Baseball -- Vinson bails out Warriors in ECC victory

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on March 14, 2004 2:01 AM

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Airlon Vinson was ready to pitch. His coach was very glad to hear it.

The junior threw six innings and got the victory Friday as Eastern Wayne knocked off Washington 6-1 Friday for the Warriors' first win of the season.

"I wasn't sure who was pitching today," said Eastern Wayne coach Jabo Fulghum, whose team has been set back early with injuries that are taking time to heal. "I though Airlon had been hurting, but he threw it good against New Hanover. He said he could go, and I gave him the ball."

Vinson struck out six and walked three, giving up just two hits. He yielded to reliever Jesse Lancaster, who struck out the side in the seventh to take the win.

"He doesn't throw hard," said Fulghum of Vinson. He's just crafty."

Lancaster threw just ten pitches, nine for strikes.

Eastern Wayne strung together three hits by Lancaster, Matt Hemenway and Vinson to set up a four-run fourth inning. The Warriors added two more in the fifth as Vinson put up a sacrifice for a run.

Hemenway had two hits, one a double, while Lancaster had two hits and John Yates doubled for Eastern Wayne (1-3, 1-1), who will take on the London (Ontario, Canada) Badgers on Monday.

Washington is winless at 0-3 and 0-2 in league play.

"The win feels real good," said Fulghum. "This league is real tight, with eight teams that have on good pitcher. We are real young -- there's a freshmen at third and a sophomore behind the plate -- and these guys are going to have to grow up quick if we want to make the playoffs."

Washington 000 100 0 -- 1 2 0

E. Wayne 000 420 x -- 6 8 0

Leading hitters -- Washington -- Jock Moore hit, Travis Rogerson hit. Eastern Wayne -- Garrett Sutton hit, Jesse Lancaster 2 hits, Matt Hemenway 2 hits, 2B; Airlon Vinson hit, John Yates 2B, Mitchell Tyler hit.

IP H R ER BB SO

Eastern Wayne

Vinson (W) 6 2 1 0 3 6

Lancaster 1 0 0 0 0 3

Aycock stays unbeaten, busts Rams

SNOW HILL -- Phillip Cunningham threw a four-hit shutout as Charles B. Aycock knocked off Greene Central 5-0 Friday night at the James Fulghum Athletic Complex.

Cunningham struck out 14 and walked just one batter in six innings of work. Adam Williams came on and pitched a scoreless seventh inning.

"Both pitchers threw it well," said Aycock coach Charles Davis. "Phillip kept his pitch count low, and he located it real well."

Matthew Waddell went 3-for-3, while Cunningham added a two-run double.

"I really think that may be our secret -- hitting," said Davis. "I'm thinking we can swing the bats and score a few runs"

Green Central played a solid defensive game, turning a pair of double plays.

Aycock (3-0) will host Southern Wayne on Tuesday, while Greene Central (1-3) will play at Kinston on Monday.

C. B. Aycock 100 400 0 -- 5 8 0

Greene Central 000 000 0 -- 0 4 2

Leading hitters -- Charles B. Aycock -- Matthew Waddell 3-3, Will Spence 1-3, Bennett Jeffreys 1-3, Phillip Cunningham 2B, 2 RBI; Josh Pate 1-4, Josh Kirby 1-4. Greene Central -- Joseph Wade 2B. Jared Williamson 1-3, Drew Sowers 1-1, Matthew Whitley 1-1.

IP H R ER BB SO

C.B. Aycock

Cunningham (W) 6 3 0 0 1 14

Adam Williams 1 1 0 0 0 2

Greene Central

Drew Sowers (L) 42Ú3 5 5 0 3 3

Matthew Whitley 21Ú3 3 0 0 0 0

North Lenoir

outlasts Spring Creek

SEVEN SPRINGS -- Josh Barrett's pinch-hit single in the fifth innings provided the two decisive runs in North Lenoir's 7-5 win over Spring Creek Friday night.

The Hawks scored three runs in the third inning to erase a 2-0 Gators lead.

Spring Creek retook the lead at 4-2 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth before North Lenoir scored four in the top to the fifth to take the lead for good. Spring Creek added one run in the fifth but could not get closer.

North Lenoir's Dustin Bannister got the win on the mound, going five innings, while Marvin Blount closed out Spring Creek with two innings of relief.

Jes Snyder took the loss in relief of Derek Kirby, who took over for starter Josh Lewis.

North Lenoir (3-3) will take on East Duplin Thursday in Beulaville.

N. Lenoir 003 040 0 -- 7 8 2

Sp. Creek 200 201 0 -- 5 5 7

Leading hitters -- North Lenoir -- Brandon Johnson 2-3, Josh Barrett pinch-hit single. Spring Creek -- Jed Potter 2-3, Randy Amos 2-2, 2 runs scored.

South Central trims Southern Wayne

DUDLEY -- South Central is 2-0 in the Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference after beating Southern Wayne 3-1 on Friday at the Doyle Whitfield Athletic Complex.

The Falcons scored single runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings. Southern Wayne tallied their run in the sixth. Ashton Langston took the loss for the Saints, who will take on Charles B. Aycock Tuesday in Pikeville.

S. Central 001 110 0 -- 3 5 0

So. Wayne 000 001 0 -- 1 6 2

Leading hitters -- South Central -- Trey Freuler 2-3, Bill Hopkins hit. Southern Wayne -- Wayne Clemens double.

West Craven

no-hits Goldsboro

VANCEBORO -- Timothy Creech threw a three-inning no hitter and struck out 10 as West Craven beat Goldsboro 19-0 in an Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference matchup Friday.

Kevin Berryman and Jonathan Ipock both had three hits for the Eagles, while Lemmie Barwick, Jerry White and Justin Morris all had two.

Goldsboro's bright spot was on defense, where center fielder Devon Green played solidly for coach Danny Merritt. The Cougars have yet to get a hit against 3-A competition.

Goldsboro hosted Dixon in a doubleheader Saturday afternoon, then takes on Washington on Tuesday in Beaufort County.