Joe Kiger: On July 26, Kiger won the Mod 4 Feature race at Orange County Speedway in Rougemont. Kiger, racing in the #12 Blalock’s Towing and Recovery car, starting on the outside flanked along pole-sitter Jon Fish. Kiger, who played linebacker/running back at Orange and graduated in 2020, passed Fish and cruised to victory. Andrew Weaver finished second.
Bryse Wilson: After several weeks with the Indianapolis Indians, Wilson returned to the Pittsburgh Pirates in mid-July. On July 17, Wilson faced the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field in Denver. Wilson threw three-and-one-thirds innings and surrendered two runs off four hits with three strikeouts in a no-decision. The Pirates won 8-3.
On July 26, Wilson threw six innings in a 3-0 loss to the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Wilson gave up three runs off six hits. He struck out two with one walk.
Wilson is 1-6 with a 6.31 ERA with Pittsburgh this season. He will start against the Milwaukee Brewers tonight (Tuesday night) at 7:05 at PNC Park.
Mia Davidson: After playing for Triple Crown Colorado in the Canada Cup Softball Tournament in June, Davidson made her official professional softball debut with Athletes Unlimited last weekend. The unique format of Athletes Unlimited has players competing on teams as well as individually. A player can earn ten points for a single, 20 points for a double, 30 points for a triple, 40 points for a home run, ten points for a sacrifice bunt, and eight points for a walk or getting hit by a pitch. They also receive ten points for a stolen base and lose ten points when caught stealing. Each player receives ten points for each inning their team wins and 50 points for each game they win. At the end of every weekend, comprised of three-game series, the top four point getters become team captains. Each Monday, the captains select new teams for the upcoming weekend’s series. Last weekend, the first of Athletes Unlimited’s softball season, Davidson played for Team Eberle, captained by former Virginia Tech and Oklahoma State pitcher Carrie Eberle. Team Eberle went 2-1 for the weekend at the Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont, IL. Davidson played designated player in all three games, away from her traditional role as catcher. In her first game, Team Eberle defeated Team Chidester 4-3. Davidson went 0-for-2, but earned 116 points after drawing a walk in the fifth and getting hit by a pitch in the seventh. Team Eberle got 50 points in the win and earned 50 inning points.
On Saturday, Davidson scored the only run in Team Eberle’s 1-0 win over Team Ocasio. Davidson had the first base hit of her professional career with a laser down the right field line. She scored off a single by former Wisconsin first baseman Kelsey Harshman. It was the first 1-0 game in Athletes Unlimited history. Davidson also walked and earned 138 points for the day.
On Sunday, Team Zerkle defeated Team Eberle 9-3. Davidson went 0-for-2 with a walk and was hit by a pitch. She came away with 36 points. For the weekend, Davidson had 290 points and in 12th place overall.
In the Week 2 draft on Monday night, Davidson was once again selected by Team Eberle in the 12th round. At the end of week 1, Carrie Eberle leads all players with 452 points. Team Eberle will face Team Harshman on Friday night at 6:30. On Saturday, Team Eberle faces Team Mulipola at 2:30. On Sunday, Team Eberle faces Team Jaquish.
Joey Berini: Following the conclusion of the East Carolina Pirates baseball season in June, Berini spent the summer playing for the Holly Springs Salamanders of the Coastal Plain League. The Salamanders ended its regular season with an 11-5 loss to the Peninsula Pilots at War Memorial Stadium in Hampton, VA on Saturday. Berini, who played second base most of the season for Holly Springs, went 0-4 with a run scored. On Sunday, Holly Springs defeated the South Wake Shakes 8-2 in seven innings at Ting Stadium in an exhibition game. Berini hit his third homer of the season and finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Former Northern Durham pitcher Jackson Bishop, who graduated from high school in June, started for South Wake. Berini ended the season with a .239 batting average in 23 games with three home runs and seven RBIs.
Aidan McAllister: As he prepares to start his college career with Hofstra in February, McAllister spent the summer playing for the Carolina Disco Turkeys, a collegiate wooden bat summer team based in Winston-Salem. Among the highlights for McAllister came against the Greensboro Monarchs on July 16 when he went 2-for-3 in a 5-4 win for the Disco Turkeys at Truist Field in Winston-Salem. On July 28, McAllister had four RBIs as the Disco Turkeys won 12-4 over the Greensboro Yard Goats. The Disco Turkeys made its way to qualify for the All-American Amateur Baseball Association Tournament in Johnstown, PA. On Monday, the New Orleans Boosters defeated the Disco Turkeys 18-3. Carolina will face the Philly Bandits on Tuesday morning in the second game of pool play.
Kate Burgess: Burgess was named a captain for the UNC rowing team for the upcoming season. This past season, Burgess competed in nine races as a junior in 1V4 and 2V4. She finished first against UCF and second against Tennessee in the First Varsity 4+ boat at the UVA Invitational on March 26. Burgess was a starting center for the Orange women’s basketball team and also ran cross country.