text: Downtown Gastonia renovation project could finish this year
  Harrison Brooks pitches Ashbrook past Highland Tech
  Jack Flagler jflagler@gastongazette.com
  GASTONIA – The opening round of Gaston County High School Spring Break Tournament featured impressive pitching performances throughout the day. Cherryville junior Noah Eaker allowed just three hits and one run against a strong South Point offense. Justin Helms of East Gaston threw a no-hitter against Huss, then North Gaston’s McKinley Scott one-hit Bessemer City.
  In the last game of the day, as the sun set at Sims Legion Park, Ashbrook senior Harrison Brooks kept that trend going.
  Brooks is still working his way back to full strength after a rotator cuff impingement kept him off the mound for much of the year. But the Green Wave pitcher did not show many signs of rust Monday night, allowing just one hit against Highland Tech and earning the win on the hill as Ashbrook moved on with a 3-1 win over the Rams.
  The rotator cuff impingement is a fairly common occurrence, Brooks said, but it caused him pain every time he brought his right arm back to throw. He’s on his fourth week of a six-week rehab program, and threw Monday night for just the second time this year after he worked five innings in what he called a “rehab” start against Piedmont Community Charter on Monday, March 21.
  “I felt better than I have in the past year and a half. I’ve been having pain for a year and a half, maybe two years, so getting back and throwing with no pain is a lot better than getting out there, throwing two innings and coming in and saying it hurts,” Brooks said.
  Highland Tech sophomore Taylor Hughes led off the game by beating out an infield single, but from there, Brooks did not allow another hit to any Rams batter. He walked five, giving up one run, and threw three wild pitches while striking out four in the victory.
  “He got a little bit wild late but I expected that. He probably threw a little bit more than I wanted him to today but he kept demanding the ball. It’s hard for me to tell somebody no when they’re still being effective,” said Ashbrook coach Josh Cobb. “I’m extremely proud of the way he threw tonight and the longevity he showed.”
  The Green Wave took the lead and took control of the game in the bottom of the first, when Brooks went to the opposite field with a two-out triple, scoring Matt Prevette. Hughes pitched effectively for the Rams, allowing three runs on nine hits with five strikeouts and no walks to take the loss.
  Eight of those nine Ashbrook hits came from the top four batters in the Green Wave order, as leadoff man Devin Carn had three singles to jump start the offense. Carn scored twice, coming around in both the third and the fifth on RBIs from Austin Williamson and Matt Prevette.
  Brooks came out of the game with one out in the seventh inning following an error on a Bryant Baucom grounder that brought in a run to bring the Rams closer. Highland Tech had the tying run on first in the bottom of the seventh, but Baucom was caught trying to steal third, and Slayton Fletcher induced a ground out from Brandon Baucom to end the ballgame.
  Ashbrook (4-7, 0-5 Big South 2A/3A) will face North Gaston at 7 p.m. on Wednesday in the winners bracket of the tournament, with the winner advancing to Friday's championship game. The Wildcats beat the Green Wave 1-0 in Gastonia on March 15 in the only meeting this season between the teams.
  “We’ve still got a bitter taste in our mouth,” Cobb said. “We’ll throw our best out there and see what shakes out.”
  Highland Tech (4-7, 2-3 Southern Piedmont 1A) will take on conference rival Bessemer City at 1 p.m. Wednesday in the consolation bracket as those two teams will meet for the second time in a span of seven days. The Rams beat the Yellow Jackets 2-1 on Thursday, March 24 in Gastonia.