Ryan Hench: It was a busy summer for Hench, a 2023 Orange High graduate. Playing for the Burlington Sock Puppets of the Appalachian League, Hench led the team with four wins as Burlington finished the regular season 29-17 on Wednesday, the best record in the Eastern Division. The Bluefield Ridge Runners rallied from four runs down to defeat Burlington 10-6 in the Eastern Division Championship game on Thursday at Burlington Athletic Park. Hench finished the season 4-1 with a 3.98 ERA with 26 strikeouts and 14 walks. It was the second straight year that Hench made the Appalachian League playoffs with the Sock Puppets. He was also nominated by the Appalachian League for Humanitarian of the Year. Hench has officially transferred from North Carolina to the College of Charleston after two seasons in Chapel Hill.
Jackson Berini: The former Orange High shortstop will join Hench at the College of Charleston next winter. Berini committed to play for Wichita State but opted to transfer in June. Berini’s second season at Gaston College was cut short due to undergoing sports hernia surgery. He played 12 games, hitting .261 with one home run and six RBIs.
Bryse Wilson: After being designated for assignment by the Chicago White Sox in June, Wilson is currently playing for the Charlotte Knights of the International League. On Thursday, Wilson started and threw five strong innings as the Knights defeated the Rochester Red Wings 7-5 at Truist Park. Wilson allowed only one run with three strikeouts, scattering five hits, lowering his ERA to 2.96. Since going to Charlotte, Wilson is 3-1. He came out of the bullpen and threw two innings of scoreless relief with two strikeouts in a victory over the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp on July 3.
Dante DeFranco: After three years with the Charlotte 49ers, DeFranco has entered the transfer portal. In his final season with the 49ers, DeFranco played six games with a .250 batting average.
Coltin Hedrick: In his freshman season with Wake Tech, Hedrick made ten pitching appearances. He threw nine-point-one innings with a 2.89 ERA with eight strikeouts and 13 walks.
Wyatt Hedrick: Also playing for Wake Tech as a freshman, Hedrick saw action in nine games in 2025. Wake Tech finished 17-33 overall, 12-24 in Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association.
Connor Kruse: The Lenior-Rhyne men’s lacrosse team ended the year with a loss in the opening round of the NCAA Division II Tournament. Wingate knocked off the Bears 17-16 at Moretz Stadium in Hickory. Wingate avenged a 9-6 loss to Lenior-Rhyne on March 1. The Bears ended the regular season on an eight-game winning streak. Kruse, the all-time leading scorer in Orange history, finished the regular season with four goals and four assists across eleven games.
Jacob Driver: The former Cedar Ridge Red Wolf played five games with Division II Mt. Olive men’s lacrosse this year. The Trojans finished 7-7 overall, 5-2 in Conference Carolinas.
Cy Horner: The Division III Methodist men’s lacrosse team just came up short of its quest of reaching the NCAA Division III National Tournament, falling to top-seeded Pfeiffer in the championship match of the USA South Conference Tournament. In the semifinals, Methodist upset second-seeded Piedmont 9-8 at Lefko-Mills Field in Misenheimer. Horner’s only goal of the game put Methodist ahead 8-7. He also had two assists. For the season, Horner was the second-leading scorer on the team with 32 goals and 44 points. He had four hat tricks, including six goals against William Peace University on March 26.
Josh Crabtree: In 16 games with the Methodist in his freshman season, Crabtree registered three goals and two assists.
Josiah Tisdale: A former Orange defender, Tisdale played in nine games with Methodist during his sophomore season. He created two turnovers and scooped up four ground balls.
Tigh Metheney: In his second season with Division II Catawba, Metheney finished with three goals over seven games.
Nick Cardone: In his sophomore season with Catawba, Cardone appeared in six games. He scored his first college goal against Virginia State. He also had two ground balls. Catawba finished the year 9-7 overall, 4-8 in the South Atlantic Conference.
Alden Cathey: Division III Arcadia University went 12-6 overall, 6-1 in the Middle Atlantic Conference. In his freshman season, Cathey played in five games and notched one assist with two ground balls and one turnover created.
