Davis throws six-plus superb innings to keep Post 11 in title hunt

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on July 19, 2004 1:55 PM

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BETHEL -- Garrett Davis, a first-year Senior American Legion player, looked like a seasoned veteran Saturday evening against Pitt County Post 39.

The 15-year-old right-hander threw every pitch with poise and kept Wayne County in the hunt for a trip to the Area I East championship series. Davis surrendered three hits in six-plus innings and left after giving up a two-run home run in the seventh inning.

His teammates did their work, too, especially Todd MacCoy.

MacCoy rapped two doubles and drove in a run as Wayne County Post 11 prevailed 9-6 on the North Pitt High School diamond. The victory evened the best-of-three South Division semifinal series at 1-1.

Davis threw 99 pitches in 6 2/3 innings. He allowed five base runners in the first six innings and yielded just two hits. Pitt County batters hit eight ground-ball outs, six flyouts and struck out four times during that stretch.

"I knew the kid I was giving the ball to that this was probably the biggest game of his life," Post 11 coach Brad Reaves said. "He showed us something tonight. He had command of three pitches (and) today he gave us the best chance of winning.

"He was that close to playing Junior Legion and the kid is exactly where he needs to be. We've got him and the little (Grant) Sasser kid who have been great for us all year long."

Wayne County (22-5) gave Sasser a four-run cushion in the second inning. Garrett Sutton rapped a two-RBI triple to spark the offensive uprising.

MacCoy plated a run in the seventh and Josh Pate slapped his first-ever American Legion home run -- a two-RBI blast -- in the eighth.

Post 11 led 9-2 at that point.

Pitt County (20-4) knocked reliever Philip Cunningham around in the eighth and ninth. Post 39 tallied four runs -- all earned -- on five hits.

Jesse Lancaster replaced Cunningham in the ninth and earned his first save.

"I was glad to see our kids bounce back after that spanking we took last night (Friday)," Reaves said.

2004 Area I East

South Division

Semifinals -- Best-of-3

(at North Pitt HS, Bethel)

Game 2

Wayne County 040 000 140 -- 9 9 2

Pitt County 39 000 000 222 -- 6 8 0

Leading hitters -- Wayne County -- Jesse Lancaster 1-3, 2B, RBI; Jes Snyder 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI; Todd MacCoy 3-5, 2 2Bs, RBI; Garrett Sutton 2-4, 3B, 2 RBI; Josh Pate 1-3, HR, 2 RBI. Pitt County -- Brandon Manning 1-5, HR, 2 RBI; Brian Hill 1-1, RBI; Brandon Scott 2-5, 2B, 3B, RBI; Alex B. White 1-4, RBI; Alex E. White 1-1.

LOB -- Wayne County 7, Pitt County 8. SH -- Holloman.

IP H R ER BB SO

Wayne County Post 11

Davis (W, 3-0) 6 2/3 3 2 2 3 4

Cunningham 1 2/3 5 4 4 0 2

Lancaster (S, 1) 2/3 0 0 0 0 2

Pitt County Post 39

Scott (L) 1 2/3 3 4 4 3 1

Graepel 5 2/3 5 4 4 2 3

Hill 1 2/3 1 1 1 1 2

WP -- Scott 2, Cunningham 2, Davis. HBP -- Pennington (by Graepel); Ford (by Davis); Ford (by Cunningham). PB -- Pate.