Cherryville Takes Game 1 Behind Brock Bumgardner No-Hitter, Rosewood Still Has Opportunity Thursday
Cherryville is now one win away from its 12th state championship after a dominant 4-0 victory over Rosewood in Game 1 of the 2A State Championship Series Wednesday night at Burlington Athletic Stadium.
The story of the night was junior star Brock Bumgardner.
Bumgardner delivered one of the best performances of the postseason, throwing a complete-game no-hitter with 11 strikeouts while carrying a perfect game into the sixth inning. Rosewood managed just one baserunner all night after Bumgardner issued a walk.
At the plate, Bumgardner also helped set the tone early with a first-inning RBI double. He finished with two RBIs, while Talon Dalton led Cherryville offensively with a 2-for-3 performance. Aaron Heavner added two RBIs for the Ironmen.
Rosewood starter Robbie Boren competed well despite the loss, striking out seven over six innings while allowing four runs on six hits against one of the state’s top offenses.
Now the focus shifts to Thursday morning.
Rosewood entered the series knowing Cherryville’s combination of elite pitching, experience, and postseason tradition would present one of the toughest challenges possible. In many ways, Game 1 represented Cherryville firing its biggest shot — getting a no-hit performance from its ace while capitalizing on early scoring opportunities.
Despite the loss, the Eagles still have a chance to reset the series.
Rosewood’s lineup has been one of the most productive offenses in North Carolina all season, entering the championship averaging a .383 team batting average with nearly 300 runs scored. One quiet offensive night does not erase what this group has accomplished all year.
Now the question becomes:
Can Rosewood respond?
The Eagles will need to regroup quickly and try to force a decisive Game 3 Thursday evening. If Rosewood can generate early offense and settle into the game offensively, pressure could quickly swing back onto Cherryville.
Thursday’s Game 2 is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. at Burlington Athletic Stadium.
If Rosewood wins, the teams will return for a winner-take-all Game 3 at 5:00 p.m.
Cherryville is one win away from another championship.
Rosewood is still fighting to make program history.
