While spring break was several weeks ago for Orange County Schools students, this week is a chance for Cedar Ridge baseball players to deviate from the norm.
It’s no holiday. It’s just a break from the rigors of Central Carolina Conference action.
The Hilltop Invitational provides a sort of midterm exam for players to test themselves against non conference teams to see how they’ve improve from the start of the season six weeks ago, and what needs shored up for a late season playoff push.
On Monday night, Cedar Ridge relied on some familiar power and pitching experience to get them over the first hurdle.
Senior B.J. Thornton’s RBI triple during a decisive four-run fourth inning, followed by a game-winning single from Landon Dalehite led the Red Wolves past Union Pines 9-5 at Red Wolves Stadium.
In a game that was tied twice, Cedar Ridge pulled away with three runs in the sixth inning. Isaac Anderson lined a single to left field to score Will Tippin. Mason Cates, who earned the save on the mound, sent a one-run single to left field to bring in Anderson.
The Red Wolves (9-6) have won three in a row as they prepare Lee County on Tuesday night at Red Wolves Field.
“What we want from this invitational is we want good, quality teams to come in,” said Cedar Ridge coach Bryson Massey. “That’s what we did this year. Union Pines is a high quality team with a great tradition. Lee County is one of the top teams in the state every year. So getting our guys to compete against teams they don’t compete against is what we want.”
Quinn Finnegan threw five innings to earn the win. He struck out two with no walks and withstood an early Vikings run in the second inning. Union Pines’ Jacob Williams knocked in Hunter Meeds on a hard grounder to right field in the second inning.
Tippin and Anderson drew consecutive walks to open the third inning. After Vikings’ sophomore starter Ryan Wallace got a strikeout for the second out, Finnegan sent a grounder to the hole in the right side of the infield, bringing in Tippin to tie the game. Thornton walked to load the bases. With Dalehite at the plate, Anderson scored on a wild pitch that bounced off the brink lining behind home plate to give the Red Wolves a 2-1 lead.
Union Pines jumped back in front in the top of the fourth. Junior Austin Mooring reached on an infield hit on a grounder to third base. Mooring stole second, went to third after a groundout by Grey Booker, then scored off a single by Ben Finkelstein. Meeds, who reached on a fielder’s choice, also scored from second base to put the Vikings ahead.
The lead was short-lived. In the bottom of the 5th, Anderson got aboard on a hard grounder to the shortstop. Cates also reached on a single. With two out, Thornton smoked a laser that rolled all the way to the centerfield wall, scoring Cates to tie the game. Dalehite sent a grounder to the left field hole, scoring Cates and putting the Red Wolves ahead for good.
But it didn’t end there. After freshman Caden Thomson reached on a bunt single, sophomore Nick Aitkin lined a double to right field. Dalehite and Thompson came home and Cedar Ridge led 6-3.
The Vikings drew within a run in the top of the sixth. Meeds and Grey Booker each scored on a throwing error with two out to trim the Cedar Ridge lead to 6-5.
Once again, Tippin led off the inning by getting on base, this time with a single to left field. Anderson also reached on a base hit to left field, and Tippin scored off an error by Booker. Cates drove in Anderson with a single.
Cedar Ridge will face Lee County on Tuesday night at 6PM. On Thursday, the Red Wolves take on Chapel Hill at Red Wolves Field, also at 6PM.