SOFTBALL
This time it wasn't a blowout, but a win is a win; and East Lincoln's softball team won its 23rd game without a defeat as they cleared round two in the NCHSAA 2A playoffs Thursday with a 4-0 win over East Rowan.

While the Mustangs didn't explode at the plate as they often do, one thing was very familiar: Leah Correll was almost unhittable. She allowed just one hit over seven innings and struck out five while walking only one batter.

No home run this time for Taliyah Thomas, but she did have a triple, batted 2 for 3, and drove in two runs. She also stole two bases.

Next up for East will be Hibriten an 8-7 winner over Parkwood game Friday night. The Mustangs' round three game will be played Tuesday (May 17th) at East Lincoln.

North Lincoln's season ended Thursday with a 4-1 loss to North Buncombe.

Bandys won its game Thursday over North Stanley 6-2 and will host Anson on Tuesday. 

In the 1A playoffs, Cherryville advance to round three with a
7-0 win over North Stokes. They'll play at South Stanly on Tuesday.

BASEBALL
In baseball, both North Lincoln and East Lincoln advanced. The Knights beat Crest 2-1 on a superb performance by freshman Kellen Karr, who struck out 11 Chargers batters and gave up just four hits over six-and-two-thirds innings. He walked just two and held the opponents to one unearned run in the top of the seventh inning. Matt Heavner took care of the last batter to preserve the win.

Landon Reeves went 2 for 3 at the plate and scored one of those two Knights' runs. North took a 1-0 lead in the fifth inning but Crest tied the game in the top of the seventh. The Knights pulled it out in their half of the inning.

East Lincoln came from behind for a 7-3 win over Eastern Guilford. The Wildcats took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but East Lincoln's Carson Dahle settled down after that and went the distance, scattering nine hits by the home team and striking out nine of their batters. The Mustangs committed three errors and only one of those runs by Eastern Guilford was earned.

East tied the score in the top of the second and won with two more runs in the 4th & 6th innings. Isaac Armstrong hit a home run and drove in three runs; his 2 for 4 hitting also included a double. Gavin Houser and Garrett Michel also batted 2 for 4 and each drove in a run. Graham Smiley hit 2 for 3 and batted in a run.

East will host Carson High School from China Grove on Tuesday in the 3rd round of the NCHSAA 3A baseball playoffs. North will have to travel to West Henderson for their Tuesday game.

Lincoln Charter will face a known opponent in round three of the NCHSAA 2A playoffs. The Eagles beat Forbush 7-4 Thursday and will play Community School of Davidson in Denver on Tuesday. The Eagles beat the Spartans twice during the regular season.

Lincoln Charter took a 1-0 lead with a run in the bottom of the second inning, but the Falcons took a 4-1 lead with four in the top of the third. LCS answered with three in the bottom of that inning, then scored three more in the fifth.

Mason Smith got the win on the mound, pitching four innings and striking out five. He was also the top hitter--with a 2 for 3 performance including two home runs and four runs batted in.

Bandys' season came to an end with an upset loss to 25th seed
Mt. Pleasant 4-3.

In the 1A playoffs, Cherryville beat Mountain Island Charter 4-1 and will host East Wilkes in the next round on Tuesday.

SOCCER
In soccer, East Lincoln came from a 1-0 halftime deficit to tie the game on a Deana Poteat goal in the 73rd minute, but neither team scored in two overtimes and the Mustangs had to settle for a 1-1 tie with Hickory.

The tie gave East a 10-1-3 conference mark, tops in the Western Foothills Conference.

Lincolnton had already clinched the top spot in the Catawba Valley Conference, but the Wolves won their final regular season game Wednesday over West Lincoln 8-2. That gave them a 13-1 conference mark (15-5 overall). West finishes 10-11-1, 4-10 in the league.

Maiden lost to Newton-Conover in the Blue Devils' last regular season game, 3-2. Bandys beat Bunker Hill Wednesday 10-1.

Lincoln Charter's girls lost to Christ the King Thursday 3-2 in double overtime.