Cape Fear Christian Academy used a double play in the top of the seventh inning and a game-ending strikeout to leave the potential tying run at third base in an 11-10 nonconference varsity baseball win over visiting Northwood Temple on Friday.
Senior Trevor McLamb went 3-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs as CFCA improved to 11-1.
Juniors Zeke Brock and Cole Godwin each had a hit and two RBIs for the hosts.
Landon McLamb and Conner Parrish each had a hit and drove in a run. Eli Burns and Cason Pope each had a hit and scored a run.
Brock, Pope and McLamb had doubles.
Burns started and pitched three scoreless innings. Godwin pitched the last inning and two-thirds.
Northwood Temple (2-11), a 2-A program which got a 4-for-4 effort at the plate from eighth-grader Patrick Guest, came back from a 6-1 deficit to tie the game in the top of the fifth. CFCA’s 5-run fifth inning proved sufficient for the victory.
CFCA coach Bill Parrish and sons, Blake and Andrew — former CFCA athletes, did extensive work to prepare the field for play after rain Thursday night and Friday morning, utilizing a commercial gas blower and effective drying agent.
Top-seeded CFCA will be at home on Friday at 4 p.m. to play Thursday’s winner between third-seeded Lee Christian and second-seeded Crossroads Christian for the Mid-Carolina 1-A Conference tournament championship.
Fourth-seeded Cresset forfeited Thursday’s semifinal to CFCA.