Fuquay-Varina hangs on against Ashley, advances to 4A baseball state championship

Fuquay-Varina narrowly defeated Ashley in the 4A regionals to advance to the state championship series, winning 2-1 on Wednesday.

Fuquay-Varina entered Wednesday’s game on a six-game winning streak, while Ashley won its previous three playoff games. Their matchup was originally scheduled for Tuesday evening.

The Bengals got on the board first, with Aidan Cannady scoring Ryan McCrystal on a double in the first inning. Fuquay-Varina added a run on a Rhett James home run in the third inning for a 2-0 lead.

Ashley, on the other hand, struggled to gain any momentum with its bats early in the game. Jackson Humphries of Fuquay-Varina led the Bengals with a strong pitching performance.

The Screaming Eagles cut into the lead in the sixth inning on a groundout RBI from Barret Swails. With the score 2-1, they entered the seventh inning down by one.

The Bengals could not extend their lead, giving Ashley one more chance to win or send the game into extra innings.

Fuquay-Varina relief pitcher Daniel Eagen ended the game with a strikeout, clinching the victory for the Bengals and sending them to the 4A state championship series.

Fuquay-Varina will face Ronald Reagan for the championship in a three-game series that begins Friday in Fayetteville or Burlington.