubleheader at Hickory.
MARCH 2011 | BASEBALL South Point 7, East Lincoln 0 — Logan Walden (home run), Jeffery Springs (one hit, RBI) and Derek Perry (two hits) led South Point at the plate. Springs and Walden combined to strike out 17. Springs got the win in four innings of work, allowing no hits with 10 strikeouts, while Walden yielded two hits and fanned seven in the last three innings. The Red Raiders (4-0) visit Kings Mountain on Tuesday in the Big South 3A Conference opener for both teams.
South Point 8, Clover 6 — Spencer Wiles (3-for-4, home run), Andrew Locklear (2-for-4, home run) and Justin Pace (2-for-4, walk-off home run in seventh) stood out in the win. Jeffrey Springs got the win, pitching 1 2-3 innings. Logan Walden threw four innings and fanned five batters. South Point (3-0) plays at Clover at 5 p.m. on Wednesday.
