Baseball -- Falcons, Rams combine for four homers, 28 runs

Published in Sports on April 22, 2004 2:01 PM

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PIKEVILLE -- The overcast skies didn't fool anyone at Charles B. Aycock's baseball game against Greene Central Wednesday night.

It was a great night to hit a baseball.

C.B. Aycock and visiting Greene Central combined for 28 runs and 28 hits as the Falcons knocked off the Rams 18-10.

Both coaches took their non-conference game in stride.

"Seemed more like a basketball score," said Greene Central's Russell Brann.

"Just the typical game these two teams play when they get together," said Aycock's Charles Davis. "This isn't the first time we've had a slugfest with them."

At the outset, it looked as though the game might be more of a defensive battle. Greene Central hit into double plays in the first two innings, as did Aycock in the first.

Then the heavy hitting began.

A gusty wind was blowing out directly to dead center field. Falcon Phillip Cunningham led off in the first with a homer that not only went out of the park, but also took Ram center fielder Chris Lane over the fence as he tried to save the run.

The home run derby was just getting started.

In the second inning, Greene Central's Mathew Tyndall tied the game at 2-2 as he took an Alex Raper offering over the right center field fence. Tyndall, along with Hunter Chase, each had three hits on the night. Each had a double and a single to go along with a homer.

The Rams went ahead 6-2 in the third, paced by a Jordy Davis homer, but they couldn't hold the lead. Aycock came right back in their half of the frame, sending 12 men to the plate and scoring eight runs.

With the bases loaded, hits by Pappas, Josh Kirby, Greg Davis, Raper, Mathew Waddell, and Bennett Jennings did the damage.

Greene Central, however, stayed within range. They cut the margin to one at 10-9 in the fourth off Chase's home run. But Aycock always managed to stay a run or two ahead as Pappas and Kirby, who combined for a six-fof-ten night, scored in Aycock's half of the inning.

The game's turning point came in the fifth. Greene Central had the bases loaded with one out, but could only get one run across the plate. Adam Williams, who had come in to relieve Raper, picked up two clutch strikeouts.

"We hit the ball as hard tonight as we have all year," said Brann, "but they were right at people. Some of their hits came right off the bat handle, but that got the job done."

That inning took the wind out of Greene Central's sail. Williams blanked them in the sixth. Cunningham came in to close in the seventh, striking out the side on 12 pitches. Aycock picked up more insurance with three runs each in the fifth and sixth innings.

Davis noted several positives as his team will resume Eastern Carolina 3-A conference play Friday night at Southern Wayne.

"We came back from being down," he said. "That's always a good sign. Matt Waddell did his job tonight, getting on base five times and scoring five runs. Travis Bartlett, who doubled in the sixth, probably already has five pinch hits for us this year. Greg Tipton came up and did the same thing."

Greene Central returns to action in the Eastern Plains 2-A conference Friday, traveling to South Lenoir.

Greene Central 024 310 0 -- 10 11 4

C.B. Aycock 208 233 x -- 18 17 2

Leading hitters -- Greene Central -- Hunter Chase 3-3 2B, HR, 3 RBI; Mathew Tyndall 3-3, 2B, HR, 2 RBI; Jordy Davis HR, 2 RBI. C.B. Aycock -- Bennett Jeffreys 3 hits; Nik Pappas 3 hits, 3 RBI; Josh Kirby 3 hits, 2B, 2RBI; Mathew Waddell 2 hits, 2B; Phillip Cunningham HR; Travis Bartlett 2B; Will Spence 3 RBI; Greg Tipton 2B.

IP H R ER BB SO

Greene Central (1-3, 7-10)

Layden (L, 0-1) 2 7 7 7 2 1

Grady 4 10 11 5 2 6

C.B. Aycock (5-4, 11-6)

Raper (W, 1-0) 4 9 9 7 1 3

Williams 2 2 1 1 1 4

Cunningham 1 0 0 0 0 3