On Cedar Ridge’s senior night, it was the McGuffey twins who paved the way for a Red Wolves win.
Grant McGuffey hit the game-winning single to score Nicholas Aitkin as the Red Wolves scored all three of its runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to beat Western Alamance 3-1 at Red Wolves Field. The Red Wolves outhit the Warriors 9-3, but finally got timely hitting in the sixth to push across the elusive run.
Ian McGuffey was the star of the night for the Red Wolves. The sophomore earned the win allowing only two hits over six-plus innings, conceding just one run. In the sixth inning, Ian helped his own cause with a line drive single to left field with one hit as Cedar Ridge trailed 1-0.
After Ian reached, John Grove walked. It led to Aitkin belting a line drive down the left field line to score McGuffey to tie the game. Grant McGuffey sent a 1-1 fastball dead up the middle to put the Red Wolves in the lead for the first time, scoring Grove. Aidan Ryan reached on an infield single.
In his final at-bat on Senior Night, Mason Cates sent a grounder to left field for a crucial insurance run, bringing in Aitkin.
Ian McGuffey walked Nicholas Sykes to open the seventh, but Gabriel Davis lined out to Aitkin at short. Junior Quinn Finnegan, who earned the win for Cedar Ridge on Wednesday night against Chapel Hill, replaced McGuffey on the mound and struck out Johnny Curtis. Cooper Marks grounded into a fielder’s choice where Aitkin touched second base to retire Marks for the final out.
It was Finnegan’s second save of the season. Finnegan had a save in Cedar Ridge’s conference opening win at Walter Williams on March 15. The victory over the Warriors was Cedar Ridge’s final conference game of the year. They finished with a sweep in the two-game series over the Warriors, finishing 6-6 in the Central Conference, which appears set to have all seven of its teams make the 3A State Playoffs.
The Warriors scored its only run in the first inning when Marks touched the plate following a single by Sykes. After that, Hudson Kelly turned a 5-4-3 double play to wrap up the first. McGuffey was dominant on the mound for the remainder of the game, not allowing another hit until the seventh inning.
Up until the fifth inning, the game had been frustrating for the Red Wolves. They were never retired in order but were blanked in the opening six innings. Its biggest threat came in the fifth when senior Kevin Jones drew a leadoff walk. Kelly drilled a one-out double to left field, but Jones was thrown out at the plate to keep the Warriors ahead.
Seniors Mason Cates, Landon Dalehite, Kevin Jones, Joel Davis and Rayshawn Page were honored before the game by head coach Bryson Massey.