Pioneers open

4-A tourney vs. Warriors
By Steve Behr

Though Watauga has never played Weddington, Pioneers coach Pete Hardee feels there is something familiar about the Warriors.

“It will be kind of like we’re playing McDowell or somebody like that,” Hardee said of Weddington (11-12), the No. 5 seed from the Southwestern 4-A Conference who will travel to Boone to take on the Pioneers Friday night. “We’ll have to be ready to play well.”

Watauga (17-7), still smarting from a 5-0 loss to South Caldwell in the Northwestern 4-A Conference Tournament championship game Tuesday, will send ace Jon Sharp to the mound against a Weddington team that beat Providence 2-1 earlier this season. Sharpe was expected to pitch against South Caldwell when the game was scheduled last Saturday, but the threat of bad weather that night forced officials to move the game to Monday, and then Tuesday.

Hardee said once the game was moved to Monday and then Tuesday.

Sharpe was scratched from the lineup. Instead, the hard-throwing right-hander will take on a Weddington team that has a freshman catcher and shortstop, but is also a team that can hit the ball.

“They’re more of a hitting team than what I can tell,” Hardee said. “They don’t run or bunt a lot, but you never know in the playoffs. I think it’s a matter of us being patient. It’s not an easy first-round game.”

Watauga won the NWC regular-season championship and then beat East Burke 9-4 in the semifinal game after receiving a first-round bye. Following their loss to South Caldwell, the Pioneers had a three-hour practice to correct defensive mistakes made Tuesday, and to take some batting practice.

Watauga uncharacteristically made three errors against South Caldwell, and South pitcher Cody Poarch limited Watauga to four hits.

“We had a good three hour practice last night,” Hardee said. “We worked a lot on defensive things, so we can be ready. We’ll have a shorter practice (Thursday) and hopefully we’ll be sharp and ready to go Friday.”