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1 week ago | 
thedigitalcourier.com | Ethan Benfield
Bostic — The East Rutherford Junior American Legion Cavaliers outlasted a late comeback from South Caldwell’s second team to take a 4-3 win Wednesday. The Cavaliers took the opportunity against the younger and less experienced Spartans team to shake things up defensively. Catcher Eli Roof played in the outfield, and four Cavalier pitchers took the mound, including some who are not used to pitching in close games.
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1 week ago | 
thedigitalcourier.com | Ethan Benfield
FOREST CITY — On one of the hottest days of the year, kids got the chance to cool off before Tuesday’s noon Forest City Owls game. The exhibition matinee with the Catawba Valley Stars was dubbed “Splash Day” at McNair Field and featured many water activities for summer camps attending the game. Owls players and staff joined in on the fun as well, ascending into the stands throughout the game to spray the crowd with water guns.
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1 week ago | 
thedigitalcourier.com | Ethan Benfield
Rutherfordton — The R-S Central Junior Legion Hilltoppers routed South Caldwell's second team Friday 18-1. The Hilltoppers built a lead early and used the opportunity to put in younger players to get experience. Sixteen players took at bats for the Hilltoppers, scoring 18 runs on seven hits, taking advantage of five South Caldwell errors. R-S Central was leading 5-0 after two innings, but opened the game up in the third, batting around twice and scoring 13 runs.
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2 weeks ago | 
thedigitalcourier.com | Ethan Benfield
Forest City — The Forest City Owls split a pair with the Boone Bigfoots at McNair Field Wednesday night, completing a rain-delayed game from earlier this season, and then dropping game two. Game one originally began Friday June 6, and was paused in the fifth inning. Play resumed from McNair Field Tuesday in the bottom of the fifth. The Owls would come back from a 5-2 deficit to win that game 7-5.
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2 weeks ago | 
thedigitalcourier.com | Ethan Benfield
Rutherfordton — R-S Central’s Junior Legion Hilltoppers came back late against South Caldwell, taking the game to extra innings but falling 8-7 in eight. The Hilltoppers struggled on defense throughout the game, committing five errors and allowing eight runs on eight hits, with just two strikeouts between three pitchers, both recorded by Austin Hopper who pitched three innings of relief behind starter Simon Sheehan.
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2 weeks ago | 
thedigitalcourier.com | Ethan Benfield
Coastal Plain League standings and leaders Morehead City Marlins 4-2 Holly Springs Salamanders 4-4 Tri-City Chilli Peppers 4-6 Greenville Yard Gnomes 2-6 Lexington County Blowfish 6-3 Martinsville Mustangs 3-5 HP Thomasville HiToms 1-6 Batting Average: Frank Kelly, Forest City, .571 Home Runs: Carlos Pena, Peninsula, 8 Runs Batted In: Carlos Pena, Peninsula, 16 Wins: Marcus VanAlstine, Tri City, 2 Strikeouts: AJ Campbell, Holly Springs, 16 Earned Run Average: Ethan Smith, Morehead City, 0.00
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3 weeks ago | 
thedigitalcourier.com | Ethan Benfield
RUTHERFORDTON — Winning a one-run game is impressive for anyone, especially for a young pitcher who has struggled in the past with injuries. R-S Central’s Post 74 Hilltoppers came out on top of a low-scoring pitchers dual Thursday night against Hibriten. The visiting Panthers got eight hits off the R-S Central pitching staff, but the Hilltopper defense stepped up to only allow one run. On the mound for Post 74 was Harrison Coffey, who struck out four Hibriten batters in six innings.
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3 weeks ago | 
thedigitalcourier.com | Ethan Benfield
BOSTIC — East Rutherford's Junior American Legion baseball team's bats were working against South Caldwell, but they could not finish the job with runners on base. East Rutherford out hit South Caldwell 8 to 7, but with several runners in scoring position left on base, could only manage three runs in the 11-3 loss. All eight hits for East Rutherford were off South Caldwell pitcher Jacob Perkins. Perkins dealt with the pressure well and relied on his defense to keep the East runners from scoring.
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3 weeks ago | 
thedigitalcourier.com | Ethan Benfield
BOSTIC — East Rutherford’s junior legion team started its home season with a 6-4 win over county rivals R-S Central. Both teams hit the ball well, with a combined 19 hits between the two teams, but in the end East Rutherford came out on top after taking the lead in the bottom of the sixth on a Xavier Champion RBI single. “I was sitting fast ball and waiting on it, I sent it right back up the middle and got the RBI,” Champion said of his late game go ahead hit.
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3 weeks ago | 
thedigitalcourier.com | Ethan Benfield
For the Reynolds, East Rutherford baseball and winning have always been family traditions. The 2025 state championship is the seventh for the Cavaliers, but the first for current head coach Drew Reynolds. The big stage is nothing new for Drew however, as he was part of the team for five of his father Bobby Dale’s six state championship victories.
