The NCHSAA 2A Baseball State Championship is heading to Greene Central (28-1) and Snow Hill, N.C. after the Rams took down the defending state champions the Burns Bulldogs (32-2) Saturday morning at Burlington Athletic Stadium. A fast start on offense helped control the game early for the Rams as they took down the Bulldogs 8-5.

Greene Central wins the 2A State Championship for the first time since 2000 and spoils a back-to-back championship bid for Burns. The championship run ends for Burns, and they finish the season 32-2.

The Bulldogs were in striking distance early with the bases loaded but the Rams defense battled out of a jam to keep things scoreless heading up to bat in the bottom of the first. The Rams bats started off hot and a three-run home run over the left field wall from Riley Raford gave the Rams the early 3-0 lead.

The Rams then picked things back up in the bottom half of the second when they plated two runners thanks to Will Radford reaching first base off an error. Riley Radford then followed right behind him with an RBI single to left making it 6-0 Greene Central. A solo homerun in the third from Colby Putnam put the Bulldogs on the board. Rams still led 6-1.

• Photo Gallery: Greene Central vs. Burns baseball, Game 2 (June 1, 2024)

The Bulldogs were looking to fight their way back into this one in the fourth but three straight 4-3 plays from the Rams defense quickly shut down Burns in the fourth. The Bulldogs responded with three up and three down innings of their own as headed to the fifth.

The Bulldogs managed to get a run on the board in the fifth from Jackson Toney on an RBI groundout, but the Rams had an immediate answer in the bottom half of the inning when they extended their lead to 7-2 on an RBI groundout from Elijah Monroe.

The Rams added an insurance run in the sixth off an error that plated a runner from third to make it 8-2. The Rams headed to the seventh looking to close things out for the win. The Bulldogs brought home a run in the seventh on a fielder’s choice and an RBI single from Ethan Guy plated two runs to make it 8-5 but the Rams closed things out for the win.

Brandon Burress picked up the win for the Rams, going seven innings giving up five runs on eleven hits and striking out three batters and allowing zero walks. As for the Bulldogs Jackson Toney took the loss going one 1 and 2/3 innings surrendering six runs on two hits and walking two.

Source: highschoolot.com