From thepilot.com – The Central Carolina Scholastic Summer League (CCSSL) kicks off its eighth baseball season this week with three local teams playing in the Southwest Division.

The three area teams are one from Robbins made up of players from North Moore High School, Southern Pines made up of players from Pinecrest and Union Pines with Viking players making up the roster. The teams feature players that have not graduated from their respective high schools and include rising freshmen.

Robbins and Union Pines open their season Monday when the Mustangs host the Vikings at North Moore High School with a starting time of 6 p.m. Both teams are also planning on fielding a junior team with the two squads squaring off at 4 p.m.

The two teams square off the following day at Union Pines with a 6 p.m. starting time for the senior squads while the juniors are scheduled to start at 4 p.m.

Pinecrest waits until Thursday to open its season when the Patriots entertain Scotland in a 6 p.m. showdown. READ MORE.

From thepilot.com – Senior Matt Epley and junior Tristan Helms of Pinecrest have received All-Southeastern Conference honors in baseball for the second time by a vote of the league’s coaches.

Junior Austin Embler was also selected from the Patriot squad that finished the season with a record of 15-11 after falling 8-1 to Millbrook in the first round of the state 4-A playoffs three weeks ago.

Epley batted .309 this season and tied for second on the team in RBIs with 15. His four home runs tied him with Helms for the team lead in that department. On the mound, the right-hander compiled a record of 3-3 with an ERA of 2.85.

Helms batted .346 and led the team in hits (28), runs (20), doubles (10) and RBIs (16). As a pitcher, the left-hander was 2-2 with an ERA of 3.20. He recorded a team-high 42 strikeouts in 41 2/3 innings. READ MORE.

From thepilot.com – A five-run first inning by Millbrook put Pinecrest in a very unenviable position in Friday night’s first-round state 4-A playoff baseball opener in Raleigh.

The Patriots would have to mount a comeback against a pitcher who allowed only four earned runs all season. Unfortunately senior right-hander Brian Nobles was on his game, shutting the Patriots out on two hits for six innings while striking out 12 batters.

The final outcome was an 8-1 loss that brought the season to an end for coach Jeff Hewitt’s squad.

“I just saw too many routine plays we didn’t make,” the Patriot coach said reflecting on the five unearned runs scored against his team in the opening inning. “I saw a routine fly ball dropped — a routine ground ball not played.

“We got in a hole and it was just not the start we could have against that pitcher. He was just really hard to hit.” READ MORE.

From thepilot.com – When Pinecrest and Mill-brook face off in tonight’s first-round state 4-A playoff baseball game in Raleigh, it will be the third meeting between the teams in the last 12 months.

The Patriots (15-10) of the Southeastern Conference go into the postseason as a fourth seed against the Wildcats (12-10) of the CAP 8, a No. 2 seed. The first pitch is scheduled to be thrown at 7 p.m.

Matt Epley pitched a two-hitter and Tristan Helms homered when the Patriots came out on top 5-0 at home back in March. The Wildcats prevailed 2-1 in last year’s first round playoff game, also held in Raleigh.

Brian Nobles, the winning pitcher in that game, is expected to face the Patriots again. The senior right-hander is 5-1 this season with an ERA of 0.51. READ MORE.