NC Diamond Notes: Playoffs Week 1

May 13, 2026
Sean Smith
Mid-Atlantic Operations Manager

Comprehensive Coverage of the 2026 North Carolina High School Baseball Season

Throughout the 2026 North Carolina high school baseball season, Prep Baseball NC and its dedicated staff will provide extensive coverage of all aspects of the sport across the state. Our coverage will feature Inside the Box, a daily scoreboard, live scouting at high school games, a maintained Heat Sheet, and ongoing tracking of standout player performances.

Each week, our scouting staff will analyze box scores, consult with high school coaches, college recruiters, and professional scouts to select the Player and Pitcher of the Week. Coaches will have the opportunity to nominate players from their teams for consideration. The recipients of these awards will be announced every Tuesday throughout the spring season. Each player submitted and considered for the Player of the Week Award will be recognized in the weekly Diamond Notes release. This list of players will allow fans, coaches, and scouts a place each week to follow some of the best performances weekly in North Carolina.

2026 Prep Baseball NC High School Coverage

Inside the Box
Power 25
NC High School Scout Blog
North Carolina Player / Pitcher of the Week

DIAMOND NOTES – POSTSEASON WEEK 1 STANDOUTS

Round 1 & Round 2 Playoff Performances | May 5-9, 2026

The opening week of the North Carolina postseason delivered dominant pitching performances, late-game heroics, and explosive offensive production across the state. Below are some of the top individual performances from Round 1 and Round 2 action as teams battled to keep their seasons alive.

HITTERS

Drew Darling, OF, Charlotte Christian, 2026

Belmont Abbey commit
Round 2: 4-4, 2 HR, 3 R, 7 RBI
Powered Charlotte Christian’s offense in a postseason win with two long balls and seven RBI
Knights advanced to the next round

Sam Piscorik, INF, Wakefield, 2028

Round 1: 3-3, 2 HR, 2 R, 5 RBI
Key offensive force in Wakefield’s playoff win
Wakefield advanced after combining for a no-hitter on the mound

Luke Danser, INF, Charlotte Catholic, 2027

Dayton commit
Round 2: 2-2, 2 HR, 2 R, 7 RBI
Massive offensive performance in playoff win
Charlotte Catholic advanced to Round 3

Josh Mozingo, INF, Terry Sanford, 2026

ECU commit
Round 2: 3-3, 2 2B, 3 R, 5 RBI
Continued hot postseason stretch with five RBI performance
Terry Sanford moved on to the next round

Alex Hampton, INF, Marvin Ridge, 2028

Round 2: 3-3, 2 2B, 3 R, 6 RBI
Middle-of-the-order force in Marvin Ridge playoff win
Mavericks advanced to Round 3

Jayden Morales, OF/INF, North Raleigh Christian Academy, 2027

Round 1: 2-3, 2 HR, 3 R, 5 RBI
Delivered two home runs and five RBI in playoff opener
Helped NRCA extend its season

Hodge Williams, C, Holly Springs, 2026

Round 2: 2-5, HR (Grand Slam), 1 R, 4 RBI
Delivered the biggest swing of the game with a grand slam
Holly Springs advanced

Brady Hastings, OF, J.H. Rose, 2027

Round 2: 3-4, HR, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI
Sparked Rose offense in postseason victory
Rampants moved on to Round 3

Josh Roberson, INF, J.H. Rose, 2026

NC A&T commit
Round 2: 3-3, HR, 2B, 2 R, 4 RBI
Produced offensively while also contributing on the mound
Rose advanced in the postseason

Bryce Fitzsimmons, OF, Cardinal Gibbons, 2026

Manhattan commit
Round 2: 2-4, HR, 2B, 3 R, 3 RBI
Impacted the game with multiple extra-base hits and run production

Graham Virag, INF, Cardinal Gibbons, 2028

Round 2: 2-3, HR, 1 R, 4 RBI
Big swing production in playoff win

Antonio Parrino, OF, Wake Forest, 2027

Round 2: 2-3, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI
Continued offensive production in postseason play

Kaegan Radford, INF/C, TC Roberson, 2027

Round 2: 1-3, HR, 1 R, 4 RBI
Delivered clutch run production in Rams playoff victory
TC Roberson advanced

Beckett Rinkus, OF, North Lincoln, 2027

Round 2: 2-3, HR, 1 R, 2 RBI

Cason McGinnis, INF, North Lincoln, 2026

UNC Wilmington commit
Round 2: 2-4, 2 2B, 2 R, 1 RBI

Elliott Dellinger, INF, North Lincoln, 2026

UVA-Wise commit
Round 2: 3-4, 2 2B, 1 R, 1 RBI
Trio led North Lincoln offense in playoff win

RJ Browning, INF, Topsail, 2027

Round 2: 2-4, HR, 2 R, 1 RBI
Continued power surge in postseason action

Luke Waters, C, Southern Lee, 2027

Round 2: 2-2, HR, 2B, 1 R, 4 RBI
Produced all game long in Southern Lee victory

Braylon Waddell, INF, Grace Christian, 2027

UNC Wilmington commit
Round 3: 2-3, HR, 4 R, 2 RBI
Set the tone offensively in Saturday playoff win

Tyler Wright, RHP/1B, Hickory Grove Christian, 2027

Round 3: 2-5, 2B, HR, 2 R, 1 RBI
Extra-base impact helped Hickory Grove continue postseason run

Matthew Dorsey, C, Covenant Day, 2026

Round 1: 4-5, 2 2B, 2 R, 4 RBI

Isaiah Dorbor, OF, Covenant Day, 2028

Round 1: 2-3, 2B, 3B, 1 R, 4 RBI
Covenant Day duo combined for eight RBI in playoff opener

PITCHERS

Lucas Matthews, RHP, Hoggard, 2026

Round 2: No-Hitter, CG Win, 7 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 K
Dominant complete-game no-hitter to keep Hoggard advancing
Vikings moved on to Round 3

Duncan Carver, RHP, AC Reynolds, 2028

Round 2: CG Win, 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 9 K
Continued dominant postseason stretch with another complete-game gem
AC Reynolds advanced; opponent’s season ended

Stone Massey, RHP, Hunt, 2027

NC State commit
Round 2: CG Win, 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 9 K
Efficient strike-thrower overwhelmed opposing lineup
Hunt advanced

Jack Fields, RHP, Leesville Road, 2026

Round 2: CG Win, 7 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 11 K
One-hit masterpiece in playoff victory
Leesville Road advanced

Nick Rumbley, RHP, Rockingham County, 2026

UNC commit
Round 2: CG Win, 7 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 11 K
Another dominant postseason outing with double-digit strikeouts
Rockingham County advanced

Grainger Williamson, RHP, Terry Sanford, 2027

Round 2: CG Win, 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 10 K
Overpowered hitters with swing-and-miss stuff

Bryson Schmidt, RHP, North Lincoln, 2028

Round 2: 5.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 10 K
Dominant outing helped North Lincoln survive and advance

Cam Tarkenton, RHP, Cardinal Gibbons, 2026

UNC commit
Round 2: Win, 5.2 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 11 K
Missed bats consistently in playoff victory

Jesse Covington, RHP, Wesleyan Christian, 2028

Round 2: Win, 5 IP, 2 ER, 3 BB, 11 K
Power arsenal produced double-digit strikeouts

Gibson Todd, RHP, Topsail, 2026

Gaston College commit
Round 2: Win in relief, 6.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 10 K
Dominant long relief appearance helped extend Topsail season

Connor Salerno, RHP, Sun Valley, 2027

Mississippi State commit
Round 2: 5.2 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 10 K
Despite the loss, continued to show swing-and-miss ability in final outing of the season
Sun Valley’s season concluded

Ayden Brown, RHP, Southeast Alamance, 2026