Draughn baseball claims 1st league victory; Patton plays East Rutherford tough
Draughn’s Nolan Ballard makes contact at the plate against R-S Central during the Wildcats’ final-round contest in last week’s Tony Causby Classic at Patton. Ballard struck out eight batters from the mound and added two doubles plus an RBI at the plate on Tuesday as the Wildcats claimed their first conference win.
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The Draughn baseball team is starting to overcome its inexperience, claiming a second win in as many weeks on Tuesday.
The Wildcats went on the road to gain a dramatic victory over West Caldwell, securing their first Western Piedmont 3A/4A Conference triumph of the season in 4-2 fashion.
Trailing 2-0 through five innings, Draughn (3-13, 1-8 WPC) plated one run in the top of the sixth before tying the game and later pulling ahead with three runs in the seventh.
Nolan Ballard (RBI, SB) and Chase Yambor (three RBIs, run) both doubled twice as Draughn won for the second time in its last four games, with Ballard also giving the guests a quality start from the mound as he struck out eight and allowed just two earned runs in 5 1/3 innings.
Draughn’s Nolan Russ and Liam Dalmas (SB) both singled and scored a run, and Caden Barker walked and scored once, while Barker (1 2/3 IP, H, BB, 3 K) earned the win in relief of Ballard.
Patton’s Trevor Throneburg reacts after an RBI base hit during a home victory over East Burke earlier this spring.
Also in WPC play on Tuesday, Patton led 5-0 at East Rutherford in its bid to snap the No. 2-ranked hosts’ 40-game league win streak dating back to 2022, but the Panthers wilted late and were edged in walk-off fashion, 6-5.
In East’s closest conference game since late March 2025, it scored once in the fifth, tied the game with four in the sixth, and took its first and only lead of the night to seal the outcome with one out in the seventh.
A win would have pulled Patton (12-6, 6-3 WPC) within a game of East in the standings ahead of Friday’s late rematch in Morganton, though an R-S Central upset loss to Hibriten the same night leaves the Panthers and Hilltoppers in a second-place tie.
Patton’s Brady Davis (run, RBI, SB) and Cohen Christian each supplied two hits including a double, and both pitched in the narrow setback, with Christian lasting 5 2/3 innings and striking out five batters while allowing just one earned run.
Other PHS offensive standouts in the game included Wyatt Hullette (single, walk, run, RBI), Jack Hester (two walks, run), Trevor Throneburg (single, two RBIs), Laine Barrier (single, RBI), Landry Duvall (single, run), and Gavin Johnson (single, walk).
Freedom (7-11, 0-7 Northwestern 6A/7A Conf.) and East Burke (8-8, 4-5 WPC) both dropped one-sided conference contests at home Tuesday, with the Patriots losing 10-1 against St. Stephens and the Cavaliers being shut out, 7-0, by Chase.
Puckett Hudson had two hits including a double to pace the Freedom lineup, which also got production via Zaydrin Hausley (double, run, SB), Trenton Walker (single, walk), Eddie Branch (single, SB), and Luke Miller (walk, SB). Miller and Alex Wall (5 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 5 K) both pitched for the Patriots.
And for the Cavaliers, Maddox Mosteller, Jonas Weidner, and Demarcus Ault each pitched against Chase. No other EB statistics were available.
Freedom softball pitcher Madelyn LeMaster winds up for the pitch against Draughn during a nonconference road game in March. LeMaster allowed just one run in a complete-game effort on Tuesday, adding an RBI as the Lady Patriots beat St. Stephens for a third time this spring.
SOFTBALL
Freedom, Draughn win behind strong pitching
The Lady Patriots (7-13, 2-5 NWC) won their only early-week contest, defeating St. Stephens by a 5-1 margin on Tuesday at Freedom Park to top the Indians for a third time this year and second time in as many games.
Leading just 2-1, Freedom scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to gain some late insurance for pitcher Madelyn LeMaster.
That wasn’t the only support the Lady Patriots offered LeMaster, as they were error-free in the field behind her. And LeMaster didn’t need much help, pitching all seven innings and scattering five hits and a walk for one earned run to go with her five strikeouts from the circle.
Hallie Ollis finished 2 for 3, scored a run, and drove in three runs to pace the FHS hitting attack, which also got good games from Kaylee Skinner (single, walk, two runs), Bella Creegan (double, RBI), LeMaster (RBI), and Rumi Campbell (double).
Draughn’s Braylen Clontz (right) rounds second base against Patton during a road game earlier this spring.
Draughn (13-4, 8-1 WPC) also won to open the week, 5-0 at home against nonconference Watauga on Monday, before suffering its first league loss on Wednesday at East Rutherford, 7-5.
The result leaves the Lady Wildcats tied with R-S Central for the league lead, one game ahead of East Rutherford, as Draughn seeks its first conference championship since 2023 after finishing in second and third place the last two seasons.
Draughn topped R-S at home in extra innings earlier this spring and visits Rutherfordton in a key showdown on April 28.
In the Lady ’Cats win on Monday, Braylen Clontz (two RBIs, two SB) and Lindsey Hensley (two runs, two SB) both finished 3 for 4 at the plate. Bailey Winkler added two hits and a run, Maria Medrano singled, stole a base, scored a run, and drove in one, and Makenzie Powell (run) and Cydnee Deal (RBI) both reached on singles.
Avie Helton (5 IP, 3 H, 7 K) started and earned the decision before Powell (2 IP, H) finished off Draughn’s fifth shutout of the season. No DHS statistics were available from Wednesday’s loss.
Meanwhile, Patton (4-9, 1-8 WPC) and East Burke (2-11, 1-8 WPC) both lost last week to remain tied for last place in the eight-team league.
The Lady Panthers fell at home to R-S Central on Tuesday, 15-0 in five innings. Hayden Carlson and Jolann Buff both singled for Patton, and Alex Maines and Lila Hudson drew a walk apiece.
And the Lady Cavaliers lost 10-4 at home against West Caldwell on Tuesday before also falling 12-2 in five innings at Burns the following evening.
Linda Crawford (triple, three runs), Amanda McLean (RBI), and Hermione Garro (run) had two hits each for EB against West, with Lillian Brittain adding two RBIs. Braleigh Carswell (4 IP, 3 ER) and Ally Boyette both pitched in defeat.
Garro again posted two hits and also drew a walk in Lawndale, with other EB offensive leaders including McLean (RBI single, walk), Carswell (single, run), Crawford (single, walk), and Ava Bivens (run). Boyette (3 IP, 2 ER), Carswell, and Emily Shoemaker all pitched in the loss.
