Wayne Holds On For Second Win

Note: Box is here. Season stats will appear after the fourth game.

Get used to this.

Wayne County Post 11 may have another typical season as far as wins are concerned, but don't expect many shutdown performances on the part of the youthful pitching staff.

Jay Rose drove in four runs with a pair of singles and Wayne survived a last-inning rally by Benson Post 109 to win 10-7 Saturday night at South Johnston High School and improve to 2-0. Post 11 will face Pitt County Post 160 Tuesday night at seven at Southern Wayne High School in its home opener.

To be fair to Post 11 starter Taylor Allen, the defense didn't do him any favors. The right-hander went six innngs, allowing eight hits and two walks. But only two of his five runs were earned due to four errors. Eight of Benson's runs came with the aid of misplays, and Wayne scored six unearned runs.

Wayne, which never trailed, led 7-5 before padding the lead with three in the eighth. Alex Casey walked, stole second and went to third when the throw to first on Tyler Edwards' grounder was dropped. One out later, John Wooten was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Cambric Moye got one run home on a ground out. Rose drove a breaking pitch to the fence in right to give Post 11 what appeared to be a comfortable lead.

Adron Hollowell held Benson scoreless after relieving Allen, and Wooten took over in the ninth. He walked Lance Honeycutt with one out and retired the next batter on a fly ball to left. But nothing has been easy for Wayne this young season.

Wooten hit Steven Johnson, and Brandon Roberts stayed alive on an error to load the bases. Doug Furlong doubled home two runs to bring the tying run to the plate. Wooten rose to the occasion with a game-ending strikeout.

Edwards opened the game with a single and stole second. He moved to third on a single to left by Wooten, Again, the runnng game netted a stolen base, and Rose lined a 3-1 fastball to center for two runs.

Aaron Parnell homered for Benson in the bottom of the inning.

Colton Fulghum drove in two runs in the third as Post 11 took advantage of an error. An inning later, Edwards reached on an infield hit and Walker Gourley homered to left to make it 7-2.

Benson scored twice in the fourth with the aid of two errors.