Dunnigan, Church
lead rally past Cavs
By Steve Behr
sports@wataugademocrat.com

GRANITE FALLS — Trey Dunnigan had hit seven home runs before the one he hit out of M.S. Deal Stadium in Watauga’s 4-3 victory over East Burke in the semifinals of the Northwestern 4-A Conference Tournament.

The Pioneers take on South Caldwell, a 6-0 winner over Alexander Central, Saturday at 7 p.m. Watauga is the only team to beat South Caldwell when the Pioneers took a 1-0 victory earlier this season.

It’s the first time the Pioneers have reached the finals since 2003.

“I personally have never won on this field,” Dunnigan said. “All the guys on the team have never won on this field. It’s big.”

Third-seeded Watauga (16-9) got a complete game from pitcher Jon Sharpe, who struck out eight and did not walk a batter. Sharpe scattered four East Burke hits and allowed single runs in the first, fifth and sixth innings.

Dunnigan tied the game 3-3 when his seventh-inning solo home run hit the top of the left-field wall and went over. Adam Church got the go-ahead RBI with a bases-loaded single off relief pitcher Corey Rhoney.

“That’s the first ball I ever hit off the top of the wall,” Dunnigan said. “I was just in there trying to get myself on base and be the tying run.”

Rhoney had come on in place of surprise starter Ethan Icard. However, Icard proved worthy of coach Chris Cozort’s decision to save Rhoney for a possible start against South Caldwell by scattering six hits and striking out seven in 6 2/3 innings.

In fact, second-seeded East Burke (14-8) took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth on an Eric Chiz single, which drove in Dustin Kinley. Just one inning earlier, East Burke scored on a double-steal play. Icard was caught stealing second base, but Brad Keller scored on the play.

Once Watauga took its lead in the seventh, Sharpe made sure the Pioneers kept it. Sharpe struck out the first two Cavaliers, and Dunnigan made a good scoop at first base to get Icard for the third out of the inning.

“I didn’t expect to go seven, but my arm felt better than it has in a long time,” Sharpe said. “I felt comfortable going out there and throwing my game. Overall, it was a comfortable outing and I was happy with it.”

It was Sharpe’s second complete game of the season. Hardee had Will Dicus and Tyler Moore warming up in the bullpen in the fifth and sixth innings, but stayed with Sharpe, who is 7-1 this year and whose fastball has been clocked as high as 88 miles per hour.

“We thought about it, but what we thought was that they were at the bottom of their lineup and I’d rather have a power pitcher in instead of a finesse guy,” Pioneers coach Pete Hardee said. “So we stayed with Sharpe and told him to slam the door and pitch the fastball. He mixed in his curve, but he battled and I was pleased.”

Watauga’s defense made just one error, which the Cavaliers cashed in during the first inning. Zach Plemmons reached on an error and scored on a Rhoney triple.

But the Pioneers made several key plays in the field, including a diving catch on a shallow fly ball by center fielder Baine Martin.

“Our defense has been the consistent thing for us,” Pete Hardee said. “That and our pitching.”

Watauga took a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning on a Dunnigan RBI single and a sacrifice fly by Jake Wallace.

Dunnigan and Church were the only two Pioneers who finished with two hits.

Watauga 4, East Burke 3
Watauga 000 020 2 — 4 7 1
East Burke 100 011 0 — 3 4 1
Sharpe and Church. Icard, Rhoney (7) and Orders. W—Sharpe (7-1), L—Icard (4-3). LOB—Watauga 6, East Burke 2. 3B—East Burke, Rhoney. HR—Watauga, Dunnigan (8). SH—Watauga, Lowder, Story; East Burke, Plemmons, Byrd. SF—Watauga, Wallace. SB—East Burke, Plemmons. CS—Watauga, Lowder; East Burke, Icard. HBP—Watauga, Story (by Icard); East Burke, Kinley (by Sharpe).

S. Caldwell 6, Alex. Central 0
GRANITE FALLS — South Caldwell ace starter Jimmy Messer gave up a single on the first pitch of the game for the top-seeded Spartans (20-1) and did not give up another hit to the fourth-seeded Cougars (10-12) the rest of the game Friday night.

Messer struck out 14 and did not walk a batter. Dominic Dibernardi drove in three runs with an inside-the-park home run hit to the 401-feet sign in right-center field.