Month: May 2024

Apprentice Sweeps Championship Saturday to Claim First NSAC Baseball Title

WILSON, N.C. – After being shut out by Lighthouse Christian in the opening round, The Apprentice School came back with a vengeance on Saturday to win both games against the Makos and claim its first New South Conference baseball title.

A deeper bullpen proved the difference with both games being decided by the 10-run rule, 19-9 in the first and 15-3 in the second.

Apprentice (39-8) came into the tournament ranked eighth in the final USCAA regular season baseball poll and now awaits to see its opponent in next week’s Small College World Series.

Lighthouse (5-29) stunned the Builders 5-0 on Thursday, holding Apprentice scoreless for the first time this season. The Makos then followed that with an 11-9 win over Virginia State on Friday, only the fifth win for the first-year baseball program from Pensacola, Florida. The Builders advanced to the championship round by downing VSU 11-1 in Friday’s elimination game.

But Lighthouse’s magical run was to end there as the Builders, already touting the best record in school history, pulled away from the Makos in both games on Saturday.

Builders Roll Over Trojans, Advance to Saturday’s Finals

WILSON, N.C. – Top-seed Apprentice School kept third-seed Virginia State off the plate until the eighth inning while keeping their own bats humming enroute to an 11-1 win Friday at Historic Fleming Stadium.

The victory launches the Builders (37-8) into Saturday’s NSAC championship against upstart Lighthouse Christian (5-27). The Makos stunned AS 5-0 on Thursday before slipping past VSU Friday afternoon 11-9, marking the first winning streak in the first-year program’s short history.

The first pitch is set for 12:00 noon on Saturday. Should Apprentice win, the second winner-take-all contest will begin at 3:30 pm.

Lighthouse Bolts into Championship Game with Win over VSU

WILSON, N.C. – Lighthouse Christian pushed across eight runs between the fifth and seventh innings to down Virginia State 11-9 and advance to Saturday’s championship at Historic Fleming Stadium.

It was the Makos’ second tournament win and only the fifth win of the season for the first-year program with a lineup of all freshmen.

The Trojans drop into the losers bracket and take on Apprentice in an elimination game at 4:00 pm today.

Winslow Leads Builders over Mustangs in Elimination Game

WILSON, N.C. – Apprentice infielder Jett Winslow had the big bat for the Builders Thursday night with a homer in the third inning and a walk-off RBI in the ninth to lift top-seed Apprentice to a 3-2 win over second-seed Mid-Atlantic Christian at Historic Fleming Stadium.

The win keeps the Builders’ (36-8) hopes for their first NSAC baseball championship alive after falling to Lighthouse 5-0 in the tourney opener. Meanwhile the Mustangs (23-22) have to wait until Tuesday to see if they will receive a bid to the USCAA Small College World Series. Only eight teams are invited, and MACU is ranked 8th in the final regular season USCAA poll released before Thursday’s two losses.

The Builders will face the loser of Friday’s noon contest between Lighthouse and Virginia State, both upset winners on Thursday. That elimination game is set for first pitch at 4:00 pm Eastern time.

Trojans Down Mustangs 5-2 to Advance

WILSON, N.C. – Gavin Stevens threw a complete-game 5-hitter and third-seed Virginia State held off second-seed Mid-Atlantic Christian 5-2 in the NSAC Baseball Tournament Thursday afternoon at Historic Fleming Stadium.

The freshman rightie kept the Mustangs (23-21) off the board until the ninth inning.

VSU (15-31) advances to face Lighthouse, which stunned top-seed Apprentice 5-0, in the noon game on Friday. MACU and Apprentice meet in an elimination game tonight at 6:30 pm.

Lighthouse Shocks Apprentice 5-0 in NSAC Opener

WILSON, N.C. – Eli Lowery pitched 5-hit ball in a complete game as fourth-seed Lighthouse Christian shocked top-seeded Apprentice 5-0 in the opening game of the 2024 NSAC Baseball Tournament on Thursday.

The win advances the Makos (4-27) to Friday’s second round to face the winner of the Mid-Atlantic Christian-Virginia State game.

The loss is the first shutout of the year for the Builders (35-8), who drop into an elimination game at 6:30 tonight against the MACU-VSU loser.