North Moore advances to state championship

It took North Moore and Voyager Academy all three baseball games of the 1A East regionals to determine who would advance to the state championship to face No. 2 Uwharrie Charter.

North Moore won game one on Wednesday in Durham, and Voyager won game two on Friday in Robbins. Game three was scheduled for Saturday, but due to rain, it was rescheduled for Monday, and the Mustangs took the win in Durham.

After the game celebration.

Monday’s game turned into a Memorial Day offensive battle. After multiple walks, the Mustangs went down 3-0 in the third inning. The Mustangs didn’t go down quietly. With key hits, they tied the game at 3-3. Voyager answered back with another run in the bottom of the fourth. 

The Mustangs went into the top of the sixth inning needing to make something happen. Dawson Futrell came up to bat with runners on the corners and two outs. He drove it deep to the left at 335 feet off the wall for a two-RBI double.

“It was amazing. It was the right time and right moment,” said Futrell.

This gave the Mustangs a 5-4 lead. Voyager tried to get things going in the sixth but left two men in scoring position. 

Top of the seventh, Dalton Massey hit a hard ball over the left fielder’s head, rolling to the fence. He got a triple to start things off.

After a Mustangs’ hit and a walk, the bases were loaded when Elliott Furr came to bat. He hit a sacrifice fly allowing Massey to tag up and score their sixth run of the game. Voyager scored one more run, making the score 6-5. 

Voyager held the Mustangs in the seventh. With Gabe Purvis on the mound, the Mustangs held off Voyager for the win.

After the game celebration. 

“It almost doesn’t feel real,” said North Moore coach Kennedy. Our expectation was to win one. Just the way they battled – to just keep fighting. I don’t think the box score will really do it justice for the defensive plays we had tonight.”

The Mustangs will play in the school’s first state championship on June 3-4. An announcement about the location and time will come later this week. 

Coming home celebration.

Sandhills_Sentinel~Article, photo, and videos by Sandhills Sentinel Reporter Curtis Self.

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