By Eric Lusk
Sport Editor
elusk@elkintribune.com

The road to Mountain Valley 2A Conference baseball and softball championships have wound through Yadkin County each of the past three seasons.

Forbush won the 2006 and 2007 baseball regular season titles, while Starmount claimed the crown last spring. The Forbush softball team has swept the past three MVAC championships without losing a game, though the rival Rams nipped at their heels in 2006 and ‘08.

A similar scenario appears to be unfolding in both sports this spring, making Tuesday’s Starmount at Forbush baseball/softball doubleheader a potential blockbuster with huge conference implications.

The baseball teams have already played each other once, with Forbush topping the Rams 12-2 in Boonville nearly a month ago. On that night, the Falcons pounded the ball all over the field, with pitcher Adam Saunders keeping the Rams’ potent attack in check.

But Starmount hasn’t lost in conference since then, moving to 5-1 in the league after knocking off previously unbeaten Wilkes Central on Saturday and then topping Surry Central 1-0 on Tuesday.

Tyler Jackson struck out 20 in the Rams’ latest victory, earning an eight-inning no-hitter.

Forbush sat at 4-2 coming into this week, winning its last two MVAC games after losing one-run decisions against both Wilkes Central and Surry Central on the road.

In softball, Starmount — which returned eight starters and added a standout pitcher — ran its overall record to 10-0 with three wins in West Virginia over the weekend. The Rams then beat Surry Central on Tuesday to make it 11-0, 4-0 in the conference.

Forbush, which has made it a habit of rallying late for runs this spring, knocked off Ashe County 3-0 on Friday and North Wilkes 11-0 on Tuesday to improve its MVAC mark to 5-0. The Lady Falcons are 9-1 overall, with their lone loss a 1-0 decision at Davie County (a team that Starmount has beaten by the way, 12-0).

The softball winner, obviously, will have first place in the MVAC standings all to themselves with three weeks left to play in the regular season. The softball rematch will be senior night for Starmount, May 7 — another potential dandy night for Yadkin County high school sports.

Expect a boisterous atmosphere at both Yadkin rivalry games Tuesday night.

The JV softball and baseball teams will start things off at 4:30 p.m. Varsity softball usually cranks up around 6:30 (though Starmount and Forbush JV softball teams have been known to go extra innings in recent years). Varsity baseball typically starts between 7 and 7:30 p.m.

Please visit our inside pages to read more sports news involving Forbush and Starmount teams.