Post 11 Overcomes 12 Walks to Win

The hosts were offering but the visitors weren't accepting.

One night after TJ Hinson opened the season with a route-going effort that included one walk, three Wayne County pitchers served up 12 free passes as the team struggled past Area I East newcomer Edgecombe County 6-3 Wednesday night at Mount Olive College to improve its record to 2-0. Wayne's next game has not been determined and will be posted as soon as something is known.

Despite the high number of walks, coach Brad Reaves was not that displeased with the results from two of his inexperienced hurlers. "(Starter) Sterling Grice hadn't been on the mound in two weeks," Reaves pointed out. "Taylor Allen was nervous with this being his first time." Edgecombe was unable to take advantage of the walks because it had only two hits.

The offense managed seven hits against a trio of Edgecombe pitchers, and Reaves again emphasized that the hitters had also had a long layoff entering the season.

Wayne looked as if it would have things its way offensively when it scored three in the first. Tyler Edwards drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second as Walker Gourley's grounder was booted. Jackson Massey slapped a 2-1 fastball into the left centerfield gap for a triple and scoreed on a John Wooten grounder.

Edgecomble, which had an 18-16 edge in baserunners, scored in the third on two walks and a one-out hit by Patrick Goodwyn. Patrick Ruffin walked to load the bases with two out but a strikeout ended the threat.

In the Wayne fourth, Chad Gurley, walked with one out, stole second and scored on an Alex Casey single to right for a 4-1 lead. Drew Fairman drove in a run in the Edgecombe sixth, but Drew Davis was caught in a rundown off third on a grounder to waste another threat.

Wayne got some breathing room in the eighth by scoring twice. Massey led off the inning with his second hit, a double to right. John Wooten was hit by a pitch and Tyler Ham walked to load the bases. Nolan Lancaster singled up the middle to give Post 11 a three-run cushion.

Edgecomble got the tying run to the plate in the ninth on consecutive walks to Goodwyn and DJ Davis. Patrick Ruffin grounded to second for a forceout at the bag, but the relay throw to first allowed Goodwin to score. John Wooten, the third Wayne pitcher, ended the game with a striekout.

Edgecombe Wayne
Murray 3 1 0 0 Edwards 2 1 1 0
TPeaks 3 0 0 0 Gourley 4 1 0 0
Gooddwyn4 0 1 1 Massey 4 2 2 2
Rosser 2 0 0 0 Wooten 3 1 1 1
ADavis 1 1 0 0 Ham 2 0 0 0
Ruffin 2 0 0 0 Lancaster 4 0 1 2
APeaks 5 0 0 0 Overman 4 0 1 0
Norville 3 1 0 0 Gurley 2 1 0 0
DDavis 2 0 0 0 Casey 4 0 1 1
Fairman 4 0 1 1 _________
_______ 29 6 7 6
29 3 2 2

Edgecombe 001 001 001 - 3 2 4
Wayne 300 100 02 - 6 7 2

E-Murray 2, High, Gurley, Goodwyn, Gourley. DP-Edgecombe 1, Wayne 1. LOB-Edgecombe 13, Wayne 6.
2B-Massey, 3B-Massey, Wooten. SB-Fairman, Gurley, Norville, Gourley. CS-Casey, Gourley, Fairman, Ham.

High (L) 7 5 4 3 4 3
Goodwyn 0 1 2 2 1 0
JDavis 1 1 0 0 0 1
Grice 4 1 1 1 6 6
Allen (W) 3 1 1 1 4 2
Wooten 2 0 1 0 2 1
HBP-TPeaks (by Grice), DDavis (by Wooten), Wooten (by Goodwin.)