The Pinecrest girls' soccer team meets Wilmington Hoggard tonight at 6 p.m. in one of the most attractive home matchups of the season.

The match time was moved up from 7 p.m., and no junior varsity match is scheduled. Pinecrest, currently in 11th place in the state 4-A rankings, lost 4-1 to third-ranked Hoggard in the fourth round of last year's state playoffs. It was the third time the Rams eliminated the Patriots in the last four years.

"It's a possibility that anytime you play Hoggard, it could be a preview for the playoffs," Patriot coach Larry Martin said Wednesday. "From that standpoint, it should be a very interesting match to see how we both stack up."

Wednesday evening, the Patriots (2-0) opened Mid-Southeastern Conference play with a 14-0 victory at Douglas Byrd.

Molly Lynch recorded a first-half hat trick, and Latanya Cain, Morgan Saunders and Christina Klug each scored two goals as the Patriots stormed to a 13-0 first-half lead.

Lyndsey Anderson, Katie Letsinger, Lisa Hopkins, Christina Consalvo and Marissa Dotson also scored. Saunders and Keely Harbour shared the goalkeeping.

Vikes Win in Baseball

Sam Buie was the winning pitcher and hit a two-run homer in Union Pines 18-3 non-conference baseball win at East Montgomery Tuesday evening.

The Vikings take a record of 2-2 into tonight's 7 p.m. Cape Fear Valley Conference opener at home against Overhills.

The Vikings took advantage of wildness by the East Montgomery pitchers to break the game wide open with eight runs in the top of the seventh inning.

Bryan Collins had three of the Vikings' 12 hits in the game, including a double. He finished with two RBIs. Catcher Chris Holt added a pair of hits.

Buie allowed four hits, one earned run, and struck out six while walking four. Teammate Matt Key pitched the last two innings, allowing two hits and an unearned run.

PHS Wins in Tennis

The Pinecrest boys' tennis team cruised into Mid-Southeastern Conference action with two wins this week.

With the Patriots dominating singles play, the team stopped Scotland County 6-3 on Monday and then added a 7-2 win over Richmond on Tuesday. Pinecrest won all six singles matches in each contest. Scotland took all three doubles, while Richmond took two of three doubles contested.

The Patriots were scheduled to play Hoke County in another conference match on Thursday.

Pinecrest 6, Scotland 3

Singles -- Daniel Hall (P) defeated Marshall Cooley 6-0, 6-3; Dana Parziale (P) def. David Beranek 6-2, 6-1; Bradley Thwaites (P) def. Nathan Bradley 6-2, 6-0; Jordon Cummings (P) def. Ian Berdeau 6-3, 2-6, 13-11 (tiebreaker); Michael Hieronymus (P) def. Matt Penland 6-0, 6-4; Will Davis (P) def. Tyler Minnick 6-2, 6-3.

Doubles -- M. Cooley-N.Bradley (S) def. Taylor Miles-Will Harris 8-6; D. Beranek-I. Berdeau (S) def. Avery Gant-Jordon Fruiche 8-5; M. Penland-T. Minnick (S) def. Andrew Jones-Jordan Dew 8-1.

Pinecrest 7, Richmond 2

Singles -- Daniel Hall (P) def. Landon Wallace 6-1, 6-3; Dana Parziale (P) def. Jon Newton 6-2, 6-3; Bradley Thwaites (P) def. Ethan Harrelson 6-3, 6-3; Jordon Cummings (P) def. Oliver Parody 6-3, 6-0; Michael Hieronymus (P) def. Aaron Cloninger 6-3, 6-2; Will Davis (P) def. Will Kirkley 6-3, 6-2.

Doubles -- L. Wallace-J. Newton (R) def. Taylor Miles-Will Harris 8-4; O. Parody-A. Cloninger (R) def. Hiro Sata-Jordon Fruiche 8-2; Jordan Dew-Andrew Jones (P) def. Daniel David-E. Harrelson 8-3.

UP Boys Win in Tennis

The Union Pines boys' tennis team moved to 5-0 and 3-0 in the Cape Fear Valley Conference with a 7-2 win at Gray's Creek Wednesday.

John Hipp teamed up with Gary Garner to grab a win at No. 3 doubles. Hipp is now perched in the 38th position on the school's career win list with 70 victories.

The Vikings will be off until they entertain Harnett Central on Monday at 4 p.m.

Union Pines 7, Gray's Creek 2

Singles -- Ryan Wall (GC) defeated Walker Buchan 11-10 (7-5); Sam Stalls (UP) def. Corey Tuten 10-1; Dillon Rice (UP) def. Patrick Bishop 10-4; Will Fondrie (UP) def. Caleb Evans 10-2; Rod Reach (GC) def. Stampley Walden 10-7; Jake Waits (UP) def. Justin Hales 10-1.

Doubles -- Buchan-Stalls (UP) def. Wall-Bishop 8-3; Rice-Fondrie (UP) def. Tuten-Evans 8-4; Gary Garner-John Hipp (UP) def. Reach-Josh Sellee 8-4.

Exhibition -- Nolan Evans (UP) def. Justin Hales 8-1.

Vikes Stop Cavs

The Union Pines girls' soccer team moved to 2-0 in the Cape Fear Valley Conference and 5-0 overall with a 6-0 home victory over Southern Lee on Wednesday.

Brittany Thurlow opened the scoring in the 10th minute, finishing a through ball from Ana Quiros. Quiros picked up an unassisted goal about 10 minutes later. In the final minute of the half, Thurlow fed Anna Pilson for a goal that made it 3-0.

Kacey Graner, Pilson and Thurlow scored second-half goals, with Courtney Sauer and Amelia Duerner getting credit for assists.

Goalkeepers Jessie Puszynski and Summer Hennings shared in the Vikings' fourth shutout of the season.

The Vikings traveled to Jack Britt for a non-conference match on Thursday.

They resume league play with a 7 p.m. game at Gray's Creek on Monday.