Final Statistics
American Legion baseball is very different in one respect from when I started doing this. From what I can recall, Wayne County Post 11 lost one player of note to either a wooden bat league or a travel team from 1983 to just a few years ago. Maybe I've missed someone, but the larger point remains.
That's all changed. No longer can many winning programs confidently predict what personnel they will have for next season. The proliferation of travel and showcase teams and events has been an allure that some players cannot resist. Ask the team that is hosting the American Legion state tournament.
It's for that reason that I am wary of predicting the level of talent Wayne County will field in 2010. (That's presuming the program does not fold.) Fourteen players are eligible to return, but we're more likely to see a Michael Jackson or Elvis sighting than have the pleasure of watching John Wooten perform his magic act at third again.
Wayne's 11-9 record was in line with the number of runs it scored and allowed. This was a decent team but nothing like the ones that the program has fielded over most of the past 20 years.
Of the position players, only Wooten, Tyler Edwards and Cambric Moye had extensive experience at the senior American Legion level. That came about due to a confluence of events that went against the program's hopes for 2009.
First, Walker Gourley took up an offer from the Pittsburgh Pirates. (He was too stingy to lend me any money.) Zach Wright, who was expected to join the team at the conclusion of ECU's postseason, was sent to the Northeast to play in another league. Jay Rose, who would have given the team a huge presence on the mound, had surgery and was lost for the season.
Then there were others who either had problems with the program or whose parents listened to the siren song of travel ball.
The youthful team then had to do without the Eastern Wayne players for much of the way, resulting in the use of several freshman.
Even with the personnel losses the team suffered, some of the newcomers came through. Nick McGee, Scott Holloman and Cody Richards all contributed offensively. They're all eligible to return.
Wayne's pitching was its weak spot. We were aware of this possibility going into the season. The team ERA was the highest of the past 20 years while the strikeout rate per nine innings was the lowest. (A telling statistic is that the three Wayne County teams with the most wins had the most strikeouts per nine innings.) Post 11 pitchers struck out a mere 12 batters more than they walked. But if all of the pitchers excepting Wooten return, Wayne will lose only 57 innings.
Wayne needed its offense to remain on track if it was to have a long run in the playoffs. That is precisely what didn't happen. The team batted .333 in the final nine regular season games after the Eastern Wayne players arrived, but that mark dipped to .243 in the playoffs. Edenton batted .364 over five games.
The teams scored the same number of runs, so how could that be the case? Wayne's biggest strength throughout the season was it defense, the ability not to give the opposition lots of extra chances to score. It proved to be the case in the playoff series. Edenton made 20 errors to Wayne's seven.
We'll have a new coach in 2009. Ditto with the athletic officer position. But if the talent projected to return does so, the pieces are in place for this great program to return to form and make an appearance in the state tournament in Area III.
See you in May!!!!!!!!!!!!
e diel, 5 korrik 2009
Edenton Ousts Wayne from Playoffs
Season totals later today. I will be adding more information, including quotes, this evening. Also, I'll be adding another article about the season as a whole. If you don't come back for that, thanks for reading and, as far as I know, I'll be back for 2010.
Box
There would not be a storybook ending in this game.
One night after keeping its postseason alive with a thrilling extra-inning win on the road, Wayne County Post 11 saw its season come to an end Saturday night with a 7-4 loss to Edenton Post 40 at Mount Olive College.
Post 11 finishes with a 11-9 record. It also marks the end of the seven-year tenure of coach Brad Reaves. He will be moving to Nebraska.
Eric DuBose limited Edenton to one run in the series opener despite giving up 12 hits in a complete-game effort. This time, however, the magic was not there. The southpaw couldn't make it out of the third and was tagged for nine hits, including a lead off home run for the second straight game by Nikaloi Simonsen.
Offensively, just about everthing went right for the visitors, as they banged out 16 hits and got the benefit of three run-scoring bloop singles just behind the infielders. On the flip side, Edenton starter Campbell Brown went the distance ona six-hitter and threw only 111 pitches.
The back breaker for Wayne came in the third. With runners on first and second and two out, Chad Whitehead's single fell into shallow center field for a run and put runners on the corner. Jesse DeSanto followed with a two-run blooper to right for a 6-0 lead.
Edenton's final run came in the fifth with the aid of an error.
Wayne finally got on the board in the sixth. Tyler Edwards reached on an infield hit, and John Wooten doubled to left centerfield. Kevin Wise singled to center to score both runners. He later scored on a grounder by Nick McGee.
Wooten reached on an error in the eighth and scored on a wild pitch.
Edenton finished with a 23-10 advantage in baserunners.
Box
There would not be a storybook ending in this game.
One night after keeping its postseason alive with a thrilling extra-inning win on the road, Wayne County Post 11 saw its season come to an end Saturday night with a 7-4 loss to Edenton Post 40 at Mount Olive College.
Post 11 finishes with a 11-9 record. It also marks the end of the seven-year tenure of coach Brad Reaves. He will be moving to Nebraska.
Eric DuBose limited Edenton to one run in the series opener despite giving up 12 hits in a complete-game effort. This time, however, the magic was not there. The southpaw couldn't make it out of the third and was tagged for nine hits, including a lead off home run for the second straight game by Nikaloi Simonsen.
Offensively, just about everthing went right for the visitors, as they banged out 16 hits and got the benefit of three run-scoring bloop singles just behind the infielders. On the flip side, Edenton starter Campbell Brown went the distance ona six-hitter and threw only 111 pitches.
The back breaker for Wayne came in the third. With runners on first and second and two out, Chad Whitehead's single fell into shallow center field for a run and put runners on the corner. Jesse DeSanto followed with a two-run blooper to right for a 6-0 lead.
Edenton's final run came in the fifth with the aid of an error.
Wayne finally got on the board in the sixth. Tyler Edwards reached on an infield hit, and John Wooten doubled to left centerfield. Kevin Wise singled to center to score both runners. He later scored on a grounder by Nick McGee.
Wooten reached on an error in the eighth and scored on a wild pitch.
Edenton finished with a 23-10 advantage in baserunners.
e premte, 3 korrik 2009
Allen, Frederick Keep Post 11 Alive
Season Totals
Box
A nice road trip today. Gastonia, then Mount Olive on two hours sleep. See what you're made of today by lighting and holding a firecracker. That is, unless you're Eric DuBose.
Down to his, and his team's, last strike of the American Legion season, Josh Frederick singled through the middle of the infield to score pinch-runner Matt Neal from second to tie the game in the ninth, and Wayne County took advantage of an Edenton implosion in the eleventh to win 6-3 and send their best-of-five opening round series to a fifth and deciding game at Mount Olive College Saturday night.
Nick McGee began the ninth with a walk, and Colton Fulghum bunted him to second. A fly out left Post 11 (11-8) with one out left to keep its postseason alive, and Frederick delivered on a 3-2 fastball to make it 3-3.
Taylor Allen was giving Post 11 the clutch performance it needed on the mound, and he came through in the ninth by retiring the side in order. After escaping the tenth despite two walks, he saw his teammates get him three runs. Wayne coach Brad Reaves then went to Neal. He retired two of the first three batters, and Wayne seemed on its way to tying the series. In this game, however, nothing came easy for Post 11. Neal gave up a single and hit a batter to load the bases. That brought up leadoff hitter Nikolai Simonsen. He had homered off Allen to start the game, and Neal fell behind 2-0 before running the count full.
Simonsen fouled off a fastball but watched a breaking pitch catch the inside corner of the plate to end the game. The Post 11 players then celebrated their improbable triumph.
Allen and Post 40 hurler Jonathan Brantley, who went eight innings, allowed six hits apiece as the offenses struggled to manufacture runs. Wayne put something together in the fourth to take a 2-1 lead. Cambric Moye and Scott Holloman singled. One out later, with the runners moving, Nick McGee punched a 2-1 curve through the right side of the infield to tie it. Colton Fulghum drove in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly.
Edenton regained the lead in the sixth. A walk and two hits loaded the bases with one out. Allen retired the next batter on a foul out, then got ahead of Weston Dodson 0-2. Dodson sent a 1-2 fastball to right for two runs and the lead.
Neal started the eleventh by lofting a fly ball to right. Simonsen dropped it, and Neal advanced to third on two wild pitches. Fulghum walked, and Neal scored when a grounder by Cody Richards was thrown away at first. Frederick laid a bunt single down the third base line to load the bases.
Two more wild pitches resulted in a three-run lead, and Tyler Edwards walked. John Wooten flied out to right, and Whitehead caught Moye looking. Frederick was out attempting to score on a wild pitch.
All the offensive heroics would have gone for naught had Wayne not gotten what it did from Allen. "He pitched tonight," said Reaves. "That's what we hadn't done the past two nights. The only time he got into trouble was when he walked the lead off hitter."
When Simonsen hit the home run, Reaves was thinking "Here we go again. But he did a great job of keeping his composure. Then they got a hit right after that but he left him there. After they scored in the sixth he kept getting better and better. He was lights out in the seventh, eighth and ninth.
"In the tenth, when he got a strikeout after going 3-0, I knew he was out of gas then. I know he got that last out, but it was like everything he had was in that one pitch."
Box
A nice road trip today. Gastonia, then Mount Olive on two hours sleep. See what you're made of today by lighting and holding a firecracker. That is, unless you're Eric DuBose.
Down to his, and his team's, last strike of the American Legion season, Josh Frederick singled through the middle of the infield to score pinch-runner Matt Neal from second to tie the game in the ninth, and Wayne County took advantage of an Edenton implosion in the eleventh to win 6-3 and send their best-of-five opening round series to a fifth and deciding game at Mount Olive College Saturday night.
Nick McGee began the ninth with a walk, and Colton Fulghum bunted him to second. A fly out left Post 11 (11-8) with one out left to keep its postseason alive, and Frederick delivered on a 3-2 fastball to make it 3-3.
Taylor Allen was giving Post 11 the clutch performance it needed on the mound, and he came through in the ninth by retiring the side in order. After escaping the tenth despite two walks, he saw his teammates get him three runs. Wayne coach Brad Reaves then went to Neal. He retired two of the first three batters, and Wayne seemed on its way to tying the series. In this game, however, nothing came easy for Post 11. Neal gave up a single and hit a batter to load the bases. That brought up leadoff hitter Nikolai Simonsen. He had homered off Allen to start the game, and Neal fell behind 2-0 before running the count full.
Simonsen fouled off a fastball but watched a breaking pitch catch the inside corner of the plate to end the game. The Post 11 players then celebrated their improbable triumph.
Allen and Post 40 hurler Jonathan Brantley, who went eight innings, allowed six hits apiece as the offenses struggled to manufacture runs. Wayne put something together in the fourth to take a 2-1 lead. Cambric Moye and Scott Holloman singled. One out later, with the runners moving, Nick McGee punched a 2-1 curve through the right side of the infield to tie it. Colton Fulghum drove in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly.
Edenton regained the lead in the sixth. A walk and two hits loaded the bases with one out. Allen retired the next batter on a foul out, then got ahead of Weston Dodson 0-2. Dodson sent a 1-2 fastball to right for two runs and the lead.
Neal started the eleventh by lofting a fly ball to right. Simonsen dropped it, and Neal advanced to third on two wild pitches. Fulghum walked, and Neal scored when a grounder by Cody Richards was thrown away at first. Frederick laid a bunt single down the third base line to load the bases.
Two more wild pitches resulted in a three-run lead, and Tyler Edwards walked. John Wooten flied out to right, and Whitehead caught Moye looking. Frederick was out attempting to score on a wild pitch.
All the offensive heroics would have gone for naught had Wayne not gotten what it did from Allen. "He pitched tonight," said Reaves. "That's what we hadn't done the past two nights. The only time he got into trouble was when he walked the lead off hitter."
When Simonsen hit the home run, Reaves was thinking "Here we go again. But he did a great job of keeping his composure. Then they got a hit right after that but he left him there. After they scored in the sixth he kept getting better and better. He was lights out in the seventh, eighth and ninth.
"In the tenth, when he got a strikeout after going 3-0, I knew he was out of gas then. I know he got that last out, but it was like everything he had was in that one pitch."
e enjte, 2 korrik 2009
Edenton One Win From Ending Wayne's Season
Box
Season Totals
After winning the opening game of the American Legion playoffs by a double-digit margin, Wayne County Post 11 finds itself on the verge of being ousted and having the shortest season since 1968.
Edenton Post 40 hammered four pitchers for 17 hits and got a seven-inning complete game effort from Andrew Womble. The result was a 15-5 shellacking at Mount Olive College. It was the third time in the past four Edenton victories against Post 11 that the game was stopped due to the mercy rule. Edenton, which swept Wayne by double digit margins at the start of the 2006 playoffs, is 11-7 while Wayne is 10-8.
Taylor Allen will get the call on the mound when the teams meet at Hick Field in Edenton tonight in game four of the best-of-five series. His task: stop or, more realistically, slow down a Post 40 attack that has manhandled his fellow pitchers.
"You cannot pitch from behind, and we cannot defend a walk," Wayne coach Brad Reaves emphasized after the game. "We're getting behind and we're walking too many hitters. In this league, we're facing everybody's two, three and four hitters. It's not like in high school where you can take a batter off. You've got to get ahead early or you can't get them out."
Another area of concern this season has been the low strikeout totals. "We're not going ( to get a lot of strikeouts), so we've got to pitch to contact and hit spots. If we don't do that we're not going to win. If you put it on the white of the plate, they're going to hit it. That team can hit." Wayne pitchers are averaging five strikeouts per nine innings, the lowest in the past 20 years.
Wayne scored in the first and second innings to hold a 2-1 lead. Then came the explosion.
Edenton rocked Wayne starter Josh Frederick for eight hits and seven runs in the third
to take command of the game. Three of the hitters reached after falling behind in the count 1-2. Robert Jacot's two-run double over the head of the left fielder closed the curtain on Frederick's night. His line: 73 pitches, nine hits and two walks over 2 2/3 innings.
Post 11 went down in order in the third, and Edenton padded its lead with an additional three runs in the fourth on four hits and a walk.
Trailing 11-32 Wayne got a run back in each of the next two innings to keeps its comeback hopes alive. Colton Fulghum walked a later scored on an RBI single by Tyler Edwards. Cody Richards was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
After another 1-2-3 inning, Edenton rediscovered its offensive mojo in the sixth. Another four hits, including a two-run double down the third base line by Weston Dodson, gave the visitors an eleven-run cushion.
Cambric Moye homered to left to start the Wayne seventh, and Robert Faucette followed him with a double to deep center. Post 11 needed another run to keep the game going but couldn't get it as the next three batters went down.
Reaves is not pessimistic about his team's chances in its first "must-win" of the brief season, and he won't hesitate to pull the plug on a pitcher's outing. "We won't stay with them as long as we did tonight. That was probably my fault. All of a sudden I thought we were going to make a pitch and we didn't. Then the next pitch I thought we were going to make a pitch and we didn't, and it was too late."
Season Totals
After winning the opening game of the American Legion playoffs by a double-digit margin, Wayne County Post 11 finds itself on the verge of being ousted and having the shortest season since 1968.
Edenton Post 40 hammered four pitchers for 17 hits and got a seven-inning complete game effort from Andrew Womble. The result was a 15-5 shellacking at Mount Olive College. It was the third time in the past four Edenton victories against Post 11 that the game was stopped due to the mercy rule. Edenton, which swept Wayne by double digit margins at the start of the 2006 playoffs, is 11-7 while Wayne is 10-8.
Taylor Allen will get the call on the mound when the teams meet at Hick Field in Edenton tonight in game four of the best-of-five series. His task: stop or, more realistically, slow down a Post 40 attack that has manhandled his fellow pitchers.
"You cannot pitch from behind, and we cannot defend a walk," Wayne coach Brad Reaves emphasized after the game. "We're getting behind and we're walking too many hitters. In this league, we're facing everybody's two, three and four hitters. It's not like in high school where you can take a batter off. You've got to get ahead early or you can't get them out."
Another area of concern this season has been the low strikeout totals. "We're not going ( to get a lot of strikeouts), so we've got to pitch to contact and hit spots. If we don't do that we're not going to win. If you put it on the white of the plate, they're going to hit it. That team can hit." Wayne pitchers are averaging five strikeouts per nine innings, the lowest in the past 20 years.
Wayne scored in the first and second innings to hold a 2-1 lead. Then came the explosion.
Edenton rocked Wayne starter Josh Frederick for eight hits and seven runs in the third
to take command of the game. Three of the hitters reached after falling behind in the count 1-2. Robert Jacot's two-run double over the head of the left fielder closed the curtain on Frederick's night. His line: 73 pitches, nine hits and two walks over 2 2/3 innings.
Post 11 went down in order in the third, and Edenton padded its lead with an additional three runs in the fourth on four hits and a walk.
Trailing 11-32 Wayne got a run back in each of the next two innings to keeps its comeback hopes alive. Colton Fulghum walked a later scored on an RBI single by Tyler Edwards. Cody Richards was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
After another 1-2-3 inning, Edenton rediscovered its offensive mojo in the sixth. Another four hits, including a two-run double down the third base line by Weston Dodson, gave the visitors an eleven-run cushion.
Cambric Moye homered to left to start the Wayne seventh, and Robert Faucette followed him with a double to deep center. Post 11 needed another run to keep the game going but couldn't get it as the next three batters went down.
Reaves is not pessimistic about his team's chances in its first "must-win" of the brief season, and he won't hesitate to pull the plug on a pitcher's outing. "We won't stay with them as long as we did tonight. That was probably my fault. All of a sudden I thought we were going to make a pitch and we didn't. Then the next pitch I thought we were going to make a pitch and we didn't, and it was too late."
Edenton, Rain Overcome Post 11
Box
Season Totals
All the other series are 2-0
The American Legion playoff series between Wayne County Post 11 and Edenton Post 40 moved from one of the two biggest parks in the league to the smallest Wednesday night. That, according to Wayne coach Brad Reaves, seem to play a pivotal role in his team's 8-5 loss at Hicks Field in Edenton. The best-of-five series, tied a game apiece, resumes tonight at Mount Olive College.
Edenton struck for three runs in the first, built a five-run lead and held off a ninth-inning rally with the aid of a downpour. Wilson, Kinston and Rocky Mount all won to take control of their series.
"I watched the way they took batting practice; I watched the way they approached it," said Reaves. "Our boys, when they got off the bus, they saw that 300 sign (in left) and that 298 sign (in right) and their eyes lit up." The 350-foot center field wall also beckoned.
Reaves added that he predicted to his team that the great majority of his team's outs would be in the air, and he was not wrong. Only four of the 19 outs not coming from strikeouts were on the ground.
Edenton, on the other hand, hit five doubles, including two off the wall. Most of its outs did come off of ground balls.
Still, Wayne almost pulled off the comeback. Tyler Edwards singled with one out in the ninth and, with the visitors down to their last out, Cambric Moye doubled him home. Pinch-hitter Robert Faucette traded places with Moye with a two-bagger to center.
Faucette went to third on a hit to right by Scott Holloman. Meanwhile, the light rain transformed itself into a torrent, and the field began to puddle. Kevin Wise walked on a full count, and Colton Fulghum reached on a error to score Faucette.
The count went to three balls on Josh Frederick before Edenton coach Bob Jordan asked the umpires to consider delaying play. After a brief discussion, they did so. At that time, it was apparent that the field was unplayable.
And it would remain so. The Edenton Steamers of the Coastal Plains League had the equipment locked up and do not allow the Legion team to use the tarp. The umpires eventually called the game.
Wayne starting pitcher Zack Mozingo got into trouble in the first and never found his rhythm, allowing nine hits and two walks over four innings.
"His location was not very good," said Reaves. "But he was due one. Zack's had a great year. He had a great year in high school and for us. But there were some plays we should have made. We drifted after some ball when we should have gone back and found the fence. When we jump and the ball hits the bottom of the fence, we've got to catch that kind."
Nikolai Simonsen drew a leadoff walk in the first, and Tyler Barrington drag bunted to the right side of the infield. J.J. Allen and Austin Beasley had RBI singles, and anothe run scored on a force play.
Post 11 bounced back with two in the second. Holloman drove a breaking pitch over the left field wall to start the inning. Singles by Fulghum, Matt Neal and Tyler Edwards made it 3-2.
Mozingo breeze through the second but gave up a walk and an RBI double in the third. Simonsen and Allen drove in runs in the fourth as Post 40 make it 6-2. Edenton scored two runs off reliever Jesse Randolph.
The teams had 12 hits apiece.
Season Totals
All the other series are 2-0
The American Legion playoff series between Wayne County Post 11 and Edenton Post 40 moved from one of the two biggest parks in the league to the smallest Wednesday night. That, according to Wayne coach Brad Reaves, seem to play a pivotal role in his team's 8-5 loss at Hicks Field in Edenton. The best-of-five series, tied a game apiece, resumes tonight at Mount Olive College.
Edenton struck for three runs in the first, built a five-run lead and held off a ninth-inning rally with the aid of a downpour. Wilson, Kinston and Rocky Mount all won to take control of their series.
"I watched the way they took batting practice; I watched the way they approached it," said Reaves. "Our boys, when they got off the bus, they saw that 300 sign (in left) and that 298 sign (in right) and their eyes lit up." The 350-foot center field wall also beckoned.
Reaves added that he predicted to his team that the great majority of his team's outs would be in the air, and he was not wrong. Only four of the 19 outs not coming from strikeouts were on the ground.
Edenton, on the other hand, hit five doubles, including two off the wall. Most of its outs did come off of ground balls.
Still, Wayne almost pulled off the comeback. Tyler Edwards singled with one out in the ninth and, with the visitors down to their last out, Cambric Moye doubled him home. Pinch-hitter Robert Faucette traded places with Moye with a two-bagger to center.
Faucette went to third on a hit to right by Scott Holloman. Meanwhile, the light rain transformed itself into a torrent, and the field began to puddle. Kevin Wise walked on a full count, and Colton Fulghum reached on a error to score Faucette.
The count went to three balls on Josh Frederick before Edenton coach Bob Jordan asked the umpires to consider delaying play. After a brief discussion, they did so. At that time, it was apparent that the field was unplayable.
And it would remain so. The Edenton Steamers of the Coastal Plains League had the equipment locked up and do not allow the Legion team to use the tarp. The umpires eventually called the game.
Wayne starting pitcher Zack Mozingo got into trouble in the first and never found his rhythm, allowing nine hits and two walks over four innings.
"His location was not very good," said Reaves. "But he was due one. Zack's had a great year. He had a great year in high school and for us. But there were some plays we should have made. We drifted after some ball when we should have gone back and found the fence. When we jump and the ball hits the bottom of the fence, we've got to catch that kind."
Nikolai Simonsen drew a leadoff walk in the first, and Tyler Barrington drag bunted to the right side of the infield. J.J. Allen and Austin Beasley had RBI singles, and anothe run scored on a force play.
Post 11 bounced back with two in the second. Holloman drove a breaking pitch over the left field wall to start the inning. Singles by Fulghum, Matt Neal and Tyler Edwards made it 3-2.
Mozingo breeze through the second but gave up a walk and an RBI double in the third. Simonsen and Allen drove in runs in the fourth as Post 40 make it 6-2. Edenton scored two runs off reliever Jesse Randolph.
The teams had 12 hits apiece.
e martë, 30 qershor 2009
Post 11 Begins Playoffs With Big Win
Box
Totals
Ahoskie 3
Kinston 13
New Bern 7
Wilson 12
Pitt 39 3
Rocky Mount 10
Edenton Post 40 outhit Wayne County Post 11 12-10 in the opening game of their best-of-five playoff series at Mount Olive College Tuesday night. And then, as a certain radio commentator used to say, here''s the rest of the story.
Eric DuBose went the distance without allowing a walk, John Wooten hit a grandslam and Wayne took advantage of five errors and nine free passes to cruise to a 14-1 win in the Area I East match up. Post 11 is 92-11 in games decided by the ten-run rule. The series resumes tonight in Edenton.
Wayne coach Brad Reaves commented over the weekend about how he felt his team was ready to "hit the switch" when the postseason opened. And that it did. The key in this game was the guy on the mound.
"We had a little different attitude," said Reaves. "The kids like to hit and play for Eric because he keeps them in ballgames. He's got such good composure up there. He just pitches. I thought we hit a few switches. The thing we did tonight that we hadn't been doing is we took advantage of their mistakes."
Wayne held a comfortable four-run lead in the fourth when it began to put some distance between itself and its visitor from the North Division. Wooten drew a leadoff walk and stole second. Cambric Moye was walked intentionally after he got ahead 3-0. Then came another crucial Post 40 miscue.
Nick McGee hit a room service double play ball to shortstop Evan Holton, but he bobbled it, then botched the throw to second to load the bases. That preceded three consecutive RBI singles by Scott Holloman, Cody Richards and Colton Fulghum. Holloman's hit finished Edenton starter Daniel Oliver. He gave up five hits, six walks and eight runs.
Edenton got two outs on a popup and a force at home. Tyler Edwards kept it going with another run-scoring single. That kept the inning alive for Wooten.
"I really felt like if we could just get John back to the plate that could break their backs," said Reaves They had to pitch to him then. And what's really helping is the way Cambric's swinging the bat." Moye is leading the team in RBI with 18 in 10 games, and that is without getting one against Edenton.
It didn't take Wooten long to fulfill Reaves' hopes as he drilled a first-pitch fastball over the left field fence to make it. 12-1.
Wayne scored two runs in the fifth without a hit on two walks and three Edenton errors.
Moye followed a first-inning walk to Wooten with a double over the head of the right fielder. Wooten scored as McGee's grounder was being booted and Holloman drove in a run with a hit to center.
Wayne made it 4-1 in the second on two walks, a hit batter, an RBI single by Holloman and a wild pitch.
DuBose's second straight complete game gave him a 3-1 mark with a 1.93 ERA. "Eric's going to pound the strike zone, and he makes pitches when he needs to make pitches," said Reaves. "He's a pitcher, and he's one of the most intelligent pitchers I think I've ever had."
Totals
Ahoskie 3
Kinston 13
New Bern 7
Wilson 12
Pitt 39 3
Rocky Mount 10
Edenton Post 40 outhit Wayne County Post 11 12-10 in the opening game of their best-of-five playoff series at Mount Olive College Tuesday night. And then, as a certain radio commentator used to say, here''s the rest of the story.
Eric DuBose went the distance without allowing a walk, John Wooten hit a grandslam and Wayne took advantage of five errors and nine free passes to cruise to a 14-1 win in the Area I East match up. Post 11 is 92-11 in games decided by the ten-run rule. The series resumes tonight in Edenton.
Wayne coach Brad Reaves commented over the weekend about how he felt his team was ready to "hit the switch" when the postseason opened. And that it did. The key in this game was the guy on the mound.
"We had a little different attitude," said Reaves. "The kids like to hit and play for Eric because he keeps them in ballgames. He's got such good composure up there. He just pitches. I thought we hit a few switches. The thing we did tonight that we hadn't been doing is we took advantage of their mistakes."
Wayne held a comfortable four-run lead in the fourth when it began to put some distance between itself and its visitor from the North Division. Wooten drew a leadoff walk and stole second. Cambric Moye was walked intentionally after he got ahead 3-0. Then came another crucial Post 40 miscue.
Nick McGee hit a room service double play ball to shortstop Evan Holton, but he bobbled it, then botched the throw to second to load the bases. That preceded three consecutive RBI singles by Scott Holloman, Cody Richards and Colton Fulghum. Holloman's hit finished Edenton starter Daniel Oliver. He gave up five hits, six walks and eight runs.
Edenton got two outs on a popup and a force at home. Tyler Edwards kept it going with another run-scoring single. That kept the inning alive for Wooten.
"I really felt like if we could just get John back to the plate that could break their backs," said Reaves They had to pitch to him then. And what's really helping is the way Cambric's swinging the bat." Moye is leading the team in RBI with 18 in 10 games, and that is without getting one against Edenton.
It didn't take Wooten long to fulfill Reaves' hopes as he drilled a first-pitch fastball over the left field fence to make it. 12-1.
Wayne scored two runs in the fifth without a hit on two walks and three Edenton errors.
Moye followed a first-inning walk to Wooten with a double over the head of the right fielder. Wooten scored as McGee's grounder was being booted and Holloman drove in a run with a hit to center.
Wayne made it 4-1 in the second on two walks, a hit batter, an RBI single by Holloman and a wild pitch.
DuBose's second straight complete game gave him a 3-1 mark with a 1.93 ERA. "Eric's going to pound the strike zone, and he makes pitches when he needs to make pitches," said Reaves. "He's a pitcher, and he's one of the most intelligent pitchers I think I've ever had."
e hënë, 29 qershor 2009
Playoff Preview
Here is an account of the first Wilson-Edenton game.
Note: Walker Gourley has signed a contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates - or was it the Penguins? - and will be reporting to Florida. Gourley ends his Post 11 career tied for the lead in stolen bases with 45. His only "caught stealing" came when he was picked off first. Good luck, buddy, and don't forget us little people if you hit the big time.
When Wayne County Post 11 opens the Area I East playoffs today against Edenton Post 40 at Mount Olive College, it will begin what is frequently called the second season. All the participants start with a clean slate except for the teams that have earned the home field advantage. But it’s probably more accurate to say that coach Brad Reaves’ team will inaugurate a third season.
Wayne (9-6) played six games with a lineup that included one position player with significant senior American Legion experience. Many of the players were freshmen. That lineup acquitted itself well, posting a 3-3 mark against mostly older and more talented players. The task for this group was to make sure Wayne didn’t fall so far behind in the standings as to jeopardize its ability to make the postseason.
While Post 11 caught a break when New Bern offered to postpone both games until Eastern Wayne was through with the high school playoffs, it still had to face eventual division champion Kinston twice. Wayne led in both games but faltered late on the road and lost 4-3 after Kinston scored four runs in the eighth. Two nights later, Wayne bolted to a big lead and held on to win 8-6. That win helped to secure the team a first-round home field edge as the No. 2 team in the South.
What are Wayne’s chances the rest of the way? While Rocky Mount Post 58 cruised to a 7-1 record in the North, it did so against inferior competition compared to what the South had to offer. Rocky Mount hit 20 home runs and scored an average of 16 runs per game against its division opponents. New Bern and Kinston can make equally valid claims for being favorites to face off with the Area I West winner for the right to play in the state tournament in Greenville.
The Post 11 fortunes may very well lie with the ability of its pitching staff to turn itself around and provide a credible amount of support for an offense that has come to life with the addition of the Eastern Wayne players. A look at the numbers bears this out.
In the first six games, Wayne scored 28 runs while allowing 36. The opposition had an 18-8 advantage in extra base hits. Since then, Wayne has outscored its opponents 78-55 and holds a 26-14 edge in extra base hits.
Leading the way are two players Reaves was looking forward to getting as soon as possible: Cambric Moye and John Wooten. While Wooten is the more celebrated of the two, Moye has more than held his own in the lineup
The catcher/DH is averaging more than two RBI per game for a total of 18. Of course, it helps to have Tyler Edwards (.386), Wooten (.438) and Nick McGee (.364) batting ahead of you most of the time. Still, Moye has taken advantage of his opportunities.
The threats don’t end there. Cody Richards is batting .373 with seven extra base hits, and first baseman Scott Holloman is at the .300 mark.
While defense is a lot more than the number of errors committed, preventing miscues does make a difference at this level. In the first six games, Wayne had eight errors while in the past nine it was seven. Meanwhile, the opposition skyrocketed from nine to 20.
While the news is good on the offensive and defensive fronts, the same can’t be said for the pitching staff. The team ERA, already the highest of the past 20 years, rise slightly even with the addition of some of the more talented arms in the county.
Eric DuBose will get the starting nod in the opener. In his last start, against Pitt County Post 160, the left-hander threw a rare complete game, allowing six hits and five walks. His 2.14 ERA is the lowest on the team and by far the best of all the starters.
Reaves believes that Wayne’s fate will probably be determined by pitching. “We’ve got DuBose, Mozingo and Frederick. It’s going to come down to pitching, and we’re as deep as anybody.
“I like our chances because I believe we’re going to flip a switch Tuesday. It seems we’ve been in cruise control, and I know John Wooten’s going to do all he can to make them do it.”
It’s imperative that the other pitchers step it up if Wayne is to make a run to its third straight state tournament. Frederick needs to show more of the form that helped Eastern Wayne to its successful season. Mozingo could use a repeat performance of his outing in the state 3-A title series. Jesse Randolph has been effective for the most part, and Wooten should be able to provide solid late-inning relief.
Anything can happen in a short series, and Wayne could be out after one round, but even a mediocre run of starting pitching combined with a solid offense could propel one of the state’s best programs to yet another successful postseason run.
Note: Walker Gourley has signed a contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates - or was it the Penguins? - and will be reporting to Florida. Gourley ends his Post 11 career tied for the lead in stolen bases with 45. His only "caught stealing" came when he was picked off first. Good luck, buddy, and don't forget us little people if you hit the big time.
When Wayne County Post 11 opens the Area I East playoffs today against Edenton Post 40 at Mount Olive College, it will begin what is frequently called the second season. All the participants start with a clean slate except for the teams that have earned the home field advantage. But it’s probably more accurate to say that coach Brad Reaves’ team will inaugurate a third season.
Wayne (9-6) played six games with a lineup that included one position player with significant senior American Legion experience. Many of the players were freshmen. That lineup acquitted itself well, posting a 3-3 mark against mostly older and more talented players. The task for this group was to make sure Wayne didn’t fall so far behind in the standings as to jeopardize its ability to make the postseason.
While Post 11 caught a break when New Bern offered to postpone both games until Eastern Wayne was through with the high school playoffs, it still had to face eventual division champion Kinston twice. Wayne led in both games but faltered late on the road and lost 4-3 after Kinston scored four runs in the eighth. Two nights later, Wayne bolted to a big lead and held on to win 8-6. That win helped to secure the team a first-round home field edge as the No. 2 team in the South.
What are Wayne’s chances the rest of the way? While Rocky Mount Post 58 cruised to a 7-1 record in the North, it did so against inferior competition compared to what the South had to offer. Rocky Mount hit 20 home runs and scored an average of 16 runs per game against its division opponents. New Bern and Kinston can make equally valid claims for being favorites to face off with the Area I West winner for the right to play in the state tournament in Greenville.
The Post 11 fortunes may very well lie with the ability of its pitching staff to turn itself around and provide a credible amount of support for an offense that has come to life with the addition of the Eastern Wayne players. A look at the numbers bears this out.
In the first six games, Wayne scored 28 runs while allowing 36. The opposition had an 18-8 advantage in extra base hits. Since then, Wayne has outscored its opponents 78-55 and holds a 26-14 edge in extra base hits.
Leading the way are two players Reaves was looking forward to getting as soon as possible: Cambric Moye and John Wooten. While Wooten is the more celebrated of the two, Moye has more than held his own in the lineup
The catcher/DH is averaging more than two RBI per game for a total of 18. Of course, it helps to have Tyler Edwards (.386), Wooten (.438) and Nick McGee (.364) batting ahead of you most of the time. Still, Moye has taken advantage of his opportunities.
The threats don’t end there. Cody Richards is batting .373 with seven extra base hits, and first baseman Scott Holloman is at the .300 mark.
While defense is a lot more than the number of errors committed, preventing miscues does make a difference at this level. In the first six games, Wayne had eight errors while in the past nine it was seven. Meanwhile, the opposition skyrocketed from nine to 20.
While the news is good on the offensive and defensive fronts, the same can’t be said for the pitching staff. The team ERA, already the highest of the past 20 years, rise slightly even with the addition of some of the more talented arms in the county.
Eric DuBose will get the starting nod in the opener. In his last start, against Pitt County Post 160, the left-hander threw a rare complete game, allowing six hits and five walks. His 2.14 ERA is the lowest on the team and by far the best of all the starters.
Reaves believes that Wayne’s fate will probably be determined by pitching. “We’ve got DuBose, Mozingo and Frederick. It’s going to come down to pitching, and we’re as deep as anybody.
“I like our chances because I believe we’re going to flip a switch Tuesday. It seems we’ve been in cruise control, and I know John Wooten’s going to do all he can to make them do it.”
It’s imperative that the other pitchers step it up if Wayne is to make a run to its third straight state tournament. Frederick needs to show more of the form that helped Eastern Wayne to its successful season. Mozingo could use a repeat performance of his outing in the state 3-A title series. Jesse Randolph has been effective for the most part, and Wooten should be able to provide solid late-inning relief.
Anything can happen in a short series, and Wayne could be out after one round, but even a mediocre run of starting pitching combined with a solid offense could propel one of the state’s best programs to yet another successful postseason run.
e diel, 28 qershor 2009
Kinston Rolls to Regular Season Title
Kinston Routs New Bern
Nothing.
That's exactly what Post 24 coach Gary Smith wants his players to take from Sunday's 15-1 loss to Kinston Post 43. Smith said he'd prefer everyone forget about the game.
"I don't think there's anything positive that a player can gain from this," Smith said. "So you've got to move on."
Playing for the Area 1 East Southern Division championship, Post 24 (8-3, 5-3) never got into a rhythm against Kinston (12-3, 6-2). The offense managed just five hits, and the defense committed seven errors.
New Bern starting pitcher Shawn Armstrong allowed just two runs in five innings, but Post 43 unloaded for 13 runs in the final four innings.
"I think Shawn threw too many pitches, which hurt because we had to go to the bullpen earlier," New Bern coach Gary Smith said. "I can't put full blame on the kids coming out of the bullpen because we didn't make plays when we had a chance to make plays."
The final blow came in the top of the ninth, when Kinston's Mike Wetherington launched a three-run home run over the left-center field wall to cap off a six-run inning. Wetherington's solo shot in the top of the second broke the scoreless tie.
Nothing.
That's exactly what Post 24 coach Gary Smith wants his players to take from Sunday's 15-1 loss to Kinston Post 43. Smith said he'd prefer everyone forget about the game.
"I don't think there's anything positive that a player can gain from this," Smith said. "So you've got to move on."
Playing for the Area 1 East Southern Division championship, Post 24 (8-3, 5-3) never got into a rhythm against Kinston (12-3, 6-2). The offense managed just five hits, and the defense committed seven errors.
New Bern starting pitcher Shawn Armstrong allowed just two runs in five innings, but Post 43 unloaded for 13 runs in the final four innings.
"I think Shawn threw too many pitches, which hurt because we had to go to the bullpen earlier," New Bern coach Gary Smith said. "I can't put full blame on the kids coming out of the bullpen because we didn't make plays when we had a chance to make plays."
The final blow came in the top of the ninth, when Kinston's Mike Wetherington launched a three-run home run over the left-center field wall to cap off a six-run inning. Wetherington's solo shot in the top of the second broke the scoreless tie.
e shtunë, 27 qershor 2009
Wayne Rallies for Split with Ahoskie
Season totals later today. I'll have a playoff preview on Tuesday.
Check out this photo on the front page of NC Preps
First Game
Second Game
14 Game Totals
15 Game Totals
Ahoskie Post 102 had a one-run lead on Wayne County Post 11 in the second game of their American Legion non-conference doubleheader at Mount Olive College Saturday afternoon when Tyler Edwards led off the sixth with a double. Next up was John Wooten, who already had six hits in seven at-bats. Wooten drew an intentional pass. Not a bad strategy, considering that Wooten had hit a 400 foot-plus home run in his previous plate appearance.
But the guy behind him is no slouch, either. Cambric Moye came through with his third hit of the game to tie it, and Cody Richards followed one out later with an RBI single as Wayne went on to win 7-6 and salvage a split. Ahoskie cranked out 16 hits in the opener on its way to a 7-4 victory.
Wayne (9-6) will open the Area I East playoffs at home Tuesday against Edenton in a best-of-five series. Ahoskie, which finished fourth in the North Division, will face the loser of tonight's Kinston-New Bern game.
In the second game, the top of the Post 11 order had its most productive game of the season after coach Brad Reaves reconfigured the lineup. Edwards, Wooten and Moye combined to score all of the Wayne runs, produced nine hits and drove in seven runs.
Wooten reached on an infield hit in the first and scored on Moye's double to the left-center field gap. Edwards and Wooten singled with two out in the second, worked a double steal and came home on a ground ball single to left by Moye for a 3-3 tie.
Wooten followed a one-out double by Edwards in the third with a massive shot to center off a first-pitch breaking ball to make it 5-4. Ahoskie again tied it in the fifth on consecutive doubles by Kyle Hayes and Dylan Rouse, then went ahead in the sixth.
Edwards went to the mound that inning but couldn't duplicate his success at the plate as he walked the leadoff batter and gave up a double to Edward Joyner. Wooten relieved him, and Aaron Hoggard drove in the go-ahead run with a hit to left. Ahoskie later failed on a suicide squeeze to help Wayne get out of the inning. Post 11 then make its comback.
In the opener, Ahoskie put together four hits in the first for two runs, then added three in the second. Haggard, who had six hits for the afternoon, drove in two runs with a two-out single through the left side of the infield. It was the beginning of a trend in which the visitors hit the ball where the defense wasn't.
"I thought we were in Texas with the Texas Leaguers," said Wayne coach Brad Reaves. "They didn't hit but about two hard .... And if we'd been playing back at (Southern Wayne High School) we would have had about six home runs. Tyler Edwards hit two or three that would have been out, but you live and die at Scarborough."
Wayne got two runs back in the third. Josh Frederick walked, Edwards doubled and Nick McGee walked to load the bases with none out. That set up the potential for a big inning, but it didn't happen. Wooten hit into a force play, and Scott Holloman hit a sacrifice fly for the second run.
Richards hit a solo home run in the fourth to make it 6-3. Ahoskie led by four going into the seventh but had to hold off a late rally. After the first two batters went down on fly balls, Wooten smashed a triple to center. Holloman reached on an error as Wooten scored. Moye kept Wayne alive with a hit to center but reliever Brent Bowen ended the game with a strikeout.
Wayne went 22-for-55 in the two games, Reaves said his players couldn't get the hits at the right time. "The problem was that we couldn't string the hits together, the big ones. Then we couldn't get a stop."
Ahoskie did even better in the hit column with 27. "I thought it was their day, especially with some of (the hits.) I thought Matt Neal was okay. Taylor (Allen) didn't have good stuff, but I think it was a combination. I think it was their day and our pitching was not real sharp."
Check out this photo on the front page of NC Preps
First Game
Second Game
14 Game Totals
15 Game Totals
Ahoskie Post 102 had a one-run lead on Wayne County Post 11 in the second game of their American Legion non-conference doubleheader at Mount Olive College Saturday afternoon when Tyler Edwards led off the sixth with a double. Next up was John Wooten, who already had six hits in seven at-bats. Wooten drew an intentional pass. Not a bad strategy, considering that Wooten had hit a 400 foot-plus home run in his previous plate appearance.
But the guy behind him is no slouch, either. Cambric Moye came through with his third hit of the game to tie it, and Cody Richards followed one out later with an RBI single as Wayne went on to win 7-6 and salvage a split. Ahoskie cranked out 16 hits in the opener on its way to a 7-4 victory.
Wayne (9-6) will open the Area I East playoffs at home Tuesday against Edenton in a best-of-five series. Ahoskie, which finished fourth in the North Division, will face the loser of tonight's Kinston-New Bern game.
In the second game, the top of the Post 11 order had its most productive game of the season after coach Brad Reaves reconfigured the lineup. Edwards, Wooten and Moye combined to score all of the Wayne runs, produced nine hits and drove in seven runs.
Wooten reached on an infield hit in the first and scored on Moye's double to the left-center field gap. Edwards and Wooten singled with two out in the second, worked a double steal and came home on a ground ball single to left by Moye for a 3-3 tie.
Wooten followed a one-out double by Edwards in the third with a massive shot to center off a first-pitch breaking ball to make it 5-4. Ahoskie again tied it in the fifth on consecutive doubles by Kyle Hayes and Dylan Rouse, then went ahead in the sixth.
Edwards went to the mound that inning but couldn't duplicate his success at the plate as he walked the leadoff batter and gave up a double to Edward Joyner. Wooten relieved him, and Aaron Hoggard drove in the go-ahead run with a hit to left. Ahoskie later failed on a suicide squeeze to help Wayne get out of the inning. Post 11 then make its comback.
In the opener, Ahoskie put together four hits in the first for two runs, then added three in the second. Haggard, who had six hits for the afternoon, drove in two runs with a two-out single through the left side of the infield. It was the beginning of a trend in which the visitors hit the ball where the defense wasn't.
"I thought we were in Texas with the Texas Leaguers," said Wayne coach Brad Reaves. "They didn't hit but about two hard .... And if we'd been playing back at (Southern Wayne High School) we would have had about six home runs. Tyler Edwards hit two or three that would have been out, but you live and die at Scarborough."
Wayne got two runs back in the third. Josh Frederick walked, Edwards doubled and Nick McGee walked to load the bases with none out. That set up the potential for a big inning, but it didn't happen. Wooten hit into a force play, and Scott Holloman hit a sacrifice fly for the second run.
Richards hit a solo home run in the fourth to make it 6-3. Ahoskie led by four going into the seventh but had to hold off a late rally. After the first two batters went down on fly balls, Wooten smashed a triple to center. Holloman reached on an error as Wooten scored. Moye kept Wayne alive with a hit to center but reliever Brent Bowen ended the game with a strikeout.
Wayne went 22-for-55 in the two games, Reaves said his players couldn't get the hits at the right time. "The problem was that we couldn't string the hits together, the big ones. Then we couldn't get a stop."
Ahoskie did even better in the hit column with 27. "I thought it was their day, especially with some of (the hits.) I thought Matt Neal was okay. Taylor (Allen) didn't have good stuff, but I think it was a combination. I think it was their day and our pitching was not real sharp."
13 Game Totals; Game Time for Saturday
FYI, the Ahoskie doubleheader starts at three due to a conflict.
Totals
Some guy named Boris is in charge of the ISP for my apartment complex. Don't know if he used to be in the movies.
Totals
Some guy named Boris is in charge of the ISP for my apartment complex. Don't know if he used to be in the movies.
e premte, 26 qershor 2009
New Bern Knocks Wayne From First Place Contention
Box
Note: Internet connection problem at the crib. Stats will be up whenever they resolve it.
Wayne County Post 11's chances of winning the Area I East South Division regular season title went up in smoke Thursday night after New Bern Post 24 scored two in the ninth to take a 7-5 win at Mount Olive College.
New Bern and Kinston will play for the top spot tonight at New Bern High School. Wayne could still take the No. 2 position and open the playoffs Wednesday at home if Kinston wins. Post 11 will play a doubleheader Saturday against Ahoskie beginning at three p.m.
Wayne (5-3, 8-5) tied it on a two-out pinch-hit double by Robert Faucette in the eighth and appeared to have momentum on its side. New Bern, however, bouncd back in the ninth. Brett Williams lined a hit to center, and Shawn Armstrong reached on an infield hit. Reliever Zack Mozingo recorded a strikeout before Chris Dorman dropped a "dying quail" behind the pitcher's mound to score Williams. One out later, Will Cook drove in the second run with a ground ball single to left.
New Bern starter Gabe Brown retired the first two batters in the home half but walked Scott Holloman and allowed a hit by Cody Richards.That prompted Post 24 coach Gary Smith to bring in Armstrong, and he got the final out on a fly ball to shallow left.
Tyler Edwards, who had two hits and three stolen bases, reached on a single in the first, stole two bases and scored on came home as Nick McGee's grounder was booted.
In the Wayne second, Cody Richards tripled and scored on a groundout by Colton Fulghum. Edwards singled to open the third and later came home on a two-out hit by Cambric Moye.
New Bern tied it in the fourth on a two-out, two-run hit by Matt Hardeman. Williams doubled in fifth and scored when the throw to first on Armstrong's bunt single was misplayed. Post 24 went ahead by by two in the eighth on a walk, a bunt, wild pitch and a passed ball.
In the Wayne eighth, Holloman drew a leadoff walk, and Kevin Wise reached on an error with two out. Faucette drilled a fastball over the head of the center fielder to tie it. Edwards reached on an error and stole second but the inning ended on a strikeout.
Wayne starter Josh Frederick went 5 2/3 innings, allowing allowing seven hits and walking six.
Note: Internet connection problem at the crib. Stats will be up whenever they resolve it.
Wayne County Post 11's chances of winning the Area I East South Division regular season title went up in smoke Thursday night after New Bern Post 24 scored two in the ninth to take a 7-5 win at Mount Olive College.
New Bern and Kinston will play for the top spot tonight at New Bern High School. Wayne could still take the No. 2 position and open the playoffs Wednesday at home if Kinston wins. Post 11 will play a doubleheader Saturday against Ahoskie beginning at three p.m.
Wayne (5-3, 8-5) tied it on a two-out pinch-hit double by Robert Faucette in the eighth and appeared to have momentum on its side. New Bern, however, bouncd back in the ninth. Brett Williams lined a hit to center, and Shawn Armstrong reached on an infield hit. Reliever Zack Mozingo recorded a strikeout before Chris Dorman dropped a "dying quail" behind the pitcher's mound to score Williams. One out later, Will Cook drove in the second run with a ground ball single to left.
New Bern starter Gabe Brown retired the first two batters in the home half but walked Scott Holloman and allowed a hit by Cody Richards.That prompted Post 24 coach Gary Smith to bring in Armstrong, and he got the final out on a fly ball to shallow left.
Tyler Edwards, who had two hits and three stolen bases, reached on a single in the first, stole two bases and scored on came home as Nick McGee's grounder was booted.
In the Wayne second, Cody Richards tripled and scored on a groundout by Colton Fulghum. Edwards singled to open the third and later came home on a two-out hit by Cambric Moye.
New Bern tied it in the fourth on a two-out, two-run hit by Matt Hardeman. Williams doubled in fifth and scored when the throw to first on Armstrong's bunt single was misplayed. Post 24 went ahead by by two in the eighth on a walk, a bunt, wild pitch and a passed ball.
In the Wayne eighth, Holloman drew a leadoff walk, and Kevin Wise reached on an error with two out. Faucette drilled a fastball over the head of the center fielder to tie it. Edwards reached on an error and stole second but the inning ended on a strikeout.
Wayne starter Josh Frederick went 5 2/3 innings, allowing allowing seven hits and walking six.
e enjte, 25 qershor 2009
Bats, Randolph Lead Post 11 to Big Road Win
Box
Season Totals
Kinston Defeats New Bern
Note: Again, you may have to attempt to access the Google Docs links more than once to get them to work. I signed out in order to check the links and found that to be the case.
Neither starting pitcher was around for long in Wednesday night's American Legion contest between Wayne County Post 11 and Pitt County Post 39 at Pitt Community College. Fortunately for Wayne, it had Jesse Randolph in relief while Pitt had ... well, nobody.
Pitt, which is still looking for its first Area I East South Division win, surged to a six-run lead after two innings only to see Wayne crank out 20 hits en route to a 20-10 win in a contest that went seven innings. It was Post 11's first victory of the season under the ten-run rule and upped its mark to 91-10 in those games.
Wayne (5-2, 8-4) will play host to New Bern tonight at Mount Olive College, needing a win to keep alive its hopes of a first place finish and homefield advantage in the playoffs.
Pitt knocked around Wayne starter Will Broadwell to the tune of seven runs in less than two innings. Broadwell never could establish control of his breaking pitch and left with one out in the second. He allowed six hits and two walks and didn't record a strikeout. Hayes Askew and Zach Stoll each drove in two runs as Pitt batted around in the second.
Randolph didn't fare much better when he came in, allowing four consecutive hits, including the one by Stoll. The inning ending after Stoll was thrown out at first after venturing too far from the bag after his hit. That was the high water mark for Pitt, and it was almost all Wayne the rest of the way.
Pitt managed only one run and four hits against Randolph over the next four innings as he showed an especially effective breaking pitch. Pitt's final run came in the fourth on a two-out hit by Tyler Nichols.
In the fourth, it was Wayne's turn to flex its offensive muscles. Trailing 9-4, Post 11 took the lead for good with seven runs against a trio of hurlers. Three of the nine walks Wayne drew came in the inning, and Tyler Edwards had two of his four RBI. John Wooten added a bases-loaded walk. There were 57 pitches in the inning, and Pitt went on to throw 189 for the game.
The first four innings lasted slightly over two hours, but the pace soon picked up thanks to Randolph and the game clocked in at a little under three hours.
Wayne's eight-run seventh did not begin auspiciously. Colton Fulghum reached on an error but was caught stealing and Cody Richards, who had four hits, fouled out to the catcher.
Then the visitors caught fire. Zack Mozingo singled, Josh Frederick walked and Edwards singled sharply off the glove of the third baseman on an 0-2 fastball to score Mozingo. Nick McGee drove in a run with a hit to center, and John Wooten's popup was dropped to load the bases.
Cambric Moye, who had pulled several curveballs foul, got one to his liking and sent it over the left field fence. Robert Faucette followed with his second double, and Fulghum walked. Richards drilled a fastball over the head of the centerfielder for two runs, and all that remained was for Matt Neal to close out Pitt in the home half.
"I thought we'd score," said Wayne coach Brad Reaves. "I knew we had Jesse, and Jesse was pretty rested. Jesse pitches pretty well here. He's been a lifesaver against these guys here."
Pitt committed six errors to none for Wayne. "I think we're going to play defense," said Reaves. I don't have any problems with our defense. Tyler did a great job last year at shortstop. You know John is going to make plays at third. We've got good outfielders."
All the Wayne starters had a hit. McGee and Richards had four apiece.
Season Totals
Kinston Defeats New Bern
Note: Again, you may have to attempt to access the Google Docs links more than once to get them to work. I signed out in order to check the links and found that to be the case.
Neither starting pitcher was around for long in Wednesday night's American Legion contest between Wayne County Post 11 and Pitt County Post 39 at Pitt Community College. Fortunately for Wayne, it had Jesse Randolph in relief while Pitt had ... well, nobody.
Pitt, which is still looking for its first Area I East South Division win, surged to a six-run lead after two innings only to see Wayne crank out 20 hits en route to a 20-10 win in a contest that went seven innings. It was Post 11's first victory of the season under the ten-run rule and upped its mark to 91-10 in those games.
Wayne (5-2, 8-4) will play host to New Bern tonight at Mount Olive College, needing a win to keep alive its hopes of a first place finish and homefield advantage in the playoffs.
Pitt knocked around Wayne starter Will Broadwell to the tune of seven runs in less than two innings. Broadwell never could establish control of his breaking pitch and left with one out in the second. He allowed six hits and two walks and didn't record a strikeout. Hayes Askew and Zach Stoll each drove in two runs as Pitt batted around in the second.
Randolph didn't fare much better when he came in, allowing four consecutive hits, including the one by Stoll. The inning ending after Stoll was thrown out at first after venturing too far from the bag after his hit. That was the high water mark for Pitt, and it was almost all Wayne the rest of the way.
Pitt managed only one run and four hits against Randolph over the next four innings as he showed an especially effective breaking pitch. Pitt's final run came in the fourth on a two-out hit by Tyler Nichols.
In the fourth, it was Wayne's turn to flex its offensive muscles. Trailing 9-4, Post 11 took the lead for good with seven runs against a trio of hurlers. Three of the nine walks Wayne drew came in the inning, and Tyler Edwards had two of his four RBI. John Wooten added a bases-loaded walk. There were 57 pitches in the inning, and Pitt went on to throw 189 for the game.
The first four innings lasted slightly over two hours, but the pace soon picked up thanks to Randolph and the game clocked in at a little under three hours.
Wayne's eight-run seventh did not begin auspiciously. Colton Fulghum reached on an error but was caught stealing and Cody Richards, who had four hits, fouled out to the catcher.
Then the visitors caught fire. Zack Mozingo singled, Josh Frederick walked and Edwards singled sharply off the glove of the third baseman on an 0-2 fastball to score Mozingo. Nick McGee drove in a run with a hit to center, and John Wooten's popup was dropped to load the bases.
Cambric Moye, who had pulled several curveballs foul, got one to his liking and sent it over the left field fence. Robert Faucette followed with his second double, and Fulghum walked. Richards drilled a fastball over the head of the centerfielder for two runs, and all that remained was for Matt Neal to close out Pitt in the home half.
"I thought we'd score," said Wayne coach Brad Reaves. "I knew we had Jesse, and Jesse was pretty rested. Jesse pitches pretty well here. He's been a lifesaver against these guys here."
Pitt committed six errors to none for Wayne. "I think we're going to play defense," said Reaves. I don't have any problems with our defense. Tyler did a great job last year at shortstop. You know John is going to make plays at third. We've got good outfielders."
All the Wayne starters had a hit. McGee and Richards had four apiece.
e martë, 23 qershor 2009
DuBose Goes the Distance in Wayne Victory
Box Score Season Totals
Brad Reaves is not Doyle Whitfield when it comes to handling his starting pitchers. Unlike his predecessor, the Wayne County Post 11 coach can count on one hand the number of complete games he's allowed since taking over in 2003. Well, he can add another.
Eric DuBose overcame a rough start and gave Wayne a much needed shot in the arm with a route-going performance in Post 11's 8-2 win over Pitt County 160 Tuesday night at Mount Olive College. The pivotal win keeps alive the team's chances of taking first place in the Area I East South Division standings. Wayne (4-2, 7-4)will travel to Pitt County Post 39 tonight, then play host to New Bern on Thursday.
In the first three innings, DuBose looked as if he would have trouble making it to the fourth, much less the ninth, inning. He stranded two runners in scoring position in the first after Colton Fughum caught a two-out liner.
Pitt did get on the scoreboard in the second. A lead off walk to Alex Griffin, a single by Alex Brann and a misplayed bunt loaded the bases with one out. DuBose got one out on a force play at second while another scored on the same play via an error. Pitt loaded the bases on a walk and a two-out hit by Tony Puglisi, but DuBose retired the next two batters on fly balls.
The other major threat from the visitors came in the sixth when DuBose walked Ben Langton and Brandon Bott singled with none out. Bott would be the last runner of the game for Pitt, as DuBose then started a double play. He retired the last 11 batters he faced.
Reaves said he got an early scare from DuBose's early troubles. "I thought, 'Lord have mercy, we've got 3-4 more games this week and we're going to be burning up pitching.' (Josh) Frederick had already said he was a little tender from throwing this morning in camp. But (DuBose) settled in and kept his composure.
"Eric is not going to knock it out of anybody's hands but he's so smart up there . I thought Cambric Moye did a good job of setting up the hitters tonight. After the third inning he threw three pitches for strikes, he got ahead, he pitched backwards when he needed to. He pitched where he was supposed to when he needed to. He settled in and found it."
DuBose said he had difficulty getting control of his repetoire early. "I couldn't locate, fastball, curveball, changeup, splitter, nothing." But things changed after the third. "My arm started feeling better. Cambric and I were more in sync and I finally got my pitches down in the zone.
In the first three innings, DuBose threw 29 balls and 23 strikes. After that, it was 21 and 40.
While DuBose struggled to overcome his early problems the Wayne offense did its part, striking back for three in the second. Moye was hit by a pitch for the first of three times. Scott Holloman reached on an error, and one out later Cody Richards singled to load the bases. The second strikeout of the inning left Wayne on the verge of going away empty-handed, but Moye scored on a passed ball and Tyler Edwards singled to center for two runs.
John Wooten blasted his second home run of the season to open the third, and Wayne added three more in the fifth.
After a Nick McGee double Wooten tripled to center. He scored when the throw home on Moye's fly ball to center went over the catcher and the pitcher failed to back up the play. Holloman walked, stole second and came home on a single to left by Richards.
Moye was hit by a pitch in the sixth with the bases loaded.
Brad Reaves is not Doyle Whitfield when it comes to handling his starting pitchers. Unlike his predecessor, the Wayne County Post 11 coach can count on one hand the number of complete games he's allowed since taking over in 2003. Well, he can add another.
Eric DuBose overcame a rough start and gave Wayne a much needed shot in the arm with a route-going performance in Post 11's 8-2 win over Pitt County 160 Tuesday night at Mount Olive College. The pivotal win keeps alive the team's chances of taking first place in the Area I East South Division standings. Wayne (4-2, 7-4)will travel to Pitt County Post 39 tonight, then play host to New Bern on Thursday.
In the first three innings, DuBose looked as if he would have trouble making it to the fourth, much less the ninth, inning. He stranded two runners in scoring position in the first after Colton Fughum caught a two-out liner.
Pitt did get on the scoreboard in the second. A lead off walk to Alex Griffin, a single by Alex Brann and a misplayed bunt loaded the bases with one out. DuBose got one out on a force play at second while another scored on the same play via an error. Pitt loaded the bases on a walk and a two-out hit by Tony Puglisi, but DuBose retired the next two batters on fly balls.
The other major threat from the visitors came in the sixth when DuBose walked Ben Langton and Brandon Bott singled with none out. Bott would be the last runner of the game for Pitt, as DuBose then started a double play. He retired the last 11 batters he faced.
Reaves said he got an early scare from DuBose's early troubles. "I thought, 'Lord have mercy, we've got 3-4 more games this week and we're going to be burning up pitching.' (Josh) Frederick had already said he was a little tender from throwing this morning in camp. But (DuBose) settled in and kept his composure.
"Eric is not going to knock it out of anybody's hands but he's so smart up there . I thought Cambric Moye did a good job of setting up the hitters tonight. After the third inning he threw three pitches for strikes, he got ahead, he pitched backwards when he needed to. He pitched where he was supposed to when he needed to. He settled in and found it."
DuBose said he had difficulty getting control of his repetoire early. "I couldn't locate, fastball, curveball, changeup, splitter, nothing." But things changed after the third. "My arm started feeling better. Cambric and I were more in sync and I finally got my pitches down in the zone.
In the first three innings, DuBose threw 29 balls and 23 strikes. After that, it was 21 and 40.
While DuBose struggled to overcome his early problems the Wayne offense did its part, striking back for three in the second. Moye was hit by a pitch for the first of three times. Scott Holloman reached on an error, and one out later Cody Richards singled to load the bases. The second strikeout of the inning left Wayne on the verge of going away empty-handed, but Moye scored on a passed ball and Tyler Edwards singled to center for two runs.
John Wooten blasted his second home run of the season to open the third, and Wayne added three more in the fifth.
After a Nick McGee double Wooten tripled to center. He scored when the throw home on Moye's fly ball to center went over the catcher and the pitcher failed to back up the play. Holloman walked, stole second and came home on a single to left by Richards.
Moye was hit by a pitch in the sixth with the bases loaded.
e hënë, 22 qershor 2009
Pitt 160 Snaps Wayne's Win Streak
Box Season Totals
If Wayne County Post 11 is going to make a third straight appearance in the North Carolina American Legion state tournament, one thing is clear: the offense is going to have to rise to the occasion.
Wayne took a five-run lead into the seventh only to see Pitt County Post 160 score seven runs over the final three innings, including a walk-off single by David Stallings, for an 8-7 win at South Central High School Sunday night. The loss drops Wayne (3-2, 6-4) out of first place in the Area I East South standings. Pitt is 2-2.
The teams will meet Tuesday at Mount Olive College. Wayne will travel to Pitt County 39 on Wednesday for a make up game before playing host to New Bern on Thursday.
Bolstered by the addition of John Wooten to the lineup, Post 11 cranked out seven hits over the first six innings to take a 6-1 lead. Taylor Allen had allowed only four hits and seemed on his way to a third victory. But it all changed in the blink of an eye.
Pitt loaded the bases with one out on two singles and a walk, and Sean Peters chased Allen with an RBI single to left. Reliever Will Broadwell gave up a two-run single to Steven McDonald and a run-scoring single to Stewart Barnette in his brief stint on the mound. Post 11 coach Brad Reaves then went with Matt Neal, hoping for a repeat of Neal's outstanding performance of the previous night against New Bern.
And for the rest of the inning, he got it as Neal fanned the next batter and held on to Wayne's two-run lead with an inning-ending grounder. Post 11 got a temporary cushion in the eighth when Nick McGee was hit by a pitch and later scored on a wild pitch. Wayne had runners on first and second with none out, but a double play killed a potentially big inning.
Neal retired the first two batters in the bottom of the inning before Jordan Corbett singled, Zach Starcher tripled to right and pinch-hitter Alex Brown tied it with a liner up the middle.
Barnette led off the ninth and fell behind 0-2 but was hit by a pitch. He advanced to second on a bunt, and Neal walked Tanner Lovick before Reaves brought on Wooten. He got one out on a popup, but Stallings sent the first pitch to him into right and the throw to the plate was off the mark.
"We just quit swinging it," said Reaves. We weren't agressive. "We're going to give up runs, but if we're going to score just six or seven a game, we're not going to win many. We need to get nine or ten runs a game." Wayne failed to score 14 of its 21 runners.
Reaves also felt confident in leaving in Neal as long as he did before bringing on Wooten. "I thought Matt could have got us a ground ball with that sink. I didn't mind having that guy walk. We thought we would go to John then."
Wayne took a two-run lead in the first. McGee singled with one out and went to third on a Wooten double on a 3-0 pitch. One run scored on a ball off the pitcher's glove, and Robert Faucette drove in Wooten with a hit to right. Faucette was caught stealing for the first of four players lost on the bases. A walk and a hit batter followed before the inning ended on a strikeout.
Wooten sent the first pitch of the third over the center field fence. Cambric Moye put Post ahead 5-1 in the fifth with a two-run homer to center. McGee's grounder in the sixth scored Neal to put Post 11 ahead by five, but the inning again ended with the bases loaded.
Wayne was outhit 13-7.
If Wayne County Post 11 is going to make a third straight appearance in the North Carolina American Legion state tournament, one thing is clear: the offense is going to have to rise to the occasion.
Wayne took a five-run lead into the seventh only to see Pitt County Post 160 score seven runs over the final three innings, including a walk-off single by David Stallings, for an 8-7 win at South Central High School Sunday night. The loss drops Wayne (3-2, 6-4) out of first place in the Area I East South standings. Pitt is 2-2.
The teams will meet Tuesday at Mount Olive College. Wayne will travel to Pitt County 39 on Wednesday for a make up game before playing host to New Bern on Thursday.
Bolstered by the addition of John Wooten to the lineup, Post 11 cranked out seven hits over the first six innings to take a 6-1 lead. Taylor Allen had allowed only four hits and seemed on his way to a third victory. But it all changed in the blink of an eye.
Pitt loaded the bases with one out on two singles and a walk, and Sean Peters chased Allen with an RBI single to left. Reliever Will Broadwell gave up a two-run single to Steven McDonald and a run-scoring single to Stewart Barnette in his brief stint on the mound. Post 11 coach Brad Reaves then went with Matt Neal, hoping for a repeat of Neal's outstanding performance of the previous night against New Bern.
And for the rest of the inning, he got it as Neal fanned the next batter and held on to Wayne's two-run lead with an inning-ending grounder. Post 11 got a temporary cushion in the eighth when Nick McGee was hit by a pitch and later scored on a wild pitch. Wayne had runners on first and second with none out, but a double play killed a potentially big inning.
Neal retired the first two batters in the bottom of the inning before Jordan Corbett singled, Zach Starcher tripled to right and pinch-hitter Alex Brown tied it with a liner up the middle.
Barnette led off the ninth and fell behind 0-2 but was hit by a pitch. He advanced to second on a bunt, and Neal walked Tanner Lovick before Reaves brought on Wooten. He got one out on a popup, but Stallings sent the first pitch to him into right and the throw to the plate was off the mark.
"We just quit swinging it," said Reaves. We weren't agressive. "We're going to give up runs, but if we're going to score just six or seven a game, we're not going to win many. We need to get nine or ten runs a game." Wayne failed to score 14 of its 21 runners.
Reaves also felt confident in leaving in Neal as long as he did before bringing on Wooten. "I thought Matt could have got us a ground ball with that sink. I didn't mind having that guy walk. We thought we would go to John then."
Wayne took a two-run lead in the first. McGee singled with one out and went to third on a Wooten double on a 3-0 pitch. One run scored on a ball off the pitcher's glove, and Robert Faucette drove in Wooten with a hit to right. Faucette was caught stealing for the first of four players lost on the bases. A walk and a hit batter followed before the inning ended on a strikeout.
Wooten sent the first pitch of the third over the center field fence. Cambric Moye put Post ahead 5-1 in the fifth with a two-run homer to center. McGee's grounder in the sixth scored Neal to put Post 11 ahead by five, but the inning again ended with the bases loaded.
Wayne was outhit 13-7.
e diel, 21 qershor 2009
A Crucial Road Win for Post 11
Box Stats later today as it's kind of late. Totals
Two rising sophomores got the starting nods on the mound when Wayne County Post 11 met New Bern Post 24 at New Bern High School Saturday night. In this case, however, there was a four-year difference between the two.
Zack Mozingo hurled six solid innings and Wayne scored three in the eighth to break a tie game and go on to win 8-5 for its third straight victory. Post 11 (3-1, 6-3) will travel to South Central High School tonight to take on Pitt County Post 160 in another Area I East South game.
New Bern starter Shawn Armstrong, who redshirted his freshman year at East Carolina University, struggled with his control in his attempt to bounce back from elbow surgery. He showed flashes of his former self with seven strikeouts in as many innings, but he also walked seven, allowed eight hits and threw 150 pitches.
Mozingo, from state 3-A runner up Eastern Wayne, was the epitome of efficiency in the pitch count department, needing only 60 in six innings. But he eventually ran out of gas in the stifling heat, and New Bern was able to tie the game at five with three runs in the seventh.
Mozingo walked two of the first three batters, but was close to getting out of the inning with a fly ball for the second out. A double by Alan Edwards scored one to finish Mozingo, and Brett Williams singled to left to tie it.
Wayne quickly bounced back to regain the lead against reliever Jim Robinson. Lead off batter Nick McGee singled on the first pitch, and a walk and hit batter loaded the bases with one out. Scott Holloman singled to left for one run. Cody Richards grounded to third for a force out, but the third baseman's throw to first was wild. Holloman ended up at third, and he scored on wild pitch for a three-run lead.
It was then Matt Neal's time to shine on the mound. He entered the game having allowed eight hits and six walks in six innings, but he shut down Post 24 over the next two innings to send Wayne home with the win.
New Bern took the lead in the first on an opposite-field triple by Matt Hardeman and an infield out. Wayne scored three in the third. Cambric Moye and Holloman had RBI singles
New Bern committed seven errors but they had a very limited impact on the outcome. Only one of Wayne's runs was unearned. Post 11 was error free.
Two rising sophomores got the starting nods on the mound when Wayne County Post 11 met New Bern Post 24 at New Bern High School Saturday night. In this case, however, there was a four-year difference between the two.
Zack Mozingo hurled six solid innings and Wayne scored three in the eighth to break a tie game and go on to win 8-5 for its third straight victory. Post 11 (3-1, 6-3) will travel to South Central High School tonight to take on Pitt County Post 160 in another Area I East South game.
New Bern starter Shawn Armstrong, who redshirted his freshman year at East Carolina University, struggled with his control in his attempt to bounce back from elbow surgery. He showed flashes of his former self with seven strikeouts in as many innings, but he also walked seven, allowed eight hits and threw 150 pitches.
Mozingo, from state 3-A runner up Eastern Wayne, was the epitome of efficiency in the pitch count department, needing only 60 in six innings. But he eventually ran out of gas in the stifling heat, and New Bern was able to tie the game at five with three runs in the seventh.
Mozingo walked two of the first three batters, but was close to getting out of the inning with a fly ball for the second out. A double by Alan Edwards scored one to finish Mozingo, and Brett Williams singled to left to tie it.
Wayne quickly bounced back to regain the lead against reliever Jim Robinson. Lead off batter Nick McGee singled on the first pitch, and a walk and hit batter loaded the bases with one out. Scott Holloman singled to left for one run. Cody Richards grounded to third for a force out, but the third baseman's throw to first was wild. Holloman ended up at third, and he scored on wild pitch for a three-run lead.
It was then Matt Neal's time to shine on the mound. He entered the game having allowed eight hits and six walks in six innings, but he shut down Post 24 over the next two innings to send Wayne home with the win.
New Bern took the lead in the first on an opposite-field triple by Matt Hardeman and an infield out. Wayne scored three in the third. Cambric Moye and Holloman had RBI singles
New Bern committed seven errors but they had a very limited impact on the outcome. Only one of Wayne's runs was unearned. Post 11 was error free.
e shtunë, 20 qershor 2009
Wayne Begins Crucial Stretch with Win
Box Season Totals
Totals later this morning. Several extra features are in the box starting with this game: BA with runners in scoring position, percentage of runners scored from third with less than two out and percentage of runners scored. GB% is the percentage of batted balls that hit landed in the infield.
The Wayne County American Legion baseball team hasn't seen much action this season, but that's about to change.
Post 11, which had played a mere seven games in a schedule that was slated to start May 21, kicked off the stretch run of the regular season with a 7-3 win over non-league opponent Clayton at Mount Olive College Friday night. Wayne (2-1, 5-3)will travel to New Bern tonight for an Area I East South match up. The schedule, including the Clayton game, calls for eight games in nine days. The playoffs begin July 1.
Wayne broke open a one-run game with four in the eight but had to withstand a tense ninth in which Clayton loaded the bases and brought the tying run to the plate. ECU signee John Wooten, in his first Legion game this season, started the eighth with a hit off the glove of the first baseman. Zack Mozingo dropped a single into shallow right field, and Matt Neal reached when his bunt to the pitcher was thrown away to load the bases. Robert Faucette sent everyone home with a shot to the left center field gap. He went to third on a single by Cody Richard but was out at home when he attempted to score on a fly ball to right. Kevin Wise put Post 11 ahead by four with a double to left.
Wayne used eight pitchers as coach Brad Reaves attempted to give his staff a bit of much-needed work. It fell upon Wooten to close it, but he made things a bit too interesting in the last inning. He walked lead off batter Drew Alford. A single by Jeffrey Joyner and an outfield error put runners on second and third. Wooten lost Josh Holloman on a walk after getting ahead 1-2. That put the tying run in the on-deck circle. Wooten came back to strike out the next batter before Nate Lusk singled up the middle for one run. Alex Hadding grounded to shortstop Tyler Edwards, and he tagged second and fired to first to nip Hadding for the game-ending twin killer.
"We'd been off for a while, and they all needed a little bit of work," Reaves said of his pitchers. "We've got a big stretch coming up." Of that last inning, Reaves jokingly said of Wooten, "John does that to us sometimes. He did that a time or two last year. I think he just wanted to get some extra pitches in. He hadn't been on the mound for a little while. It was him or nothing because all I had left was a couple of ninth graders who had pitched at all."
Reaves was especially pleased with what he saw from some of his more inexperienced players." I liked those young kids at the bottom of the lineup. It seemed they made something happen all night." Wayne still has not played a game with its entire roster available. Several players were in the Triangle for the State Games, and before that Eastern Wayne was in the high school playoffs. " The chemistry's getting close, but we were missing three guys, three key guys," said Reaves. "I'll be tickled to death to see us play one game with everybody."
Clayton scored in the second on a wild pickoff throw to second after loading the bases. Wayne put two on the scoreboard in the inning. Faucette walked with one out and went to second on an infield out. Colin DuBose reached on an error with two out, and a run scored on Kevin Wise's infield hit. DuBose, who alertly went to third on the play as the ball went off the shortstop's glove, came home on a Tyler Edwards single to left. Edwards put Wayne ahead in the eighth with an RBI triple to score DuBose.
Clayton had a 19-17 advantage in base runners. Wayne lost four runners on the bases for the second straight game. It continues to have trouble in the stolen bases department, going one-for-three and is 9-for-15 for the season.
Totals later this morning. Several extra features are in the box starting with this game: BA with runners in scoring position, percentage of runners scored from third with less than two out and percentage of runners scored. GB% is the percentage of batted balls that hit landed in the infield.
The Wayne County American Legion baseball team hasn't seen much action this season, but that's about to change.
Post 11, which had played a mere seven games in a schedule that was slated to start May 21, kicked off the stretch run of the regular season with a 7-3 win over non-league opponent Clayton at Mount Olive College Friday night. Wayne (2-1, 5-3)will travel to New Bern tonight for an Area I East South match up. The schedule, including the Clayton game, calls for eight games in nine days. The playoffs begin July 1.
Wayne broke open a one-run game with four in the eight but had to withstand a tense ninth in which Clayton loaded the bases and brought the tying run to the plate. ECU signee John Wooten, in his first Legion game this season, started the eighth with a hit off the glove of the first baseman. Zack Mozingo dropped a single into shallow right field, and Matt Neal reached when his bunt to the pitcher was thrown away to load the bases. Robert Faucette sent everyone home with a shot to the left center field gap. He went to third on a single by Cody Richard but was out at home when he attempted to score on a fly ball to right. Kevin Wise put Post 11 ahead by four with a double to left.
Wayne used eight pitchers as coach Brad Reaves attempted to give his staff a bit of much-needed work. It fell upon Wooten to close it, but he made things a bit too interesting in the last inning. He walked lead off batter Drew Alford. A single by Jeffrey Joyner and an outfield error put runners on second and third. Wooten lost Josh Holloman on a walk after getting ahead 1-2. That put the tying run in the on-deck circle. Wooten came back to strike out the next batter before Nate Lusk singled up the middle for one run. Alex Hadding grounded to shortstop Tyler Edwards, and he tagged second and fired to first to nip Hadding for the game-ending twin killer.
"We'd been off for a while, and they all needed a little bit of work," Reaves said of his pitchers. "We've got a big stretch coming up." Of that last inning, Reaves jokingly said of Wooten, "John does that to us sometimes. He did that a time or two last year. I think he just wanted to get some extra pitches in. He hadn't been on the mound for a little while. It was him or nothing because all I had left was a couple of ninth graders who had pitched at all."
Reaves was especially pleased with what he saw from some of his more inexperienced players." I liked those young kids at the bottom of the lineup. It seemed they made something happen all night." Wayne still has not played a game with its entire roster available. Several players were in the Triangle for the State Games, and before that Eastern Wayne was in the high school playoffs. " The chemistry's getting close, but we were missing three guys, three key guys," said Reaves. "I'll be tickled to death to see us play one game with everybody."
Clayton scored in the second on a wild pickoff throw to second after loading the bases. Wayne put two on the scoreboard in the inning. Faucette walked with one out and went to second on an infield out. Colin DuBose reached on an error with two out, and a run scored on Kevin Wise's infield hit. DuBose, who alertly went to third on the play as the ball went off the shortstop's glove, came home on a Tyler Edwards single to left. Edwards put Wayne ahead in the eighth with an RBI triple to score DuBose.
Clayton had a 19-17 advantage in base runners. Wayne lost four runners on the bases for the second straight game. It continues to have trouble in the stolen bases department, going one-for-three and is 9-for-15 for the season.
e martë, 16 qershor 2009
No Game Tuesday
The game at Pitt Community College between Wayne and Pitt 39 has been postponed and will be rescheduled this weekend.
Season Totals should be up later tonight if this sorry cat will move off the computer desk.
Season Totals should be up later tonight if this sorry cat will move off the computer desk.
Wayne Returns to Action with Win
Box If you are having trouble with the links, try them multiple times. I have checked on this, and the Google site says everything is in order. Season Totals
Tyler Edwards went hitless in his past three games before Wayne County Post 11 went on a nine-day hiatus for exams and graduation. The team returned to action Monday night, and the diminutive shortstop wasted no time in putting his recent woes behind him.
Edwards banged out five hits and drove in three runs as Wayne rallied past Area One East South Division foe Pitt County Post 39 12-7 at Mount Olive College. The teams will meet tonight at Pitt Community College.
Wayne (2-1, 4-3) was almost at full strength with the addition of the Eastern Wayne players. John Wooten missed the game due to sickness and Walker Gourley is still undecided about signing with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Eastern Wayne's Josh Frederick took the hill for the first time as an American Legion pitcher and overcame a rough second inning to claim his first win with five innings of work. He benefited from a stellar relief performance from Jesse Randolph. Bouncing back from a poor showing against Wilmington, Randolph allowed three runners over the final three innings to pick up the save.
Wayne cranked out 15 hits in all, something that didn't surprise coach Brad Reaves. "We're going to swing it, and if we can get pitching like that we'll be fine," he said. "It's been a while since Frederick had been on the mound. It's been a while since (Taylor) Allen had been on the mound, and I thought Jesse Randolph looked great."
"We have more options that we've ever had. ... We have a lot of people who can do different things."
"I thought (Frederick) was a little too strong to begin with. He had too good a fastball. I've seen him like that in high school where he was too strong to begin with and he was throwing instead of pitching. After the second inning, he started pitching a little bit."
Frederick's troubles came in the second when Pitt lit him up to the tune of four runs to take a 4-1 lead. With a runner on first and two out, Brian Phillips lined a 1-2 fastball to left for a double. A hit batter loaded the bases, again on a 1-2 pitch. Tyler Nichols and Clark Massey followed with two-run doubles. Frederick had Massey 0-2 but couldn't put him away.
He recovered to allow only a solo home run by Preston Mobley over the next three innings.
Wayne quickly rebounded with five runs in the bottom of the inning. Nick McGee fell behind 0-2 and worked the count full before driving in two runs with a hit to center. After Cambric Moye was hit by a pitch, the runnners advanced on a wild pitch. The next two batters were retired on a poput and strikeout, but Colton Fulghum doubled into the left field corner on an 0-2 pitch. Cody Richards' double made it 6-4, and Wayne led for good.
Wayne added two in the fifth as Edwards tripled and McGee singled him home. In the seventh, Wayne drew three walks to set up a two-run single by Edwards and Moy's second RBI single.
e shtunë, 13 qershor 2009
e diel, 7 qershor 2009
The Ten-Run Rule
Wayne lost to Wilmington on the ten-run, or mercy, rule. Here is a look at how Wayne has fare since the rule was implemented in 1997. It was optional in the first year, then became mandatory.
1997 ...4-0
1998 ...13-0
1999 ...11-1
2000...17-1
2001...10-0
2002...13-1
2003...4-0
2004...3-1
2005...3-0
2006...2-2
2007...5-1
2008...5-1
2009...0-1
__________
............90-10
Home ...59-5
Away...29-3
Neutral...2-2
1997 ...4-0
1998 ...13-0
1999 ...11-1
2000...17-1
2001...10-0
2002...13-1
2003...4-0
2004...3-1
2005...3-0
2006...2-2
2007...5-1
2008...5-1
2009...0-1
__________
............90-10
Home ...59-5
Away...29-3
Neutral...2-2
e shtunë, 6 qershor 2009
Freeman Sparks Wilmington to Another Win
Box Teen Breaks In Apartment, Roasts Girl's Kitten
Wilmington Post 10 returned a lot of talent from a team that made the American Legion state tournament last season. It showed Saturday afternoon against Wayne County Post 11 at Buck Hardee Field in Wilmington.
Wilmington broke open a close game with nine runs over two innings and defeated Wayne 12-1 in a contest that ended in the seventh inning on the ten-run rule after Scott Johnson hit a walk-off grand slam home run.
Wayne (3-3, 2-1) will resume play June 15 at home against Area I East South opponent Pitt County Post 39.
Wilmington scored two unearned runs in the first, then added one in the second on the first of two home runs by first baseman Kelvin Freeman. He had four hits of the winners' 11 hits.Wayne kept it close for the next three innings as Michael Douglas held Post 10 scoreless, allowing two hits and one walk. The problem for Wayne was that its offense went into a collective funk as it couldn't put anyone on base. The first runner came in the sixth when Duane Gurganus was hit by a pitch. Still, Post 11 was in striking distance.
That didn't last as Wilmington struck for three in the sixth. Freeman, who hit the light pole in center on his first home, hit the one in left with a man aboard. Post 11 avoided being shut out in the hit column in the seventh when Scott Holloman sent the first pitch to him off the right field fence. He scored on a passed ball and a throwing error.Ryan LaGrange started the home seventh with a home run to left, and Johnson's blast ended it.
Wilmington didn't have a batter to strike out.
Wilmington Post 10 returned a lot of talent from a team that made the American Legion state tournament last season. It showed Saturday afternoon against Wayne County Post 11 at Buck Hardee Field in Wilmington.
Wilmington broke open a close game with nine runs over two innings and defeated Wayne 12-1 in a contest that ended in the seventh inning on the ten-run rule after Scott Johnson hit a walk-off grand slam home run.
Wayne (3-3, 2-1) will resume play June 15 at home against Area I East South opponent Pitt County Post 39.
Wilmington scored two unearned runs in the first, then added one in the second on the first of two home runs by first baseman Kelvin Freeman. He had four hits of the winners' 11 hits.Wayne kept it close for the next three innings as Michael Douglas held Post 10 scoreless, allowing two hits and one walk. The problem for Wayne was that its offense went into a collective funk as it couldn't put anyone on base. The first runner came in the sixth when Duane Gurganus was hit by a pitch. Still, Post 11 was in striking distance.
That didn't last as Wilmington struck for three in the sixth. Freeman, who hit the light pole in center on his first home, hit the one in left with a man aboard. Post 11 avoided being shut out in the hit column in the seventh when Scott Holloman sent the first pitch to him off the right field fence. He scored on a passed ball and a throwing error.Ryan LaGrange started the home seventh with a home run to left, and Johnson's blast ended it.
Wilmington didn't have a batter to strike out.
e premte, 5 qershor 2009
Wilmington Rolls Past Post 11
Box Note: If you don't get the links to work the first time, try going out of the page and returning. That worked for me after I signed out to check it.
Totals
Things went downhill for Wayne County Post 11 on the first pitch of its non-league game with Area II visitor Wilmington Post 10 Friday night at Mount Olive College.
Trey Euverand belted a leadoff home run and Wilmington went on to take a 9-3 decision. The teams will meet Saturday afternoon at 4 at Wilmington's Legion Field.
The loss dropped Wayne to 3-2 overall. After tomorrow's game, Post 11 will not play again until a home game against Pitt County 39 on June 15.
Euverand's home run was the first of 13 hits, including five doubles, for Wilmington. On the flip side, Wayne didn't get into a hit column until the seventh when Zack Grantham's liner to right fell in front of the diving right fielder for a triple. Wilmington had a 17-16 edge in runners, and it made the most of its opportunities. Wayne was unable to capitalize much off six walks and three hit batters by the first three Wilmington pitchers.
Wilmington added two more runs in the first on hits by Justin Somers and David Coleman, then made it a five-run lead with two more in the third. Kelvin Freeman opened the seventh with a lead off homer slightly to the left of the 400-foot mark in center field. Both home runs were aided by a northwest wind.
All those runs came off Post 11 starter Jesse Randolph. Duane Gurganus relieved him in the fifth and allowed three runs the rest of the way. The two struck out two and walked one.
Keenan Winn followed the Gurganus triple with an infield hit to get Wayne on the scoreboard. In the eighth, Cody Richards drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single but the next two batters struck out to extinguish the threat.
Wayne lost five runners on the bases including two who were picked off first by the catcher. Wilmington turned two double plays.
Totals
Things went downhill for Wayne County Post 11 on the first pitch of its non-league game with Area II visitor Wilmington Post 10 Friday night at Mount Olive College.
Trey Euverand belted a leadoff home run and Wilmington went on to take a 9-3 decision. The teams will meet Saturday afternoon at 4 at Wilmington's Legion Field.
The loss dropped Wayne to 3-2 overall. After tomorrow's game, Post 11 will not play again until a home game against Pitt County 39 on June 15.
Euverand's home run was the first of 13 hits, including five doubles, for Wilmington. On the flip side, Wayne didn't get into a hit column until the seventh when Zack Grantham's liner to right fell in front of the diving right fielder for a triple. Wilmington had a 17-16 edge in runners, and it made the most of its opportunities. Wayne was unable to capitalize much off six walks and three hit batters by the first three Wilmington pitchers.
Wilmington added two more runs in the first on hits by Justin Somers and David Coleman, then made it a five-run lead with two more in the third. Kelvin Freeman opened the seventh with a lead off homer slightly to the left of the 400-foot mark in center field. Both home runs were aided by a northwest wind.
All those runs came off Post 11 starter Jesse Randolph. Duane Gurganus relieved him in the fifth and allowed three runs the rest of the way. The two struck out two and walked one.
Keenan Winn followed the Gurganus triple with an infield hit to get Wayne on the scoreboard. In the eighth, Cody Richards drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single but the next two batters struck out to extinguish the threat.
Wayne lost five runners on the bases including two who were picked off first by the catcher. Wilmington turned two double plays.
e enjte, 4 qershor 2009
e mërkurë, 3 qershor 2009
Richards Powers Post 11 to Road Win
Box Three Game Totals
Note: Four-game totals perhaps later today. I hope the links are working.
Wayne County's American Legion team will get a big talent boost when Eastern Wayne finishes its quest for a 3-A title, but the players filling in are doing quite nicely as it is, thank you.
Cody Richards drove in four runs with a a home run and a triple, and a quartet of hurlers combined on a four-hitter as Post 11 downed Apex Post 124 8-3 Wednesday night at Apex High School to run its record to 3-1. Wayne will play host to Wilmington Post 10 Friday night at Mount Olive College, then travel to the Port City for a 4 p.m. contest on Saturday. The Sunday game with New Bern will be rescheduled.
Wayne had only seven hits but bunched them together to make for a more productive night. In the first inning, Matt Neal reached on an infield hit, and Nick McGee walked with two out. Davis got ahead 3-0, took a strike and belted a fastball over the 365-foot mark in center field.
Neal got Post 11 going in the third with a leadoff single up the middle. Scott Holloman was hit by a pitch, and McGee drilled a pitch to left to score a run. The next two batters struck out, but Keenan Winn make it 6-0 with a two-run single to center after the runners had advanced on a passed ball.
McGee singled with one out in the fifth, and Richards tripled him home. An RBI ground out by Zack Grantham put Post 11 on top 8-2.
Wayne coach Brad Reaves pulled up Will Broadwell from the junior Legion, and the right-hander made the most of his start by retiring all nine batters he faced.
Apex scored twice in the fourth on a two-out single by Jason Turpin. A hit batter and a run-scoring single by Drew Davis accounted for the other run. The teams agreed to play seven innings.
The absence of the Eastern Wayne contingent has provided some of the younger players with opportunities to make cases for themselves and, in the process, give Reaves pleasant problems when it comes to roster decisions. That's especially true at catcher. Zack Wright (East Carolina) and Cambric Moye (Eastern Wayne) were expected to shoulder the duties behind the plate, with Nick McGee a mere stopgap until those two arrived. It hasn't worked out that way as Reaves has been impressed by his work as a hitter and a backstop.
"I wasn't counting on him," said Reaves, "but if he keeps on swinging it like that you just never know. He's going to stay up here until we get somebody back, and then it's going to be a hard decision."
Note: Four-game totals perhaps later today. I hope the links are working.
Wayne County's American Legion team will get a big talent boost when Eastern Wayne finishes its quest for a 3-A title, but the players filling in are doing quite nicely as it is, thank you.
Cody Richards drove in four runs with a a home run and a triple, and a quartet of hurlers combined on a four-hitter as Post 11 downed Apex Post 124 8-3 Wednesday night at Apex High School to run its record to 3-1. Wayne will play host to Wilmington Post 10 Friday night at Mount Olive College, then travel to the Port City for a 4 p.m. contest on Saturday. The Sunday game with New Bern will be rescheduled.
Wayne had only seven hits but bunched them together to make for a more productive night. In the first inning, Matt Neal reached on an infield hit, and Nick McGee walked with two out. Davis got ahead 3-0, took a strike and belted a fastball over the 365-foot mark in center field.
Neal got Post 11 going in the third with a leadoff single up the middle. Scott Holloman was hit by a pitch, and McGee drilled a pitch to left to score a run. The next two batters struck out, but Keenan Winn make it 6-0 with a two-run single to center after the runners had advanced on a passed ball.
McGee singled with one out in the fifth, and Richards tripled him home. An RBI ground out by Zack Grantham put Post 11 on top 8-2.
Wayne coach Brad Reaves pulled up Will Broadwell from the junior Legion, and the right-hander made the most of his start by retiring all nine batters he faced.
Apex scored twice in the fourth on a two-out single by Jason Turpin. A hit batter and a run-scoring single by Drew Davis accounted for the other run. The teams agreed to play seven innings.
The absence of the Eastern Wayne contingent has provided some of the younger players with opportunities to make cases for themselves and, in the process, give Reaves pleasant problems when it comes to roster decisions. That's especially true at catcher. Zack Wright (East Carolina) and Cambric Moye (Eastern Wayne) were expected to shoulder the duties behind the plate, with Nick McGee a mere stopgap until those two arrived. It hasn't worked out that way as Reaves has been impressed by his work as a hitter and a backstop.
"I wasn't counting on him," said Reaves, "but if he keeps on swinging it like that you just never know. He's going to stay up here until we get somebody back, and then it's going to be a hard decision."
Wayne Holds Off Kinston
Box Two Game Totals
Kinston Post 43 didn't have its ace on the mound against Wayne County Post 11 Tuesday night at Mount Olive College in the teams' second meeting of the young American Legion season. That made all the difference in the outcome.
The youth-laden Wayne lineup, which had struggled offensively in the first two games, came to life with 16 hits and held off a last-inning rally to win 8-6. Post 11 evened its Area One East South Division record at 1-1 and improve its overall mark to 2-1. Wayne will travel to Apex High School tonight for a meeting with Area One West opponent Apex.
Kinston's Carter Capps threw a complete game in leading his team to a 4-3 win three days earlier at home. This time the starting nod went to Kaleb Wessell, and the Post 11 batters had a much more productive night against him. Wessell allowed ten hits in five innings.
Wayne seemed to have the game under control with five-run lead going into the ninth. Matt Neal was working on his third inning, having given up only two walks. Things quickly took a turn for the worse.
He walked leadoff batter Jasper Jones and gave up a single to Dejuan Gray. He retired next two batters, but Lee Taylor singled to center, and the ball was misplayed to score two runs. An RBI single by Mike Wetherington brought the tying run to the plate. Neal walked Capps and went 2-2 on Jacob Sutton before a called third strike ended the game.
"My babies are growing up," said a pleased Post 11 coach Brad Reaves after the game. "We had much better plate appearances tonight."
After spotting Kinston a run in the first, Wayne tied it in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by Scott Holloman, the first of his three hits. Neal was hit by a pitch in the third and later scored on a throwing error to give his team the lead for good.
Nick McGee lined a hit off the pitcher to open the fourth, stole second and scored on a ground ball single up the middle by Cody Richards. He came home on a two-out hit by Kevin Wise.
Wayne aded two more in the fifth. Holloman singled and advanced to third on a double by McGee down the right field line. After a strikeout, Keenan Winn hit an 0-2 fastball to center for a two-run single and a 6-1 lead.
Post 11 started Taylor Allen pitched five solid innings but couldn't make it out of the sixth after giving up two singles and a double as well hitting one batter. Still, Reaves was happy with what he got from the right-hander: three runs and eight hits allowed.
"He hadn't pitched since October," said Reaves. "I was hoping for four innings. He hit a wall in the fifth. He'll get stronger." Allen needed only 64 pitches to get through the first five innings.
Jesse Randolph took over and got Post 11 out of the inning on a sacrifice fly and strikeout. Neal relieved him in the seventh with one out and runners on the corners. He walked Trey Beamon to load the bases, but shortstop Tyler Edwards snared a shot by Lee Taylor and started a inning-ending twin-killer.
Wayne added what seemed to be a pair of meaningless runs in the bottom of the inning, but they would turn out to be crucial at the end. Zack Grantham singled through the right side of the infield and advanced on a bunt by McGee. Richards singled McGee to third, and Richards stole second. Keenan Winn drove in a run with a grounder, and Richards scored on a throwing error.
Wayne missed a chance to pad the lead in the eighth. Wise walked and Edwards bunted down the third base line for his fourth hit. Wise broke for third on a 2-0 pitch, but Neal's liner to center rusulted in doubling up Wise as second.
Kinston Post 43 didn't have its ace on the mound against Wayne County Post 11 Tuesday night at Mount Olive College in the teams' second meeting of the young American Legion season. That made all the difference in the outcome.
The youth-laden Wayne lineup, which had struggled offensively in the first two games, came to life with 16 hits and held off a last-inning rally to win 8-6. Post 11 evened its Area One East South Division record at 1-1 and improve its overall mark to 2-1. Wayne will travel to Apex High School tonight for a meeting with Area One West opponent Apex.
Kinston's Carter Capps threw a complete game in leading his team to a 4-3 win three days earlier at home. This time the starting nod went to Kaleb Wessell, and the Post 11 batters had a much more productive night against him. Wessell allowed ten hits in five innings.
Wayne seemed to have the game under control with five-run lead going into the ninth. Matt Neal was working on his third inning, having given up only two walks. Things quickly took a turn for the worse.
He walked leadoff batter Jasper Jones and gave up a single to Dejuan Gray. He retired next two batters, but Lee Taylor singled to center, and the ball was misplayed to score two runs. An RBI single by Mike Wetherington brought the tying run to the plate. Neal walked Capps and went 2-2 on Jacob Sutton before a called third strike ended the game.
"My babies are growing up," said a pleased Post 11 coach Brad Reaves after the game. "We had much better plate appearances tonight."
After spotting Kinston a run in the first, Wayne tied it in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by Scott Holloman, the first of his three hits. Neal was hit by a pitch in the third and later scored on a throwing error to give his team the lead for good.
Nick McGee lined a hit off the pitcher to open the fourth, stole second and scored on a ground ball single up the middle by Cody Richards. He came home on a two-out hit by Kevin Wise.
Wayne aded two more in the fifth. Holloman singled and advanced to third on a double by McGee down the right field line. After a strikeout, Keenan Winn hit an 0-2 fastball to center for a two-run single and a 6-1 lead.
Post 11 started Taylor Allen pitched five solid innings but couldn't make it out of the sixth after giving up two singles and a double as well hitting one batter. Still, Reaves was happy with what he got from the right-hander: three runs and eight hits allowed.
"He hadn't pitched since October," said Reaves. "I was hoping for four innings. He hit a wall in the fifth. He'll get stronger." Allen needed only 64 pitches to get through the first five innings.
Jesse Randolph took over and got Post 11 out of the inning on a sacrifice fly and strikeout. Neal relieved him in the seventh with one out and runners on the corners. He walked Trey Beamon to load the bases, but shortstop Tyler Edwards snared a shot by Lee Taylor and started a inning-ending twin-killer.
Wayne added what seemed to be a pair of meaningless runs in the bottom of the inning, but they would turn out to be crucial at the end. Zack Grantham singled through the right side of the infield and advanced on a bunt by McGee. Richards singled McGee to third, and Richards stole second. Keenan Winn drove in a run with a grounder, and Richards scored on a throwing error.
Wayne missed a chance to pad the lead in the eighth. Wise walked and Edwards bunted down the third base line for his fourth hit. Wise broke for third on a 2-0 pitch, but Neal's liner to center rusulted in doubling up Wise as second.
e shtunë, 30 maj 2009
Kinston Rallies Past Wayne
Note: I'll try to fix the links to the box scores late tonight or in the morning. I'm in Goldsboro at the moment. Box and season totals in the morning. I am not having trouble with the box score link after I log out, so let me know if you are having a problem.
First Game Season Totals Kinston Box
Kinston-This was a tough one to swallow.
Wayne County Post 11 took what appeared to be a solid three-run lead into the eighth inning against Kinston Post 43 Saturday night. Eric DuBose had more than held his own against Mount Olive College freshman Carter Capps, allowing two hits and three walks while striking out seven. But it all went for naught.
Kinston used small ball to and a big hit by Trey Beamon to rally past Wayne 4-3 and gain a rare victory over the Area One East powerhouse. The loss dropped Wayne to 1-1 overall and was the opener in league play. The two teams will meet again Tuesday at Mount Olive College.
DuBose gave up a hit in the first and second innings, and Kinston placed only two runners in scoring position the rest of the way. While he couldn't match Capps' fastball or 11 strikeouts, his well-crafted outing put Post 11 on the verge of a win.
It all fell apart in the eighth. Michael Douglas took over after DuBose passed the hundred-pitch mark, and he immediately ran into trouble. Everett Charlton led off by reaching on an infield hit behind second. Dejuan Gray bunted safely down the third base line to bring the tying run to the plate.
Pookie Clark swung at and fouled off the first pitch before bunting toward third. The third baseman hung back to cover the bag, then charged in too late to make the play. So, the bases were loaded without a ball being hit out of the infield.
Douglas got ahead of Beamon 0-2 but couldn't put him away. Beamon drilled a 2-2 breaking pitch to center to tie it. He went to third on a grounder and scored on Mike Wetherington's ground ball single to right. Capps allowed a hit in the ninth but held on for the complete game.
Wayne scored against the hard throwing Capps in the first. Matt Neal walked with one out, stole second and scored on a line-drive single to left by Scott Holloman.
The other Post 11 runs came in the seventh to give DuBose some breathing room. Nick McGee singled to right and advanced to second on a fielding error. Cody Davis bunted him to third, and Kevin Wise's ground out brought him home.
Tyler Edwards singled to right and went to third on a hit and run single by Neal. Edwards scored on a passed ball.
Wayne put the first two batters on base in the fourth but a double play and strikeout snuffed out the threat.
First Game Season Totals Kinston Box
Kinston-This was a tough one to swallow.
Wayne County Post 11 took what appeared to be a solid three-run lead into the eighth inning against Kinston Post 43 Saturday night. Eric DuBose had more than held his own against Mount Olive College freshman Carter Capps, allowing two hits and three walks while striking out seven. But it all went for naught.
Kinston used small ball to and a big hit by Trey Beamon to rally past Wayne 4-3 and gain a rare victory over the Area One East powerhouse. The loss dropped Wayne to 1-1 overall and was the opener in league play. The two teams will meet again Tuesday at Mount Olive College.
DuBose gave up a hit in the first and second innings, and Kinston placed only two runners in scoring position the rest of the way. While he couldn't match Capps' fastball or 11 strikeouts, his well-crafted outing put Post 11 on the verge of a win.
It all fell apart in the eighth. Michael Douglas took over after DuBose passed the hundred-pitch mark, and he immediately ran into trouble. Everett Charlton led off by reaching on an infield hit behind second. Dejuan Gray bunted safely down the third base line to bring the tying run to the plate.
Pookie Clark swung at and fouled off the first pitch before bunting toward third. The third baseman hung back to cover the bag, then charged in too late to make the play. So, the bases were loaded without a ball being hit out of the infield.
Douglas got ahead of Beamon 0-2 but couldn't put him away. Beamon drilled a 2-2 breaking pitch to center to tie it. He went to third on a grounder and scored on Mike Wetherington's ground ball single to right. Capps allowed a hit in the ninth but held on for the complete game.
Wayne scored against the hard throwing Capps in the first. Matt Neal walked with one out, stole second and scored on a line-drive single to left by Scott Holloman.
The other Post 11 runs came in the seventh to give DuBose some breathing room. Nick McGee singled to right and advanced to second on a fielding error. Cody Davis bunted him to third, and Kevin Wise's ground out brought him home.
Tyler Edwards singled to right and went to third on a hit and run single by Neal. Edwards scored on a passed ball.
Wayne put the first two batters on base in the fourth but a double play and strikeout snuffed out the threat.
e enjte, 28 maj 2009
Post 11 Opens with Win
Much more to follow after I try to make sense of this scorebook that looks like a list of Biblical descendants. Please let me know if you can't access the box, as Google has modified its format since last season. More in the morning. KeiWate@aol.com
Box Score
Wayne County Post 11 is missing some of its big guns to start the 2009 American Legion baseball season, but the players on hand put together a solid effort to get things going on the right foot.
A lineup that featured three freshmen and only one position player with significant senior American Legion playing time defeated Apex Post 124 5-2 Thursday night at Mount Olive College on the strength of a four-run sixth inning.
Wayne will begin Area I East South Division play against Kinston Saturday night at Kinston High School. The Sunday game at New Bern has been postponed. Post 24 coach Gary Smith called to offer to reschedule the contest due to the absence of Eastern Wayne's players.
Apex was clinging to a one-run lead when Wayne put together the big inning to go ahead for good. Zack Grantham led off with a single to left, and coach Brad Reaves called for a bunt. Cody Richards tried to square around but was hit on the hand by a fastball. After a strikeout, Duane Gurganus hit a soft liner to second.
The ball fell in front of the fielder and seemed to handcuff him as it went between his legs to the outfield, allowing Grantham to score. Cody Davis lofted the next pitch into shallow left-center to score Richards and send Gurganus to third. Edwards hit a grounder to first, and Gurganus was out at the plate for the second out.
Edwards stole his third base to put two runners in scoring position. Matt Neal got ahead 3-0 before the count went full. He singled through the right side of the infield to make it 4-1.
Wayne's other run came in the eighth. Gurganus walked on four pitches, and Davis laid down a bunt to advance him. One out later, Gurganus scored on a throwing error.
Apex took the early lead in the first as leadoff batter Lee Blalock reached on an error and later scored on a sacrifice fly. Parker Harrell drove in a run in the eighth.
Wayne used four pitchers, and they combined for one walk and 116 pitches. Apex put six players on the mound and needed 142 pitches to get through eight innings.
Reaves was pleased with the outcome, especially with what transpired on the mound.: "The pitching was the main thing. I don't think we walked but one. Anytime you do that you have a chance to win."
Post 11 struck out 11 times, but that did't surprise Reaves: "We struck out a lot, but when you have three freshmen in the lineup that's going to happen.
Edwards and Scott Holloman each had two hits. The game lasted 2:23.
Box Score
Wayne County Post 11 is missing some of its big guns to start the 2009 American Legion baseball season, but the players on hand put together a solid effort to get things going on the right foot.
A lineup that featured three freshmen and only one position player with significant senior American Legion playing time defeated Apex Post 124 5-2 Thursday night at Mount Olive College on the strength of a four-run sixth inning.
Wayne will begin Area I East South Division play against Kinston Saturday night at Kinston High School. The Sunday game at New Bern has been postponed. Post 24 coach Gary Smith called to offer to reschedule the contest due to the absence of Eastern Wayne's players.
Apex was clinging to a one-run lead when Wayne put together the big inning to go ahead for good. Zack Grantham led off with a single to left, and coach Brad Reaves called for a bunt. Cody Richards tried to square around but was hit on the hand by a fastball. After a strikeout, Duane Gurganus hit a soft liner to second.
The ball fell in front of the fielder and seemed to handcuff him as it went between his legs to the outfield, allowing Grantham to score. Cody Davis lofted the next pitch into shallow left-center to score Richards and send Gurganus to third. Edwards hit a grounder to first, and Gurganus was out at the plate for the second out.
Edwards stole his third base to put two runners in scoring position. Matt Neal got ahead 3-0 before the count went full. He singled through the right side of the infield to make it 4-1.
Wayne's other run came in the eighth. Gurganus walked on four pitches, and Davis laid down a bunt to advance him. One out later, Gurganus scored on a throwing error.
Apex took the early lead in the first as leadoff batter Lee Blalock reached on an error and later scored on a sacrifice fly. Parker Harrell drove in a run in the eighth.
Wayne used four pitchers, and they combined for one walk and 116 pitches. Apex put six players on the mound and needed 142 pitches to get through eight innings.
Reaves was pleased with the outcome, especially with what transpired on the mound.: "The pitching was the main thing. I don't think we walked but one. Anytime you do that you have a chance to win."
Post 11 struck out 11 times, but that did't surprise Reaves: "We struck out a lot, but when you have three freshmen in the lineup that's going to happen.
Edwards and Scott Holloman each had two hits. The game lasted 2:23.
Abonohu te:
Postimet (Atom)