Baseball -- Middle Creek rips 'Dogs

Published in Sports on April 15, 2004 1:56 PM

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PRINCETON -- Could David beat Goliath?

For the first six innings, the answer appeared to be yes.

Class 1-A Princeton was able to compete with their larger 4-A opponent, Middle Creek High School. Unfortunately, "the wheels fell off the cart," according to Bulldog coach Bruce Proctor, in the top of the seventh.

Middle Creek pushed five runs home to cruise to a 9-2 win.

The Mustangs, a two-year-old school that plays in the tough Tri-7 Conference, improved to 8-4 with the win. Princeton stands at 10-4.

Middle Creek scored in all but two innings. Four players accounted for nine of their ten hits. First baseman Jeremy Keene, in addition to playing a fine defensive game with ten put-outs, went 3-for-4, scoring two runs, and knocking in three RBI's.

Princeton could not take advantage of their scoring opportunities. The Bulldogs had runners on base in four innings but only scored in one, tying the score at two in the bottom of the third.

Left fielder Thomas Turnage led off with a single. Bren Hall followed with a walk. Starting pitcher Colin Parker was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Turnage scored off a Dustin Myers sacrifice fly to right field.

Coach Bruce Proctor fabricated the second run off a double steal. Matt Johnson, running for Parker, stole second. Hall tied the score at two, coming home on the throw to second.

Parker and reliever Josh Thomas had their club down only 4-2 until the seventh. Middle Creek then sent 11 men to the plate, scoring five times on five hits.

Spring Creek will attempt to derail Middle Creek tonight at 7.

The battle for Johnston County bragging rights will continue at 4 p.m. today, when Princeton will entertain North Johnston.

Middle Creek 110 110 5 -- 9 10 0

Princeton 002 000 0 -- 2 3 1

Leading hitters -- Middle Creek -- Jeremy Keene 3 hits, 2 runs, 3 RBI, 2B; Quinny Latimore 2 hits, 1 run, 3 RBI; Tyler Wood 2 hits, 2 runs; Nick Morrison 2 hits, 2 runs, RBI; Bobby Fowler 1 hit, 1 run, 2B. Princeton -- Brandon Pate 1 hit; Brooks Moore 1 hit; Thomas Turnage 1 hit, 1 run; Bren Hall 1 run; Dustin Myers RBI.

IP H R ER BB SO

Middle Creek (8-4)

Morrison 1 0 0 0 1 0

Wood (W, 1-0) 6 3 2 1 2 5

Princeton (10-4)

Parker (L, 3-1) 5 5 4 4 3 3

Thompson 1 0 0 0 1 0

Myers 1Ú3 5 5 4 0 0

Harmon 2Ú3 0 0 0 0 0