Staff Reports

MORAVIAN FALLS — There will be no sharing of the top spot in the Mountain Valley 2A standings this year for Starmount’s baseball team.

The Rams won the conference regular season championship outright with Thursday’s 5-1 win at Wilkes Central. Tyler Jackson went the distance from the mound, allowing two hits and striking out 13.

The victory pushes Starmount’s record to 10-1 in the MVAC with one game left (tonight against visiting North Surry). Wilkes Central joins Surry Central at 8-4. Forbush was 8-3 in conference heading into its Thursday night game at Ashe County (results not known as of our late Thursday deadline).

Last season, Starmount swept Wilkes Central in the season series but both teams finished with identical records on top of the conference standings.

The Rams jumped out quick on the Eagles on Thursday, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning and two more in the top of the third. Wilkes Central scored a run in the bottom of the sixth, but the Rams answered with their final score in the top of the seventh.

Derrick Wishon and Caleb Pardue both went 2-for-4 to lead an eight-hit Starmount offensive attack. Both players scored two runs. Tyler Howard, Jackson’s catcher, was 1-for-4 with two RBIs.

Eli Baker took the loss for Wilkes Central.

Thursday was supposed to be the regular season finale for the Rams. But lightning last Friday forced the postponement of their game with North Surry until tonight.

The Mountain Valley 2A tournament will be played next week.

Starmount 5, Wilkes Central 1

Thursday • at Moravian Falls

Starmount 202 000 1 — 5 8 2

Wilkes Central 000 001 0 — 1 2 3

WP: Tyler Jackson; LP: Eli Baker.