Saints win on road

Published in Sports on April 17, 2005 2:14 AM

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KINSTON -- The Kinston Vikings dropped a close Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference baseball contest Friday.

If it sounds like a broken record, it is. Kinston's 7-5 loss to Southern Wayne was their seventh defeat by two runs or less.

Still, Vikings coach Eddie Loesner found plenty to be happy about.

"There were a lot of little victories in this game tonight," Loesner said. "We got good pitching, we had quality at-bats, and we didn't back down after we got behind. We just have to figure out a way to sustain our concentration for seven innings."

Four Kinston errors led to three Southern Wayne runs in the second inning. After Joseph Davis blasted a two-run homer -- his second of the season -- in the third to give the Saints a 5-0 lead.

"I thought we took advantage of some of their mistakes," Saints coach Trae McKee said. "We had better plate appearances, but we still have some things to work on offensively. They looked a little more relaxed at the plate.

"If you don't come to play you are going to beat, no matter if you are on the road or at home. Next week is big, we got South Central and Charles B. Aycock."

The Vikings battled back, however, getting RBI singles from Tony Whitfield and Adam Spence to key a four-run fourth. Kinston then loaded the bases in both the fifth and sixth frames but failed to score.

Spence added another run-scoring base hit in the bottom of the seventh, but that came after the Saints' Josh Narron delivered a clutch two-run single in the top of the inning.

Whitfield tossed six hits, allowing seven hits and three earned runs. He walked two and fanned seven.

Southern Wayne kicks off an imporant week of conference action on Tuesday by hosting South Central. The Saints host Aycock on Thursday.

South Central and the Golden Falcons are currently tied for first place in the ECC 3-A.