HS baseball notes: No. 3 Hough off to strong start, faces No. 1 South Meck on Friday

Hough High School is looking to continue its Queen City Athletic Conference baseball dominance again this season.

The Huskies are 5-0 in conference play and aiming for a fourth consecutive conference title. Hough sits at 8-2 overall with big wins against Lake Norman and Independence, where Hough coach Jimmy Cochran played in high school.

“I like our club,” Cochran said. “We’ve got a bunch of guys that are fun to be around and fun to coach. That makes our jobs a whole lot easier. Obviously, we have some talent at key positions on the mound there and we really just have a bunch of guys that are bought in to help the team win.”

When asked which area of his team was clicking best right now, Cochran answered quickly.

“Pitching,” he said.

Cochran believes he has six guys he can put on the mound who can win a big game.

“We are fortunate that we have depth (at the pitching position),” Cochran said. “In high school baseball, that is a luxury to have. We have three front-end arms that are going to get a lot of recognition. We have three guys behind though that might not get as much recognition but are just as capable to go out there and put us in a position to win.”

Hough pitchers

Tyler Baird, sophomore: Baird is one of the top young pitching prospects in not just the county but the state of NC. state, He also is batting .417, which is the second-highest on the team.

James Nesta, junior: The talented right-hander is not only a big-time baseball recruit, but he is a football recruit as well. His 6-foot-5 stout frame is intimidating for opposing batters.

Max White, senior: The lefty is a UNC commit. He has a 90 mph fastball, based on averages. He, like his Baird, is a top-500 national recruit.

Holden Philips, junior: He has drawn interest from several Division I conferences, including schools in the American Athletic Conference and Big East.

Jackson Greene, senior: He throws right and bats left, but the ambidextrous senior can hurt you from the mound or the batters’ box. He is set to attend Surry Community College.

Alec Eddy, junior: Eddy can give the Huskies a start if he needs to, or come in and close. He, as coach mentioned, might not get the recognition that some of the high-major prospects do but is valuable to his team’s success.

Four titles in a row?

The Huskies are three-time defending champions of the QC3A/4A conference.

“I think that is always one of the goals going into the season,” Cochran said. “If nothing else, it gives the players something tangible that they can hold on to. Anytime you get the recognition of a conference championship, it only sparks confidence as you head into postseason play.”

Key results from last week

▪ No. 6 Myers Park fell a couple of spots in this week’s rankings after back-to-back losses: 2-0 to Cuthbertson and 8-7 to No. 9 Ardrey Kell.

▪ No. 4 Sun Valley took a jump up the list with a 5-0 win vs. previously top-ranked Weddington.

▪ No. 13 South Point gave No. 7 Stuart Cramer its second loss of the season in a tight 6-5 win.

Games to watch

▪ No. 1 South Mecklenburg travels to No. 3 Hough in what should be a thriller. Both teams have great pitching, hitting and fielding. Both are legitimate state title contenders.

▪ No. 5 Hickory Ridge will face Lake Norman twice in the next week. The Wildcats were dropped from the top 16 this week but wins against Hickory Ridge just might earn them a spot back.

Sweet 16 poll

Dropped Out: Lake Norman (4A, 4-5), Northwest Cabarrus (3A, 4-4). In consideration: Cuthbertson (4A. 4-3), Providence Day (IND, 4-4)