Randleman baseball reaches 2nd straight NCHSAA championship

Monica Holland, The Courier-Tribune
·4 min read

Randleman completed a 9-0 win over Community School of Davidson on Friday to earn a berth to its second straight NCHSAA championship, where the Tigers will meet Whiteville in a best-of-three series for the state title.

In the completion of Thursday's game that was suspended due to lightning, Randleman pitcher Trey Way completed a one-hitter Drake Purvis started as the Tigers won their third straight West Region championship without giving up a run in a 6-0 playoff streak.

Thursday's game started at Moor Park in Mooresville and the Tigers (31-0) held a 5-0 lead at the end of four no-hit innings when the game was called. Play was moved to Newman Park on the Catawba College campus in Salisbury on Friday at 5 p.m., and Randleman had no trouble getting back into record-setting form.

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The Tigers gave up just two hits in two games in the best-of-three state semifinals against CSD. Hunter Atkins and Gus Shelton had three RBIs apiece in Game 2 with Shelton launching a two-run homer in the seventh inning. Braylen Hayes added two RBIs and Bryson Sweatt batted-in one.

"I'd already seen the pitcher once so I knew, pretty much, what he had," Shelton told Sportstone.net after the game. "Got up there ready to swing, first pitch, curveball hung up, so I drove it over the fence."

The Spartans (17-8) managed to avoid a run-rule loss Friday in the only game the Tigers haven't won by 10 runs or more in the state playoffs. Randleman allowed just two base-runners on one hit in another dominant win.

The Tigers' Gus Shelton stands on first during Randleman's game at Wheatmore on Friday, March 19, 2022.
The Tigers' Gus Shelton stands on first during Randleman's game at Wheatmore on Friday, March 19, 2022.

Randleman has been putting up stunning numbers in its multiple-record run this season, but it's the product of hard work and dedication, according to Atkins.

"I think a lot of people expected us to be here but they don't know how much work's been, how hard it is. Everybody wants to beat the champion," he said.

Randleman will face East Region champion Whiteville (23-3) in the NCHSAA finals series, which begins next Friday at either Burlington Athletic Stadium or Ting Stadium in Holly Springs. The venues have been announced, but the NCHSAA has yet to announce which teams will play where. Game 1 will be played Friday, with Game 2 on Saturday and Game 3 also on Saturday, if necessary.

Randleman and Whiteville squared off for the state title in 2012, when the Wolfpack defeated the Tigers to start a run of five state championships in the last 10 years. Whiteville won another state title in 1989.

Randleman has made five state championship appearances over the last 10 seasons, winning titles in 2011 and 2021. The 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19.

"Big-time history," Randleman coach Jake Smith said of the matchup with Whiteville, whom the Tigers knocked off on the way to a state championship appearance in 2019. "A lot of good players in both programs. They're going to be prepared, they're going to be ready, they're going to be coached up well, they're going to do a great job. We're going to have to go out there and compete. ... Just stick to what we do. Don't make it bigger than it is, treat the game the right way. It's going to be a battle, for sure."

List of state records Randleman baseball has set this season

TEAM

  • Runs scored in a season (363): Randleman's 363 runs scored beats the previous record of 356 set by Murphy in 2018.

  • Home runs in a season (60): Randleman has 60 home runs on the season, beating the previous record of 55 set by Apex in 2000 and East Rutherford in 2007.

  • Most shutouts in a season (16): The Tigers' 16 shutouts beats the previous record of 15 by Terry Sanford's 2015 team.

INDIVIDUAL

  • Home runs in a season (20): Brooks Brannon: T1. Brannon is tied with his father Paul, who set the record in 1989 with Kings Mountain

  • RBIs in a season (87): Brannon has far surpassed the previous record of 65 set by New Hanover's Shawn Gallagher in 1995.

  • Runs scored in a season (65): Trey Way holds the NCHSAA record for runs scored, beating the previous record of 59 set by East Rutherford's Chad Flack in 2004 and Zeke Blanton in 2007.

In the running

These numbers will change as the last remaining games of the postseason play out, but if the season ended today, Randleman would be on these lists.

TEAM

  • T2: Wins in a season (31) — Randleman is tied with five other teams at No. 2. East Rutherford holds the record of 32, set in 2004.

  • T2. Most consecutive shutouts (7) — The Tigers' current streak of seven shutouts ties the second-place numbers of Jamesville (1979) and Midway (2015). Charlotte Catholic holds the record with 10 straight shutouts in 2011.

  • 3. Runs per game (11.8) — Randleman trails Eastern Randolph (13.08 in 1999) and Murphy (11.9 in 2018)

  • 4. Batting average in a season (.415) — Randleman entered regional finals batting .415 as a team. West Henderson holds the record at .432 from 2006.

This article originally appeared on The Courier-Tribune: Randleman baseball to defend NCHSAA championship