 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
School Sports
Pitt 39 puzzles Post 13 Wilson suffers first losing streak with 5-2 defeat By Tom Ham | Senior Staff Writer Four double plays kept the Wilson American Legion baseball team close Thursday night in Fleming Stadium. But the inability to deliver enough clutch hits left Post 13 on the short end of a 5-2 score against Pitt County Post 39. Thursday night's outcome combined with Tuesday night's loss to Tarboro marked the first time in 2008 that Wilson has suffered back-to-back losses. Post 13 carries a 16-5 record into its regular-season home finale against Benson at 7 p.m. Saturday in Fleming Stadium. Pitt, a 11-5 loser to Wilson in the first meeting, improved to 12-7. Wilson had its chances to pull off the comeback against a Post 39 squad that is battling for a share of first place in the Area One Eastern Division, South Conference. Post 13 failed to score after loading the bases with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning. Wilson threatened again in the ninth. Against right-hander Chase Hardee, the third Post 39 pitcher, left fielder Michael Brown drew a one-out walk. With two outs, center fielder David Gibbons looped a single. That brought designated hitter-first baseman Jacob Davis to the plate as the potential tying run. In his previous four appearances, Davis singled, walked, slammed a two-run double and singled. On a two-balls, two-strikes pitch, Davis bounced into a game-ending force play. Added Wilson head coach Rusty Dail: "Jacob can hit, no doubt about it. All I wanted was a chance for him to get up there in the ninth inning. He was looking for a hanging curve ball. I don't blame him for looking for one pitch to drive." Thus, Hardee notched his third save and preserved the win for starting right-hander Paul McIntosh. McIntosh allowed five hits and two unearned runs in a five-innings stint. Cam Rollins then blanked Post 13 on two hits the next three innings, escaping the bases-loaded jam in the eighth. "We didn't play our best the first time against them," remarked Post 39 head coach Ryan Whitney. "But they beat us pretty bad and probably deserved win. We were going to do all we could to get even. "We played a total game, and that was good to see. But any time we take the field, we are playing to win." Starting Wilson right-hander William Prince could not avoid his first loss against six wins although his defense turned double plays in the fourth, sixth, seventh and eighth innings. However, the Post 13 defense also committed four errors and spotted Pitt an unearned run in each of the first and second innings. A two-run single from third baseman Michael Spruill boosted Post 39's lead to 4-0 in the fifth inning, Prince's last. A Post 39 error and Gibbons' single set the stage for Davis' two-run double in the bottom half of the fifth. Post 39 added a run in the eighth when catcher Greg Compton drew a bases-loaded walk. "We actually improved from the other night (loss to Tarboro)," Dail summarized. "We did hit a few balls on the ground. "They got some two-outs hits and we didn't get them like they did. And this is a different team from the one we saw the first time. They've added some players (eight from Greenville Rose's N.C. High School Athletic Association 4-A championship team). They've got a good ball club and they're going to be tough (in the playoffs)." The Area One Eastern Division playoffs begin Thursday and the head coaches of both teams indicated their pitching rotation is set. Post 39 still has a conference game remaining and Whitney sought to get some of his moundsmen some work in Thursday night's non-conference game. Wilson finished second in the division's North Conference and opens the playoffs at home against an undetermined opponent Thursday night. After facing Benson Saturday, Post 13 visits Pitt Post 160 on Sunday evening to end the regular season. "We're going to play hard Saturday and Sunday and try to win," Dail assured. "Then, we should be rested and ready to go (for the playoffs)." hammer@wilsontimes.com | 265-7809
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
