Post 11 Remains Undefeated Behind Allen

Note: The box score is here.

Wayne County Post 11 depended on offense to win the first two games of the American Legion season, but Friday night the pitching took on its share of the load.

Taylor Allen allowed three hits over seven innings and the offense took advantage of several late defensive lapses as Wayne surged past Pitt County Post 160 7-2 at Southern Wayne High School in its first Area I East South Division contest. Wayne (1-0, 3-0) will travel to Ahoskie today for a 3 p.m. game and then take some time off before returning home to play a double header against Tarboro and Garner June 8 beginning at 4 p.m.

Aeaa I East teams will play only eight division games due to the demise of the Beaufort County and Snow Hill programs. That means every game takes on an added significance as the teams attempt to position themselves for playoff berths and home field advantage in the postseason.

Wayne broke a scoreless tie with a run in the sixth on an error, a double by Jay Rose and an RBI ground out by Cambric Moye. The Pitt defense again provided Post 11 with help an inning later. Bryant Hill reached on an infield hit off the glove of the pitcher, stole second and went to third on a fly ball. Tyler Edwards got him home with an infield single in the hole between short and third. Edwards swiped second and scored on Walker Gourley's hit to shallow right center.

John Wooten hit a fly ball to right for an apparent out, but Wayne got another gift when the ball was dropped to put runners on first and second. Gourley stole third and scored on the next play as Wooten was safe on an errant throw to second on Zack Wright's grounder. The runners advanced on a wild pitch, and Rose lined out to right to score Wooten.

Adron Hollowell, who relieved Allen in the seventh, started the eighth by doubling into the right field corner on a 1-2 fastball. Hill walked on a full count, and Alex Casey dropped a bunt down the third base line to fill the sacks.

Edwards and Gourley hit consecutive sacrifice flies to put Wayne ahead 7-0. Pitt scored twice in the ninth on a two-out single by Tanner Lovick after an error.

Allen, who has pitched in all three games, had allowed 13 hits in 7 2/3 innings in his other two appearances. He was much more impressive in that aspect against Post 160. With one exception, he stayed out of the long inning, with 19 pitches in the second being his longest, and he needed only 38 pitches in his last four frames. He threw either one or two pitches to 14 of the 29 batters he faced.

Pitt's biggest threat before the ninth came in the second. Aarin Sharpe singled down the first base line and Jordan Corbett walked after being behind in the count 1-2. Allen fanned the next batter on three pitches and got the second out on a fly ball. He walked Alex Bran, but Tony Puglisi grounded out to end the inning.