HICKORY, N.C. — The fourth-ranked Catawba Valley Community College baseball team earned an important conference doubleheader sweep on Saturday afternoon against fifth-ranked Patrick Henry at Henkel-Alley Field.
With the victories, the Red Hawks improve to 32-8 overall on the season and 18-2 in Region 10 games.
Game one: No. 4 Catawba Valley 18, No. 5 Patrick Henry 0 (five innings)
The Red Hawks exploded for eight runs in the first and third innings, earning a run-rule victory against the Patriots in game one of the set on Saturday.
Third baseman Jordan Montgomery led the hit parade for CVCC, going 3-for-4, including a grand slam in the bottom of the third inning. Second baseman Chandler Blackwelder added three hits, including a home run, while left fielder Jackson Brown drove in three RBI.
Red Hawk starting pitcher Jordan Davis improved to 5-0 on the season. Davis allowed three hits, two walks and struck out six batters in a complete game performance.
Game two: No. 4 Catawba Valley 4, No. 5 Patrick Henry 3 (seven innings)
A pair of two-base errors by the Patriots proved costly, allowing the Red Hawks to walk off in the bottom of the seventh inning to complete the doubleheader conference sweep on Saturday.
Patrick Henry grabbed control in game two by scoring three runs in the top of the first inning off CVCC starter Andrew Dye.
The Red Hawks cut their deficit to just one run in the third inning, capitalizing on a leadoff single by Jordan Montgomery, a double by Kye Andress and an RBI single by Chandler Blackwelder to make it a 3-2 game.
Despite his team's early deficit, Dye settled in after giving up his early runs, retiring nine of the next 10 batters he faced, including striking out the side in the fourth inning.
CVCC tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning when center fielder Malik Stephens came home to score on a two-out single by left fielder Jackson Brown.
The Red Hawks snuffed out a potential Patriot rally in the top of the seventh inning, stranding a runner on second base.
Blackwelder led off the bottom of the seventh inning for CVCC, hitting a ground ball to third base. The ball fielded by Patriot third baseman Javian Serrano sailed over the head of first baseman Max Harper, allowing Blackwelder to advance to second base.
Harper then fielded the overthrown ball, throwing back to third base, but his throw would also be misplayed, allowing Blackwelder to round the bases for the thrilling game-winning run.
The Red Hawks and Patriots finish their three-game series on Sunday with a single nine-inning game at Henkel-Alley Field. First pitch is set for noon.
