Post 11 in finals of own Legion tournament

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on June 13, 2004 2:03 AM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- There's no place like home.

Reeling from a two-game road losing streak, the Wayne County Post 11 baseball team needed the friendly confines of Scarborough Field to end their uncharacteristic skid.

Two strong pitching performances from Adam Williams and Ashton Langston have led to a two-game win streak and an appearance in the inaugural Wayne County Post 11 American Legion Baseball Invitational championship game scheduled for this evening.

Langston scattered three hits in a complete-game stint as Wayne County upended Jacksonville 6-1 on the Scarborough Field diamond Saturday evening. Post 11 opposes rival Wilmington Post 10 at approximately 8 p.m. today at Mount Olive College.

"Ashton filled up the strike zone, stayed on their hands and jammed a lot of guys up," said Wayne County coach Brad Reaves. "That's the story because we didn't hit it very well tonight."

Langston (1-1) surrendered a second-inning run, struck out three and walked one. The rising junior at Southern Wayne retired seven consecutive batters after Jacksonville scored. He encountered trouble in the fifth, but got help from second baseman Matthew Holloman. Holloman single-handedly turned an inning-ending double play which prevented Post 265 from doing any significant damage.

Langston threw a perfect sixth and ended up retiring eight of the final nine batters he faced.

Meanwhile, Jacksonville's pitching staff struggled. Four hurlers combined to issue nine walks, uncork three wild pitches and hit two batters. Wayne County had 20 base runners in the seven-inning contest, but didn't consistently hit the ball well. Post 125 turned three double plays, which took Post 11 out of big innings.

Shortstop JonJon Mirra and second baseman Matt Crane combined for all three twin-killings during the first four innings.

"We swung at some bad pitches," Reaves said. "Up the middle, they are about as good as anybody you'll play. They don't make mistakes. That shortstop can play and that little second baseman can, too."

Wayne County (8-2) scored one run in each of the first three innings. Snyder and designated hitter Philip Pennington each delivered an RBI during that stretch. Jes Snyder scored the other run on a passed ball.

Pennington and Holloman combined for a key insurance after Holloman's fifth-inning double play. Pennington fouled off three consecutive pitches against reliever Edgar Huff before drawing a two out walk. A rising sophomore at Mount Olive, Pennington stole second and scored on Holloman's base hit up the middle.

"That was big," Reaves said.

Jacksonville's pitching troubles continued in the seventh. Four walks and an infield error led to two unearned runs and a five-run cushion for Langston. The right-hander surrendered a lead-off walk and two fly balls and a ground-ball out to end the game.

Wayne County is 6-0 at home.

"Hopefully we'll play well tomorrow night and Monday at Garner," Reaves said. "We need to give the kids a little break and I think some of them are ready for a break."

Williams started Wayne County's march to the title game with a solid two-hit performance which led to a 5-1 decision against Richmond (Va.) Post 125 on Friday evening. The left-hander flirted with a no-hitter five innings and recorded seven strikeouts. It was the first complete thrown by a Post 11 pitcher this season.

"Goodness, he's something else, isn't he?" beamed Reaves. "That was a gem and the young 'un just flat pitched."

Williams (3-0) fell behind in the count against three Richmond batters and surrendered only one walk in the seven-inning contest. He induced eight ground-ball outs, two pop-ups snagged by first baseman Erik Lovett in foul territory and three hard-hit balls to the outfield.

Post 125 shortstop Ray Moore foiled Williams' no-hit bid with a one-out single in the sixth.

"He had command of everything and both sides of the plate," Reaves said. "Any time you command both sides of the plate, you can pitch. He had command of his breaking ball, changed speeds on his fastball ... running it up when he needed to and staying down when he needed to."

Wayne County gave Williams a two-run cushion after one inning. Lovett doubled home Jes Snyder, who singled with one out. Lovett stole third and scooted home when Post 125's catcher threw the ball into the outfield.

Lovett, who batted 2-for-3, plated Philip Cunningham in the third. Post 11 added two unearned runs in the fifth.

Six of nine Wayne County starters had at least one hit and all nine starters reached base at least once.

Richmond Post 125 was playing its season opener.

2004 Wayne County Post 11

American Legion

Baseball Invitational

(at Mount Olive College)

Saturday's game

Wayne County 111 001 2 -- 6 6 2

Jacksonville 010 000 0 -- 1 3 1

Leading hitters -- Jacksonville -- Matt Crane 2-3, RBI; Larry Salefsky 1-3. Wayne County -- Philip Pennington 2-3, 2 RBI; Matthew Holloman 1-4, RBI; Jes Snyder 2-2, RBI; David Combs 2-4.

IP H R ER BB SO

Jacksonville Post 265

Salas (L) 4 5 2 3 3 0

Huff 2 1 2 2 4 0

Jones 1/3 0 1 0 2 0

Hall 2/3 0 0 0 1 1

Wayne County Post 11

Langston (W, 1-1) 7 3 1 1 1 3

WP -- Salas 3. HBP -- Holloman (by Salas); Sutton (by Salas). PB -- Floyd.

Friday's game

Richmond (Va.) 000 010 0 -- 1 2 4

Wayne County 201 200 x -- 5 8 2

Leading hitters -- Richmond (Va.) -- Ray Moore 1-3; Evan Ocheltree 1-3. Wayne County -- Jes Snyder 2-3; Erik Lovett 2-3, 2B, 2 RBI; Philip Cunningham 1-3; Matthew Holloman 1-3; Austin Hood 1-3; Garrett Sutton 1-3.

IP H R ER BB SO

Richmond (Va.) Post 125

Bronson (L) 4 8 5 2 2 2

Lipscomb 2 0 0 0 0 1

Wayne County Post 11

Williams (W, 3-0) 7 2 1 0 1 7

Other

tournament games

Wilmington Post 10 reached the championship game of the Wayne County Post 11 American Legion Baseball Invitational by scoring nearly every conceivable way against Fuquay-Varina Post 116 on Saturday afternoon.

Post 10 scored on a bases-loaded walk, a bases-loaded hit batsman, a passed ball and two extra-base hits in an 8-3 victory on the Scarborough Field diamond at Mount Olive College. Wilmington improved to 6-5 overall heading into today's title game against host Wayne County Post 11.

Fuquay-Varina (7-3) lost for the third time as a visiting team this season. Post 116 faces Jacksonville Post 265 in the third-place game today.

Five players had at least hit for Wilmington Post 10. Hal Blake, the No. 8 hitter in the lineup, rapped a two-RBI double in a five-run third inning. Stephen Capps added an RBI double. The hit batsman and passed ball led to two other runs as Wilmington erased a three-run deficit.

Frankie Lewis paced Fuquay-Varina with three hits in four plate appearances. Post 116 collected nine hits against five Wilmington pitchers in the seven-inning contest. However, Fuquay-Varina's pitching staff negated the solid offensive outing by allowing eight walks and surrendering eight earned runs.

Jimmy Milstead earned the pitching win for Wilmington, while Post 116 left-hander Nick Morrison was saddled with the loss.

Earlier Saturday afternoon, North Raleigh Post 297 doubled up Richmond (Va.) Post 125 by a 4-2 count. North Raleigh, the reigning Area I champion, received multiple-hit performances from three players. Jacob Allen doubled and plated a run in a 4-for-4 showing. Daniel Smith homered and doubled in a 2-for-4 effort, while Lee Keith batted 2-for-4.

Tanner Melton, who doesn't have a left hand, emerged the winning pitcher. Melton scattered five hits in a five-inning stint and struck out one Richmond batter. Jeremy Waller earned the save with two innings of three-hit, one-strikeout relief.

Evan Bronson and Will Smith each had two hits for Post 125, which was playing just its second game of the season. Evan Ocheltree tripled in three at-bats. Hank Coogan and Charlie Hartt each provided a double and an RBI.

Michael Hoffman suffered the pitching loss. The left-hander gave up 11 hits and struck out eight in a complete-game effort.

Richmond (Va.) Post 125 faces Duplin County in the seventh-place game today at noon.

North Raleigh (8-1) challenges Snow Hill Post 94, which was the matchup last season for the best-of-three Area I championship series, in the fifth-place game.

2004 Wayne County Post 11

American Legion

Baseball Invitational

(at Mount Olive College)

Saturday's games

North Raleigh 102 000 1 -- 4 11 0

Richmond (Va.) 000 101 0 -- 2 8 4

Leading hitters -- North Raleigh -- Daniel Smith 2-4, 2B, HR, 2 RBI; Lee Keith 2-4; Jacob Allen 4-4, 2B, RBI; Sam Brown 1-3, RBI. Richmond (Va.) -- Evan Bronson 2-4; Will Smith 2-4; Hank Coogan 1-3, 2B, RBI; Ocheltree 1-3, 3B; Charlie Hartt 1-3, 2B, RBI; Joe White 1-1, 2B.

IP H R ER BB SO

North Raleigh Post 297

Melton (W) 5 5 1 1 2 1

Waller (S) 2 3 1 1 1 1

Richmond (Va.) Post 125

Hoffman (L, 0-1) 7 11 4 3 1 8

Fuquay-Varina 003 000 0 -- 3 9 0

Wilmington 105 020 x -- 5 1 0

Leading hitters -- Fuquay-Varina -- John Cratch 1-3; Frankie Lewis 3-4, 2B; Joe McIntyre 2-4, 2B, RBI; Cody Goforth 1-3, 3B, RBI; Wesley Snell 2-3. Wilmington -- Mike Causey 1-4; Mike Nolan 1-3; Drew Matthews 1-3, 3B, RBI; Hal Blake 1-2, 2B, 3 RBI; Stephen Capps 1-1, 2B, RBI.

IP H R ER BB SO

Fuquay-Varina Post 116

Morrison (L) 2 2/3 4 6 6 6 4

Mullins 3 1/3 1 2 2 2 1

Chatman 1 0 0 0 0 1

Wilmington Post 10

Rouse 2 1/3 5 2 2 1 2

Milstead (W) 2 1/3 2 1 1 2 1

Windham 1/3 1 0 0 0 0

Nolan 1 1 0 0 0 0

Causey 1 0 0 0 1 1

Friday's games

Duplin County 000 000 4 -- 4 8 0

Wilmington 020 012 x -- 5 6 1

Leading hitters -- Duplin County -- Pat Oates 3-4, 2 2Bs, HR, 4 RBI; Jason Warren 1-3; Brent Stafford 1-1; Braxton Teachey 1-3; Randy Amos 1-3; Chad Joyner 1-3, 2B. Wilmington -- Mike Causey 1-3; Cory Kemp 1-3; Mike Nolan 1-2; Drew Matthews 2-2; Jason Watson 1-2, 2B.

IP H R ER BB SO

Duplin County Post 127

Quinn (L) 4 2/3 5 3 2 2 2

Dixon 1/3 0 0 0 1 1

King 1 1 2 2 3 0

Wilmington Post 10

Gray (W) 6 1/3 7 3 1 3 2

Windham 2/3 1 1 0 0 1

North Raleigh 000 000 0 -- 0 1 3

Jacksonville 200 211 x -- 6 12 1

Leading hitters -- North Raleigh -- B.J. Dail 1-2, 2B. Jacksonville -- JonJon Mirra 2-4, 3B, 2 RBI; Eric Salas 2-4; Kendric Burney 2-2; Larry Salefsky 1-3; Matt Crane 2-3; Bryan Bialecki 1-3; Jerry Jordan 2-2.

IP H R ER BB SO

North Raleigh Post 297

S. Brown (L) 5 10 5 5 2 3

Edwards 1 2 1 0 0 0

Jacksonville Post 265

Salefsky (W 7 1 0 0 3 7