Middle Creek wins 4-A opener on Boyd's 1-hitter

Click to view image

DURHAM -- Jimmy Boyd of Middle Creek fired a one-hit shutout on Friday night as the Mustangs blanked Cornelius W.A Hough 2-0 in the opening game of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 4-A baseball championship series at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

The game was completed in just 91 minutes as Boyd raised his record to 7-1 on the mound, striking out eight. Only one Hough runner reached second base all night.

The Mustangs pushed across single runs in the fifth and sixth. Diego Guerrero of Middle Creek, who led the Mustangs with a pair of doubles in three trips, had a run-scoring double in the fifth. Austin Parker's RBI single in the sixth closed out the scoring.

Hough's only hit was a single by Eric Siler in the sixth inning.

Brandon Gragilla got the loss for Hough, allowing five hits while fanning five and walking one.

Middle Creek improved its overall record to 25-7. Hough, in only its second year of operation, is now 23-11 and had a nine-game winning streak snapped. Both teams are in the NCHSAA baseball finals for the first time.

Game two of the best-of-three is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday.

 

NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
STATE BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Durham Bulls Athletic Park, Durham
Class 4-A: Game One
 
Apex Middle Creek                      0   0   0       0   1   1      0-- 2   5   1
Cornelius W.A. Hough                  0   0   0       0   0   0      0-- 0   1   1
            

WP--Jimmy Boyd (7-1).  LP--Brandon Gragilla (11-2).