North Carolina Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame Ron Stutts made it a daily routine on WCHL of saying “It’s 67 degrees in Chapel Hill, which means it’s 66 in Carrboro, where it’s always a degree cooler.”
In Roxboro, it’s more live five degrees cooler. Except on nights like Tuesday, where it’s Antartica.
“It was the coldest game I’ve ever been in,” said Cedar Ridge coach Bryson Massey on his way up Highway 57 amidst a jubilant bus ride home after he Red Wolves rallied from a 10-6 deficit to stun Person 11-10 at Rockets Field in Roxboro. “I’m just happy to be where it’s warm.”
It was a major win for a Cedar Ridge team coming off a flat performance against Walter Williams in Burlington. After the Red Wolves captured its conference opener over the Bulldogs 6-2 last Tuesday, Williams defeated the Red Wolves 10-0 in Burlington.
Person (3-2, 2-1 in the Central Carolina Conference) came into the game atop the Central Carolina Conference after they swept Western Alamance in a two-game series last week.
The Red Wolves battled more than the elements against the Rockets. Person started Levi Strader, who tossed five shutout innings in a 4-1 in over Western Alamance last week in Elon. The Red Wolves were able to connect off Strader for two runs in the opening inning. Both teams went deep into their bullpens, but it was the Red Wolves’ sophomore Nick Atkin who provided the steady hand in the end. Atkin picked up his first career win after he threw two-and-two-thirds innings of shutout baseball. He allowed only one baserunner with a walk in the seventh inning.
When Atkin entered the game in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Red Wolves trailed 10-7. Issac Anderson and B.J. Thornton started the comeback when they each drew walks to open the top of the sixth. Mason Cates loaded the bases with a line drive single to left field. Peyton Smith was inserted as pitcher and retired two Red Wolves before Grant McGuffey drew a bases loaded walk to score Thornton.
Atkin retired the Rockets in order in the sixth. In the seventh, Landon Dalehite, Anderson and Thornton were all hit by pitches in their respective at-bats. Cates tied the game with a two-run single to right field, scoring Dalehite and Anderson. Ian McGuffey then laid down a suicide squeeze bunt to first base, bringing in Thornton to put the Red Wolves ahead 11-10.
Person put the game-tying run on board in the seventh inning when Keeghan Holmes was hit by a pitch with one out. Atkin got Lee Womack to ground into a fielder’s choice, Ian McGuffey stepped on second base for the second out. After Tyler White was intentionally walked, Dylan England flew out to Anderson in centerfield for the final out.
On Wednesday night, the Red Wolves dominated Northern Durham 18-2 at Knights Field. Quinn Finnegan hit an inside the park home run on a ball hit to left field to score Joe Garbee and Kevin Jones. Leading 2-1, the Red Wolves scored four runs in the third inning. Jones led off the inning with a single to left field. After Anderson walked, Thornton knocked in Jones with a single to right field. Anderson scored off a wild pitch to increase the Red Wolves lead to 4-1. Thornton scored off a balk called against Northern. Cates went on to score off an error.
Joe Garbee threw four innings to take his first win of the season. Anibal Sanchez and Finnegan threw three shoutout innings to ride out the victory for the Red Wolves. Atkin, starting at shortstop, finished 3-for-3 with two RBIs. Thornton went 2-for-3 with three runs scored.
Cedar Ridge (4-2, 2-1) will host Person on Friday night.