06/04/2026
Congrats to the Bunn Wildcats on their 2026 North Carolina High School Athletic Association 4A State Championship! What an amazing feat of athletic skills.
🏆⚾️ 4A STATE CHAMPIONS ⚾️🏆
sweeps the state title series 2-0 to become the 2026 North Carolina High School Athletic Association 4A State Champions
🟢🟢⚪️
Do what got you here.
Bunn baseball has taken the same approach to pitching in every big game this year. You were either getting the righty/lefty combination of Connor Hathaway and Dylan Mitchell -- the duo the Wildcats went with in Game 1 yesterday to secure a 3-2 victory to take the 4A state championship series lead 1-0. Or, you were getting the lefty/righty combo of Jared Hagwood and Braden Jackson -- the pair tasked with closing out the series today in Game 2.
One would wonder, however, how long Hagwood would go in the biggest game of the season. The senior ace, possessing as decorated a high school pitching career as they come, certainly deserved the ball in his hands to close out the series. Jackson, a sensational surprise on the mound this season for the Wildcats, is just a sophomore. Would anyone blame the Wildcat coaching staff for leaving Hagwood on the rubber until the end? Certainly not.
As the away team, the Wildcats first had to make it to the bottom of the seventh with a lead.
Game 2 took a much different tone at the start than yesterday’s Game 1, which saw four of the game’s five runs cross home plate in the first inning. The first two innings today produced none for both teams.
In the third inning, the fireworks quickly ignited. Tariq Stone, Connor Hathway, and Caleb Johnson all singled to load the bases. Hagwood decided to help himself and cleared the bases with a double that gave the East Champions a 3-0 lead. In the bottom, Burns kept the theme of quickly answering your opponent’s runs when they doubled to the right center gap scoring two. Despite Hagwood striking out two in the inning, the Bulldogs escaped down only one run 3-2.
The Wildcats regained a two-run cushion the very next inning when shortstop Connor Hathway’s (3 hits and 2 runs scored today) single scored Calvin Hooks. Luckily, Hooks crossed home plate right before the Bulldogs gunned down a Wildcat runner trying to reach third that ended the inning.
Caleb Johnson’s heads-up play in the fifth inning showed just how dialed-in the Wildcats have been all season. He singled to reach first; in the process, the throw back to the pitcher was errant and took off for the third base foul line. Johnson sprinted for second and arrived safely. This opportunistic base-running decision paid off as Keagan Price slapped a single. Johnson, displaying his well-rounded abilities, scored from second with a head first slide. Bunn ended the inning with a 5-2 lead.
Burns would add another run in the sixth to make it 5-3 despite Hagwood striking out three of their batters. He finished his 6 innings pitched with 6 strikeouts and 2 earned runs.
Though many did not realize it at the time, the top of the seventh brought in what ended up being the state championship securing runs. After singles by Hathaway and catcher Owen Mitchell, Keagan Price came through at the right moment once again and lasered a double to left center scoring Hagwood (Hathway scored prior on a throwing error).
With the score 7-3 and the state title just three outs away, Wildcat head coach Patrick Warren decided “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, and sent the sophomore the Wildcat faithful affectionately call “B-2” to the mound to close out a state championship. Burns, the home team and down to their final chance, needed at least four runs to extend the game and keep their season alive. For a moment, it seemed like they were determined to do so.
Jackson had trouble finding the strike zone; unfortunately when he did, he gave up two hits that put runners on first and second. The next Bulldog batter then ripped a shot into left field where Dylan Mitchell made a diving effort for the ball that unfortunately slipped by him and to the wall.
Two Bulldog runs scored. The lead cut in half in what seemed like an instant.
As worry started to palpitate in the Wildcat crowd, what many may have missed was the senior leadership that simply moved over to first base. It was Hagwood. As stoic as ever, he looked over to the bench as if to ask the Wildcat coaching staff, “Want me to talk to him?” and approached the young sophomore on the mound. Maybe it was what was said, or maybe it was Jackson just settling in, or maybe it was a really seasoned, talented Burns program finding a spark a little too late. Whatever it was, the threat was stymied as Jackson secured the next three outs without surrendering another run. As fate would have it, the ball did end in Jared Hagwood's hand after all. The final out was a slow grounder to first where Hagwood scooped it up, stomped on the bag, and threw his arms up in triumph. The moment, as it turned out, was not too big for the sensationally slinging sophomore. That worry? Completely dissipated as Wildcat Country erupted into an uproarious cacophony of cheers.
It was Hathaway/D. Mitchell and Hagwood/Jackson once again. This final time, though, it was for the state title.
Caleb Johnson was named MVP of the championship series. Today, he went 3-4 with 2 steals and 2 runs scored. In Game 1, he had 2 RBIs and a highlight reel diving catch in center field.
The Bunn Wildcats are your 2026 Baseball 4A State Champions! This is the second baseball state title in school history (previously 1979) and the third state title overall (1981 boys’ basketball). They finish the season 26-3.
Your championship coaches are head coach Patrick Warren and assistant coaches John Rappold and Taylor Longson.
Your state championship players are Owen Mitchell, Jared Hagwood, Caleb Johnson, Connor Hathaway, Keagan Price, Tariq Stone, Dylan Mitchell, Jackson Alford, Calvin Hooks, Caiden Carpenter, Braden Jackson, Jaden Cancilla, Troy Aycock, Hunter Buckingham, Deaquan Cook, Trey Lee, and JT Turner (manager).
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🟩😼⚾️🏆🟨
