NC Warriors baseball team advanced to the second round of state playoffs with their 12-2 win against Rockdale on May 2.

“I am so proud of our team and what we have accomplished this season. I know we will go far in the playoffs because we are extremely dedicated. This team has the potential to make it all the way to the championship,” junior Chandler Seivers said.

The game ended early in the fifth inning because the team exceded the maximum amount of runs allowed to score on the opponent, otherwise known as the run rule. Chad McClanahan, Tre Kirkin, and others contributed to the impressive score by recording at least one run each. Eli Sepnieski kicked off the eventful fifth inning with a double, followed by Andrew Eiswerth who hit an RBI line drive to score the runner from second base. The Warriors racked up four runs in the fifth and then shutout the Bulldogs in the bottom half of the inning to make the win official.

“We came out and dominated in the first round. This makes me very optimistic about the rest of the post-season. Hopefully we can keep our energy up and stay rested,” senior Austin Starling said.

The baseball team overshadowed their opponent throughout the game, allowing only two runs, one in the fourth and another in the third. Trevor Devine recorded the win on the mound, while also improving his already impressive ERA. Devine only walked one Rockdale player and struck out five. Ryan Schmitz entered the game in the fourth inning to pitch in relief. He added three strikeouts against the opponent. NC’s skilled defense also contributed to the win. Plays by Dustin Morrow, Nolan Greckel, and their teammates limited the Bulldogs to groundouts and occasional singles.

“I give the credit to our seniors for leading us all to this point. They have provided great examples to the underclassmen on and off the field. We want to make it far in the playoffs for them,” junior Matthew Breeden said.

The Warriors also showed a strong presence in the first few innings with a run in the second, which provided the first score of the game. Also, a three run homerun by Devine set NC ahead and gave them confidence to finish the game powerfully. The team also used speed to steal a total of three bases throughout the game, excluding advancements due to passed balls from the catcher. This led to some of the numerous runs scored by the Warriors. On the other hand, the Bulldogs left many of their runners stranded on the base path.

NC’s baseball team will continue their journey through the payoffs with hopes of winning the championship. They travel to Coffee County High School on May 7 to face the Trojans in the second round. The three game series against a top-ranked team will test the Warrior’s skill and dedication.