County baseball tournament pairings set

GASTONIA — The 24th annual Gaston County Baseball Tournament will open with defending champion Forestview taking on rival Ashbrook.

The Jaguars, who beat Cherryville 2-0 in last year’s championship game, will face the Green Wave 10 a.m. April 5 at Sims Legion Park. East Gaston will then take on Hunter Huss at 1 p.m., followed by North Gaston against Cherryville at 4 and Bessemer City against South Point at 7.

Two games will take place each of the next four days, with the semifinals scheduled for April 7 and the championship set for 7 p.m. April 9. Teams losing their first-round games will compete in consolation games April 6 and 8.

First-round pairings were drawn Monday.

South Point is the host school, but the tournament will take place at Sims Legion Park for a second straight year after The Gaston Gazette, CaroMont Health and Gastonia Parks and Recreation teamed up to organize the annual event.

Tournament MVP Clint Medlin pitched two victories last year and held Cherryville to four hits in the championship game, leading Forestview to its second county tournament title and first since 2002.

Bessemer City beat South Point 4-3 in eight innings for third place. Ashbrook placed fifth after a 9-1 win over North Gaston. East Gaston’s 11-2 victory over Hunter Huss gave the Warriors seventh place.

South Point leads all teams with five championships, the last of which came in 2006. East Gaston and North Gaston have won four each.

You can reach Phillip Gardner at 704-869-1843.

Gaston County Baseball Tournament

April 5-9 at Sims Legion Park, Gastonia

April 5

Forestview vs. Ashbrook, 10 a.m.

East Gaston vs. Hunter Huss, 1 p.m.

North Gaston vs. Cherryville, 4

Bessemer City vs. South Point, 7

April 6

Fv-Ash loser vs. EG-Huss loser, 4 p.m.

NG-Ch loser vs. BC-SP loser, 7

April 7

Fv-Ash winner vs. EG-Huss winner, 4 p.m.

NG-Ch winner vs. BC-SP winner, 7

April 8

Seventh-place game, 4 p.m.

Fifth-place game, 7

April 9

Third-place game, 4:30 p.m.

Championship, 7