Newcastle opened its 2024 baseball season with a special ceremony and then topped it off with wins on March 1 against the MacArthur Highlanders and March 2 against the OKC Knights.
The Racers opened on Saturday with NHS choir students Aubrey Cain and Maddie Claypool singing the National Anthem. The first pitches of the season were thrown out by Newcastle Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Cathy Walker and former Racer baseball coach Mike Crossley.
Coach Crossley led the Racer Fast-Pitch team this school year to the finals and a State Championship.
The Racers, who went 2-2 in pre-season play, beat Mac-Arthur 15-3, and the OKC Knights, 8-6. They took on Dickson Monday to a 1-0 drubbing, and are scheduled to play Noble on Friday and Jones on Saturday.
Newcastle had 12 runs in the first inning against Mac-Arthur. Kaden Longman was the winning pitcher for the Racers. Newcastle had five runs in the second inning including a three-RBI double by Taj Smith against the OKC Knights. Jackson Robertson had the start for Newcastle, and was relieved by Austin Gibson.
