From staff reports
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Appalachian State’s Steven Smith (West Rowan) hit the first pitch of the game over the fence and got the Mountaineers started toward an 18-5 win at UNC Asheville on Tuesday.
Smith launched another homer for the Mountaineers (17-14) in the second inning.
Smith finished with four hits, scored five runs and knocked in three.
Smith is batting .393 with five homers and 13 doubles. He’s scored 28 runs while driving in 27.
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Haiden Leffew (South Rowan, Wake Forest) is working out of the bullpen for Texas (27-5) and has been tough to hit.
Leffew has allowed three hits in 11 1/3 innings. He is 2-0 with a 1.59 ERA and a strong strikeouts (20) to walks (5) ratio.
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Hayden Simmerson (Carson, Catawba College) is pitching well for Clemson.
He’s relieved for the Tigers (22-12) in 10 games and has a 2.65 ERA in 17 innings.
Simmerson hasn’t been involved in a decision yet, but he has two saves. He has an impressive strikeouts (23) to walks (4) ratio.
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UNC’s Cameron Padgett (East Rowan) has pitched in 10 games for the Tar Heels (28-5-1) and made one start.
He’s still 0-0 with a 5.27 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 13 2/3 innings.
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North Carolina A&T’s JT Taylor is from Salisbury.
The sophomore shortstop got off to a slow start this season, but the former Rowan County American Legion star socked his first homer on April 3 against Elon.
Taylor has eight doubles and 13 RBIs for the Aggies (9-22). His batting average is .232, but he’s walked 14 times and is tied for the team lead with 22 runs scored.
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JD James (South Rowan) had two RBIs for Emory & Henry in a 16-11 win against King on Tuesday.
James is batting .263 with three homers and 18 RBIs for the Wasps (11-25).
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Morgan Padgett (East Rowan) is batting .232 for UNC Pembroke, but he’s been productive with three homers, 25 runs scored and 27 RBIs.
Fourteen walks and a team-leading nine HBPs boost Padgett’s OBP to .378.
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As is usually the case, Catawba has a host of local products in prominent roles. Logan Dyer (East Rowan), Nathan Chrismon and Ty Hubbard (South Rowan) and Matthew Connolly (West Rowan) are almost always in the starting lineup.
Casey Gouge (West Rowan) has been a key starting pitcher, while Joe Burleyson (East Rowan) has emerged as the closer.
Gouge is 5-0 with a 2.94 ERA. Burleyson has pitched in 17 games and is 3-1 with nine saves.
Dyer is batting .408 with 42 runs scored and 23 RBIs. In a breakout sophomore season, he’s been a fantastic contact hitter with 27 walks and only nine strikeouts.
Hubbard is batting .319 with 14 doubles, 25 RBIs and 27 runs scored.
Chrismon is batting .271 with 26 runs and 27 RBIs. He’s 12-for-12 on steals.
Connolly is batting .241 but has supplied a lot of the power for the Indians (29-7) with 10 homers, nine doubles and 42 RBIs.
