Thursday, October 1, 2026
®
The World's Local News Source®
Unbeaten, no more. Both undefeated teams in Area IV divisions lost this week, heating the title chase. Asheville Post 70 defeated Cherryville Post 100 8-7 at home and Shelby knocked off Burns 10-4 in the junior division at home as well. The Cherryville Post 100 ladies kept their record even in junior softball.
As the race toward the Area IV regular season title tightens up, one team to keep an eye on is the Gaston Braves Post 144/266. They played several top teams to close finishes and blew out Shelby 14-1 earlier in the season. They are capable of playing with anyone. Asheville Post 70 got off to a slow start but gained a huge victory on June 10, knocking off previously undefeated Cherryville Post 100, 8-7, in Asheville. The loss for Cherryville has left three teams with only one loss: Cherryville, Shelby, and Caldwell County.
The most impactful game of the week was Asheville’s 8-7 win over Cherryville on Wednesday, June 10. The Post 70 Cardinals were able to get their season back on track by giving Cherryville Post 100 their first loss of the season. Asheville jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning thanks to a 2-run homer off the hot bat of Alex Hannah. He went 2-3 on the night with 2 home runs, 2 runs scored, and 4 RBIs. Boone Carver added a solo home run as he went 2-4, scoring 1 run and 1 RBI. Brady Duvall went 2-4, scored 2 runs, and had 2 RBIs. The early lead was just too large for Post 100 to overcome. They trailed 7-1 after three innings. Cherryville battled back to within a run, 7-6, after 5 innings. Asheville added another run in the sixth, and Cherryville scored another one in the seventh off an Elliott Dellinger solo home run, but came up short in an 8-7 loss. Dellinger went 3-3, scored 3 runs, and had 2 RBIs. Carson McGinnis went 3-4 and scored 1 run. Talon Dalton added 2 RBIs as he went 2-3.
6/7/26 – Gastonia 8 Gaston Braves 5
6/8/26 – Cherryville 8, Gaston Braves 2, Hickory 8, Gastonia 7 (12 innings), Shelby 10, Burke County 4
6/10/26 – Gaston Braves 5 Burke 0, Asheville 8 Cherryville 7, Rutherford County 16 Gastonia 11, Shelby 12 Hickory 2,
6/11/26 - Rutherford County 8, Hickory 5, Hickory 4, Rutherford County 2 (Double Header), Gastonia 4, Burke 1.
Cherryville 4-1 5-1
Shelby 3-1 4-2
Caldwell Co. 2-1 2-1
Hickory 3-3 3-3
Asheville 2-2 4-2
Rutherford Co. 2-2 2-2
Gastonia 2-3 2-3
Gaston Braves 2-3 2-5
Burke Co. 0-4 0-4
Sunday 6/14 – Rutherford County at Gaston Braves 3 pm Double Header, Asheville at Caldwell.
Monday 6/15 – Gastonia at Shelby
Tuesday 6/16 – Asheville at Burke, Caldwell Co. at Shelby, Braves at Hickory, Gastonia at Rutherford Co., Union at Cherryville
Wednesday 6/17 – Cherryville at Gastonia, Greenville at Shelby, Hickory at Gaston Braves
Thursday 6/18 – Burke at Hickory, Cherryville at Caldwell, Gaston Braves at Gastonia
Friday 6/19 – Rutherford Co. at Caldwell 5 pm (Double Header), Burke at Cherryville
Saturday 6/20 – Caldwell Co. at Gaston Braves, Hickory at Burke
Sunday 6/21 – Caldwell Co. at Hickory
Friday 6/19 – Asheville v/s Florence, SC 5pm, Florence v/s Shelby 7pm
Saturday 6/20 – Cherryville v/s Florence, SC 11 am, Asheville v/s Rock Hill 1:30pm, Asheville v/s Richland, SC 4pm, Richland v/s Shelby 6:30pm
Sunday 6/21 – Cherryville v/s Richland at Noon, Cherryville v/s Rock Hill 2:30pm, Rock Hill v/s Shelby 5pm
The spotlight game of the week was Shelby hosting Burns on June 9. This was the first loss of the season for Burns, with Shelby winning 10-4. The game was back-and-forth early, tied 3-3 after 3 innings. Burns took over the lead 4-3 in the top of the 5th, Shelby then added 3 in the bottom of the 5th and 4 in the 6th. Burns was held to 2 hits and committed 4 errors. Shelby collected 9 hits. Isaac Ridings led the way at the plate for Post 82, going 2-3, 3 runs scored, and 3 RBIs. Mari Jolly went 2-3, scored 3 runs, 2 RBIs, and Bryson Ciaschini went 2-4 and scored 2 runs. Maria Jolly pitched 4 1/3 innings, giving up 4 runs (3 earned), 2 hits, 4 walks, and struck out 7. Hunter Davidson pitched 2 2/3 innings of zero ball.
6/8/26 – East Rutherford 7 Cherryville 4, Burns 14 Gaston Braves Blue 7, Gaston Braves Red 10 Lincolnton 6, Shelby 19 Bessemer City 0
6/9/26 – Lincolnton 12 Bessemer City 4, Shelby 10 Burns 4, Gaston Braves Blue 16 Gastonia 5, East Rutherford 6 Gaston Braves Red 5
6/11/26 – Cherryville 11 Gaston Braves Blue 3, Burns 15 Gastonia 2, Lincolnton 5 Shelby 4
6/12/26 – Burns 6 Cherryville 3, Gaston Braves Blue 6 Gaston Braves Red 4, Shelby 11 Gastonia 3
Burns 6-1 6-1
Shelby 7-2 8-2
East Rutherford 3-1 3-1
Cherryville 5-3 5-3
Gaston Braves Blue 4-5 4-5
Gaston Braves Red 4-5 4-5
Lincolnton 3-4 3-4
Gastonia 2-6 2-6
Bessemer City 0-7 0-7
Monday 6/15 – Shelby at Lincolnton 6:15, Cherryville at Gastonia, Gaston Braves Blue at Bessemer City, Gaston Braves Red at Burns
Tuesday 6/16 – Burns at Bessemer City, Gaston Braves Red at Gastonia, Lincolnton at Gaston Braves Blue
Wednesday 6/17 – Gaston Braves Blue at East Rutherford, Shelby at Cherryville
Thursday 6/18 – Bessemer City at Gastonia 4 pm, Burns at Lincolnton 6:15, East Rutherford at Gaston Braves Blue, Gaston Braves Red at Cherryville
Friday 6/19 – Gastonia at Lincolnton 6:15, Burns at East Rutherford, Cherryville at Bessemer City
Sunday 6/21- Cherryville at Burns
2025 was the inaugural season for Cherryville Post 100 in ladies’ American Legion softball. The first team finished with a 9-3 record. The age limits are slightly different for softball than for baseball. The Junior division is for 12-17-year-olds, and the Senior division is for ages 14-21. This season’s Cherryville squad is coached by Andy Capps, Brad Dalton, and Wes Brown. Emphasis is initially being placed on developing middle and high school players to grow into a senior team. The team is young and has the potential to reach that goal in just a few seasons. All home games will be played at the Cherryville High School softball field, starting at 6 pm. All games will be played as doubleheaders, with each game consisting of 5 innings. Admission is $8, and children under 10 are admitted for free. Cherryville split their 3 double headers this past week. Monday, June 8, they hosted Shelby Post 82. Shelby took the first game 9-1, and Cherryville won the second 10-1. On Wednesday, June 10, Shelby hosted Cherryville. The first game went to Cherryville 13-5, and the second was won by Shelby 14-4. Thursday, June 11, Cherryville was home against Hickory Red Team. Cherryville won the first one 10-4 and lost the second one 9-4. Post 100 is 4-4 on the season.
Photo Credit: Andy Capps
Monday 6/15 – Caldwell Co. at Cherryville
Friday 6/19 – Cherryville at Rowan Co. Red
Monday 6/22 – Cherryville at Rutherford Co.
Monday 6/29 – Cherryville at Hickory Blue
Thursday 7/2 – Rowan Blue at Cherryville
Monday 7/6 Cherryville at Hickory Red
Brynlee Capps .667 average 4-6
McKinley Ward .636 average 7-11, fielding 10 put outs
Lydia Williams .429 average, 3-7, fielding 11 put outs
Harper Lovelace .429 average 3-7, fielding 10 put outs
Kendall Thornburg .375 average, 6-16, 5 RBIs, fielding 8 assists
Grace Capps .375 average, 6-16, 8 RBIs, fielding 23 put outs
Jenny Brown 8 runs scored, 10 stolen bases
Madeline Collins 8 runs scored, 4 stolen bases, fielding 13 assists
Daylee Dalton 7 runs scored
Kendall Bachman scored 6 runs
Riley Honbaier 5 RBIs
For further WNN articles and news stories, visit https://wisenewsnetwork.com
For more WNN video news stories, visit YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wisenewsnetwork
Contact WNN at newsdesk@wisenewsnetwork.com
North Carolina Press Association Member
©️Copyright 2026 Wise News Network. All rights reserved.
