Catawba’s Hunter Shepherd photo by Wayne Hinshaw for the Salisbury Post.
From employee reports
Catawba picked up three of the best South Atlantic Conference postseason baseball awards as announced by the league office on Wednesday.
The first baseman / pitcher Hunter Shepherd was named SAC Player of the Year, while left-handed Bryan Ketchie was named Pitcher of the Year.
Jim Gantt was named Trainer of the Year.
Lenoir-Rhyne’s Joshua Lanham was named SAC Newcomer of the Year.
Shepherd, a senior from Salisbury, was one of the top hitters and pitchers in the SAC during the 2021 season. On the plate he finished the regular season with a batting average of 0.413 and drove in 51 runs with 13 double, two triple, 10 home runs and 40 runs.
On the hill, Shepherd had a 4-2 record with an ERA of 3.93.
Ketchie, a senior from Woodleaf, ended the regular season with an 8-0 record, including two full games and 65.2 innings. Ketchie has an ERA of 1.92, the lowest of any starting pitchers in the SAC.
Gantt receives his 11th SAC Trainer of the Year award for leading the Catawba Indians to theirs seventh title in eight years.
Shepherd and Ketchie in the Catawba All-SAC First Team included shortstop Jeremy Simpson and third baseman Cameron Mills.
The second team’s All-SAC award went to outfielder Lee Poteat, second baseman Joe Butts, catcher Cameron Morrison, batsman-designate Dylan Wilkinson, and pitchers Greg Brown and Robbie Cowie. Poteat has reached a team high of 0.354 this year with 15 doubles and four home runs.
Catawba had six in the SAC All-Defensive Team. Simpson was honored for the fourth time at Shortstop, while right fielder Poteat repeats the 2019 honor. The first winners were midfielder Bryce Butler, first baseman Shepherd, third baseman Mills and pitcher Ketchie.
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Brown, a junior right-handed player, threw a complete stoppage in the 5-0 win over Anderson last week and hit 14.
He was the SAC pitcher of the week.
College golf
Catawba finished with a finally found two-under par 286 and finished seventh in the men’s golf championships of the South Atlantic Conference.
The three-round event ended on Tuesday at the 6,746-yard par-72 Woodlake Golf Club.
The Catawba Indians had their third-best round on Tuesday when Tanner Bibey carded a three-under-par-69. Bibey played his way into the second team of the SAC All-Tournament. Jake Clodfelter and AJ Boyd had an even lap with Hunter, Hunter Donahue came on a 73. Riley Smith also had a good lap on a 74.
Bibey had seven birdies on his final lap, including a stretch of four in a row from 17 to hole # 2.
Lincoln Memorial took the title with 13 shots over Limestone.
College softball
Catawba’s Brooke Walser was named South Atlantic Conference’s Softball Pitcher of the Week.
The PhD student won three games for that Indian and hit 19.
HS girls soccer
Salisbury defeated East Davidson 3-0 in Central Carolina Conference action on Wednesday.
Salisbury (9-0, 6-0) scored two goals Sutton Webb and one from Izzy Bannish.
Kyna Zaldivar, doing her best, had two assists and Lillie Rusher had one.
Hannah Schmeltzer scored the goal for the Hornets.
Next up is the big showdown between North Davidson (8-1, 5-0) and Salisbury. The game is Monday evening and starts at 6 p.m.
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Lindsey Cooke and Ashlee Chipman scored goals in East Rowan’s 3-2 win over Statesville on Monday.
In a 4-3 loss to Statesville on Tuesday, Cook scored two goals and Chipman one.
HS football
Salisbury’s 2AA playoff game in Burns starts at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.
North Rowan’s home game against Polk County kicks off at 7 p.m. on Friday.
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Salaebury Senior Defensive Lineman Zae Clay has been inducted into the West squad for this summer’s East-West All-Star Game.
HS softball
Kary Hales’ brace at the end of seventh place brought Carson to a 13-12 North Piedmont Conference game at China Grove on Tuesday.
In a wild game, Carson led 9-1, then 12-10.
Abbey Nixon had four hits for the Cougars and Liza Simmerson had a homer and two singles. Lonna Addison was the victorious pitcher to Hales’ relief.
Brooke Kennerly had three RBIs for West. Madilyn VonCanon had a double with two runs and Emma Clarke had a single with two runs.
Taylor Walton walked the track in a circle.
A full story with photos is online.
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West Rowan beat Surry Central 13-2 in Senior Night on Wednesday.
Taylor Walton came home and drove five runs. Emma Clarke came home and did three runs. Kenadi Sproul was 2v2 and scored three runs.
Walton turned down 11.
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South Rowan lost 4-6 in a Central Carolina Conference game against Easat Davidson on Tuesday.
Kali Nelson, Kassidy Sechler and Zoie Miller each had two hits.
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Central Davidson defeated Salisbury 13-0 in a CCC game on Tuesday.
Salem Ward hit 17 and threw a no-hitter for the Spartans. She also hit a home run.
Ellen Yang hit seven for the hornets.
Salis. Academy golf
Salisbury Academy shot 162 and finished first in a four-team match at Rock Barn.
On the Jaguars, medalist John McCoy paced up and down with a sizzling 33.
Bryant Davis (42), Sam Goodman (43) and Drew Aron (44) were also rated.
Local golf
GARS members played at the Revival at the Crescent.
Low ‘A’ flight player was Phil Cauble with a net of 63.37. Low ‘B’ flight player was Hal Jordan with a net of 62.50.
Low ‘C’ flight player was Ed Lockhart with a net of 65.17. Low ‘D’ Flight player was Tommy Seamon with a net of 62.16.
Bernard Caldwell had a low gross score of 73, which was his age.
Seamon had a low net score.
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