Post 11 bounces back at Pitt County

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on July 18, 2004 2:00 AM

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BETHEL -- Wayne County's American Legion team bounced back off of an 12-2 loss to Pitt County on Friday with a 9-6 victory over Post 39 on Saturday night at North Pitt High School.

The win evened the best-of-three Area 1 East South Division semifinal series at one game apiece with game three slated for tonight at 7 p.m. at Mount Olive College's Scarborough Field.

A 15-year old right-hander, Garrett Davis, perserved Post 11's championship hopes by throwing his best game of the season. Davis tossed six-plus strong innings, yielding just three hits against a team which pounded Wayne County's pitching staff the night before.

Davis carried a two-hitter into the seventh inning before Post 39 (20-4) avoided the shutout on Brandon Manning's two-run home run.

Pitt County pulled within 9-6, roughing up closer Phillip Cunningham for four runs on five hits in the eighth and ninth innings combined. After giving up a double to Brandon Scott in the ninth, Post 11 coach Brad Reaves sent Cunningham to the dugout.

Jesse Lancaster came in and struck out Brian Ford and Mark Letchworth, Post 39's fourth and fifth batters to end the game. Lancaster earned his first save of the season.

The victory keeps Post 11's hopes of reaching the Area 1 East Championship Series for the 11th straight year intact.

Wayne County (23-5) erupted for four runs in the second inning paced by a two-run triple by Garrett Sutton as Davis masterfully worked with the lead.

Post 11 added a single run in the seventh on Todd MacCoy's RBI single -- his third hit of the night.

Josh Pate's two-run home run, the first of his American Legion career, highlighted a four-run eighth inning that gave Wayne County a 9-2 advantage.

A full report on Saturday's game will be in Monday's edition.