AHOSKIE – Chad Whitehead delivered the game winning run in the top of the fifth frame.

The Lawrence Academy right-handed hitter came through with a sacrifice fly to help his team defeat Ridgecroft School 5-4 and secure the Tarheel Independent Conference baseball championship.

“Our defense is what won the game,” said Lawrence Head Coach Robert Kravitz, whose team has won the league title in all three of his seasons at the helm. “Judd pitched really well for us.

“We were lucky to beat Ridgecroft with Josh Morris pitching,” he added. “This was a good win for us.”

The Warriors broke the 4-all stalemate in the fifth inning.

T.J. Johnston drew a walk just before a Judd Whitehead single.

Both advanced on a Daniel Oliver sacrifice. After J.T. Lilley walked to load the bases, Chad Whitehead had a sacrifice fly to score Johnston and give the Warriors the lead.

Lawrence opened the scoring in the contest with a single run in the top of the first.

Evan Holton walked and scored on Oliver’s RBI-double to push the Warriors ahead 1-0.

The visiting team added a run in the second when Jake Mitchell doubled and scored on a Joe Harrell RBI-single.

Ridgecroft surged ahead with four runs in the bottom of the third inning.

Brian Outlaw and Matthew Jones had back-to-back singles to get the inning going. Andy Daughtridge then plated Outlaw on his RBI-single to left.

After Morris singled to load the bases, Neal Howard had a three-run triple to center to push the Rams into a 4-2 lead.

Lawrence evened the score with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth.

Chad Whitehead doubled to left-centerfield. Courtesy runner Jay Spencer scored on a Gray Harrell RBI-single to left. Harrell went to third on a Mitchell single and scored on Joe Harrell’s RBI-groundout that tied the score at four-all.

Judd Whitehead went all seven inning for the Warriors while Morris did the same for the Rams.

Lawrence moved to 16-4 overall and 10-0 inside the TIC while Ridgecroft fell to 12-5 and 10-2.

After a trip to Rocky Mount Friday, the Warriors host Albemarle School on Monday in another TIC match.