PREP ROUNDUP: Braswell, Rebels break through

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on March 25, 2005 2:00 PM

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CALYPSO -- A hard-luck pitcher in each of his last three outings, North Duplin senior Matt Braswell finally got a much-needed victory Thursday afternoon.

The senior hurler threw a one-hit shutout as the Rebels dumped Roseboro Lakewood 10-0 in a non-conference battle. Officials halted the contest in the sixth inning due to the 10-run mercy rule.

Braswell (1-3) recorded 11 strikeouts and walked two batters. He aided his cause offensively with two hits and an RBI in three at-bats.

Brad Lloyd batted 2-for-4 with two RBI. Wade Sasser, Sterling Grice and Tom Bell provided two hits apiece. Bell added an RBI.

North Duplin (3-5) returns to action April 5 at Class 1-A Carolina Conference opponent Ayden-Grifton.

Game time is 7 p.m.

Warriors prevail

Eastern Wayne moved into a three-way tie for first in the Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference with an 11-1 decision against county rival Goldsboro High on Thursday afternoon.

The Warriors joined South Central and another county rival, Charles B. Aycock, atop the league standings at 4-1.

"Any win in the conference is good," veteran Eastern Wayne coach Jabo Fulghum said.

Airlon Vinson doubled twice in four plate appearances and collected two RBI. Taylor Sutton batted 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Tyler Ham finished the day 2-for-2 with a double and two RBI. Trey Johnson provided two hits and an RBI.

Vinson seized the mound win, striking out two and yielding one hit in a two-inning stint. Sutton threw the final three innings and notched three strikeouts.

Eastern Wayne (5-2) returns to action Saturday in the Jimmie R. Grimsley Hot Stove League Tournament. Fulghum's club opens at noon against D.H. Conley on the Guy Smith Stadium diamond.

"We're preparing for what's to come after Easter," Fulghum said. "When we get back, that month is going to be the tale. You've got five legit teams right now that are vying for three (playoff) spots."

Eagles take CCC win

Billy Smith and J.D. Hightower each collected key two-RBI doubles in Wayne Christian's 7-3 conquest of Community Christian in a Carolina Christian 1-A Conference matchup Thursday afternoon.

Hightower concluded the day 2-for-3 for the Eagles, who remained unbeaten in three outings -- all against CCC opposition.

Smith rapped his two-RBI double in the third. Hightower came through in the fifth.

Doug Johnson drew a bases-loaded RBI walk in the fourth. Jeremy Jefferson added an RBI fielder's choice in the same inning.

Kyle Pender emerged the winning pitcher with a solid five-inning stint. Adam Brannan entered the sixth with the bases loaded and retired the lone batter he faced with a strikeout. He eventually earned the save.

Softball

Aycock cruises

PIKEVILLE -- Rusti Talton drove in a pair of runs and Jenny Jackson notched a season-high 16 strikeouts in Charles B. Aycock's 6-0 shutout against West Carteret on Thursday afternoon.

The Golden Falcons (6-1) improved to 4-0 in the Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference. It was their 31st league win in their last 32 tries.

Talton ended the day 2-for-4. Jazzmine Lee contributed two hits in three at-bats and stole two bases. Chrissy Setliff, Jasmine Dobbin, Chelsey Byers and Kandace Burroughs each had one hit.

Jackson (4-1) threw a complete game and yielded two hits against the Patriots. The senior right-hander added two hits, including a triple, and an RBI in the Golden Falcons' 10-hit attack.

Hawks escape

HAVELOCK -- North Lenoir capitalized on two first-inning errors and slipped past Havelock 2-0 in a non-conference affair Thursday afternoon.

Senior infielder Chanee Lynch reached on an error and scored on Randi Moulton's triple -- the Hawks' lone hit of the game. Morgan Worthington slapped a hard shot to the shortstop, who uncorked an errant throw and allowed Moulton to score.

Worthington emerged the winning pitcher, striking out 12 and surrendering one hit in a complete-game effort.

North Lenoir (8-0) returns home April 4 against C.B. Aycock.

Rebels roll along

CALYPSO -- Casey Pate threw a three-hit shutout as North Duplin wrapped its up pre-Spring Break schedule with a 10-0, non-conference dusting of Roseboro Lakewood on Thursday afternoon.

Officials halted the game in the sixth inning due to the 10-run mercy rule.

"Casey stayed strong on the mound," Rebels coach Heather Best said.

Senior Bethany Malcolm and Elizabeth Lane each missed hitting for the cycle. Each batter had a single, double and triple. Lane plated three runs, while Malcolm drove in one.

Jodie Williamson singled and provided an RBI in three at-bats. Brittany Carr finished the day 1-for-1.

North Duplin (6-1) didn't commit an error.

Darden, Saints triumph

DUDLEY -- Lesli Darden scattered seven hits in a complete-game effort, sparking Southern Wayne to a 4-1 victory against Washington in Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference play Thursday afternoon.

Darden struck out one and surrendered an unearned run for the Saints, who climbed to 2-3 in the conference.

Rachel Reynolds emerged the top hitter with a 2-for-3, one-RBI effort. Haley Fail and Leslie Barrow each doubled in three at-bats apiece. Meredith Davis, who accounted for two runs, finished the day 1-for-2.

Alyssa Bradshaw batted 1-for-3.

Southern Wayne (4-4) returns to action April 1 in a two-day tournament at the Sara Law Complex in Winterville.

Golf

Murphy leads Rams

GREENVILLE -- Greene Central's Colby Murphy fired a 2-over par 74, but the Rams finished third overall in a non-conference match Thursday afternoon at Greenville Country Club.

Blake Sutton complemented Murphy's round with an 85. Josh Elmore added an 86, while Brandon Jones shot an 88. The Rams had 332 as a total, 23 strokes behind meet winner Ayden-Grifton.

South Central participated and scored 328.

Greene Central (7-4) plays again April 4 in an Eastern Plains 2-A Conference meet at Highwood Country Club.

Tennis

NL posts shutout

TARBORO -- Sixth-seeded Clinton O'dell triumphed in his varsity debut as North Lenoir throttled Tarboro 9-0 in a Carolina/Eastern Plains 1-A/2-A Conference match Thursday afternoon.

O'dell outlasted Silverio Santiago 6-0, 6-3, 7-3 and then teammed with Steven O'dell to claim an 8-2 victory in doubles.

"I expect him to be an asset to the team in the future," coach Courtney Harrell said of Clinton.

The Hawks (7-1) swept the singles and doubles en route to their sixth C/EPC victory in seven tries. Alex Mills, Jared O'dell, Jerry Mills, Ryan Ipock and Levin Jones each earned a straight-set victory.

In doubles, A. Mills-Ipock and J. O'dell-J. Mills also won.

"We had strong performances in singles and doubles," Harrell said. "The doubles showed much improvement after a lot of hard work in practice. I hope we continue to improve as we head into the second half of the season."

JV softball

Hill powers Saints

DUDLEY -- Jordan Hill doubled, tripled and stole two bases in Southern Wayne's nail-biting 10-8 decision against West Carteret in Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference play Thursday afternoon.

Hill also plated a run for the Saints, who earned their first league victory of the season.

Brianna Loftin singled twice, stole a base and drove in a run. Hannah Westbrook singled and doubled, while Christy Westbrook doubled.

Whitli Thornton picked up the mound win, striking out six and walking one in a complete-game effort. The Patriots amassed six runs (all earned) on 12 hits.

Southern Wayne (3-4) visits archrival Eastern Wayne on April 5.

Middle schools

Norwayne baseball 6, Mt. Olive 3 -- Will Edgerton led the Cobras with four hits. Tyler Ruffin and Nick Bassett provided two hits apiece. Jordan Quinn claimed the pitching win. Norwayne (4-1) remained unbeaten in two Wayne County Middle School Athletic Conference Division I contests. The Cobras are the guests of Brogden on April 7.