The Gaston Braves, left for dead just a couple of days ago, have forced a fifth-and-deciding game with Caldwell Post 29 in the Area IV semifinals. The Braves, who staved off elimination Wednesday night at MS Deal Stadium with an 11-6 win, evened up the series at two wins apiece with a 3-2 win against Post 29 Thursday night in Belmont, N.C. Game five will

be played at MS Deal Stadium tonight at 7 p.m. Former Pioneer Ethan Greene suffered his first loss of the year. He went nine innings and gave up three runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and a walk. Former Pioneer David Martin had a run-scoring double and scored a run in the loss. Win or lose tonight, Post 29 will host and play in the state tournament at MS Deal Stadium, August 1-5, in Granite Falls. Also, Greene, who will attend Pfeiffer University this fall, leads Area IV with 59 strikeouts; former Pioneer Max Linnville, who will attend Western Carolina in the fall, leads Area IV with a .482 batting average.

POLLARD ADDS ASSISTANT COACH TO STAFF

Former Appalachian State University baseball coach Chris Pollard has announced that Pfeiffer University coach Mark Hayes, who played at South Caldwell, will be a volunteer assistant coach at Duke this season.....Linebacker Darius Lipford, who played at Hibriten High and is currently a rising junior at the University of North Carolina, is out for the season with a torn ACL in his knee. Lipford played in 11 games and started one as a true freshman linebacker and special teams player. He had four tackles on the season, including two vs. Virginia and one each against Miami and William & Mary. He started against William & Mary.....And the home run ball continues to plague Madison Bumgarner. The left hander, who played at South Caldwell High School, dropped a 3-2 decision against the Atlanta Braves Wednesday afternoon at Turner Field. Bumgarner (11-6) went seven innings giving up three runs, two earned, on two hits with eight strikeouts. Bumgarner coughed up home run balls to Freddie Freeman and David Ross, who hit a two-run shot that snapped a 1-1 tie.