Pioneers finish off Cavs
By Steve Behr

The last time Watauga played East Burke, Pioneers pitcher Cal Hardee labored over the two-day game, which was postponed because of lightning, and East Burke rolled to an easy victory.

True, East Burke’s ace Corey Rhoney pitched both nights for the Cavaliers. But East Burke, facing Hardee again Friday night in the semifinals of the Northwestern 4-A Conference Tournament, stuck three runs on the scoreboard fairly easily.

However, East Burke could not rely on Rhoney to make that early lead stick. Rhoney pitched two days earlier in a first-round win over Alexander Central. Watauga took full advantage by scoring seven runs in the first three innings and walking away with a 9-4 victory at M.S. Deal Stadium.

Watauga was to play South Caldwell in the finals Saturday night, but that game was moved to Monday because of threatening weather.

Once Hardee got out of the first inning, he settled down and allowed just one more run, that coming in the sixth inning. He set the Cavaliers down in order in the second inning, which allowed Watauga’s offense to continue its assault on East Burke starter Kyle Vanhorn, who allowed seven runs — five earned — in 2 2/3 innings.

Hardee scattered eight hits and struck out four to the Cavaliers. It helped that Watauga did not make any errors.

“I think the key for (Cal Hardee) was to come out in the second inning and establishing him self by saying ‘Hey, you’re not going to knock me around all night,’” Watauga coach Pete Hardee said. “He got a little more aggressive. Sometimes he nit-picks around the corners, but I told him to be aggressive and go after them and that’s what he did.”

Watauga’s offense was equally effective. Leadoff hitter Baine Martin nearly hit for the cycle, going 3-for-5 from the plate with a triple in the first, a double in the third and a single in the fifth inning.

Martin, who also reached base on a fielder’s choice in the second inning, scored three times. Adam Church went 2-for-3, hitting an RBI double in the second inning and a solo home run in the fifth.

Hardee helped his own cause with three RBIs, including a two-run single in the third inning.

“Sometimes we did ourselves in a hole and we rely on our offense because we know we can do it,” Martin said. “Then Cal set them down after the first inning and we were able to hit some timely hits this time and we got some walks and the timely hits were good for us.”

Watauga fell behind 3-0 in the first inning when Zack Cranford belted a two-run single and Hal Hudson added an RBI single. East Burke’s other run was driven in by Vanhorn, who delivered an RBI fielder’s choice in the sixth.

By then, Watauga held a 9-3 lead. Martin scored on a wild pitch after hitting his lead off triple in the first, and , and Max Linville, running for Church who was hit by a pitch, scored on a Matt Phillips walk.

Church hit his RBI double down the left-field line in the second inning, and Cal Hardee scored after his fly ball was dropped in left field. Hardee drove in two runs with his single in the third and David Martin added an RBI single to give Watauga a 7-3 lead.

East Burke also got a big break when Watauga’s Trey Lowder’s fly ball to left field drifted foul with the bases loaded in the first inning. Phillips also had a foul ball with runners on base go foul, and Jake Wallace had a ground ball that would have easily been a double down the right field line go foul just before it hopped over first base.

“We had some good swings on them,” Pete Hardee said. “We had some good at-bats on them and I felt like we could score at any time. Our offense did that pretty much tonight and I was pleased with it.”

Donnie Hughes and Cody Franklin each had two hits for the Cavaliers.

Watauga 9, East Burke 4
East Burke 300 002 0 — 4 8 1
Watauga 223 020 X — 9 8 0
Vanhorn, Cook (3) and Lowman. Hardee and Church. W—Hardee (4-2), L—Vanhorn (1-3). LOB—East Burke 6, Watauga 12. 2B—East Burke, Rhoney; Watauga, B. Martin, CHurch. 3B—Watauga, B. Martin. HR—Watauga, Church. SB—East Burke, Rhoney; Watauga, B. Martin 3, D. Martin, Lowder. HBP—Watauga, Church 2, Miller, Lowder, Phillips.