The Local Beat

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on May 4, 2005 2:01 PM

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Warriors denied ECC 3-A tennis crown at C.B. Aycock

PIKEVILLE -- The Charles B. Aycock men's tennis team prevailed in four tie-breaking matches and turned back Eastern Wayne 6-2 in their Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference regular-season finale Tuesday afternoon.

The victory denied the Warriors' bid to tie Washington for the ECC championship and force a coin flip to determine seeding in the N.C. High School Athletic Association playoffs. Eastern Wayne, instead, is the guest of Big 8 North champion Southern Nash next Tuesday afternoon.

"Today, our players came ready to play," Aycock coach Luke Vail said. "We played with exceptional effort and determination throughout the lineup. Eastern Wayne has an excellent team.

"We were fortunate to win four tiebreakers today."

Top-seeded Danny Fairchild outlasted the Warriors' Jared Stone 5-7,6 -2, 7-4 at No. 1 singles. Fourth-seeded David Williams stopped Ben Ziccardi 1-6, 6-4, 7-5 and sixth-seeded Blake Cooper squeezed past Lee Ingles 7-6 (2), 5-7, 7-4.

Fairchild and doubles partner Brandon Howard nipped Stone-Drew Ziccardi 9-8 (2).

"I was really proud of our guys beause they could have given up, but today they showed great character and played really well on the big points. That proved to be the difference in the match."

Drew Ziccardi and Drew Jackson each claimed a straight-set singles win for the Warriors, who fell to 14-3 and 12-2 in the ECC.

Fairchild, Howard and Kelly played their final home matches for the Golden Falcons. Aycock concluded the year 10-8, including an 8-6 conference worksheet.

Baseball

Porter sparks SW

WASHINGTON -- Logan Porter slapped a two-run home run in the ninth inning, sparking Southern Wayne to a come-from-behind 7-4 victory at Washington in Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference action.

The Saints (14-6) moved into a fourth-place tie with C.B. Aycock in the standings at 9-4. They continue play at home Friday against archrival Eastern Wayne.

Joseph Davis got hit by a pitch to start the Southern Wayne ninth. Brady Wiggins singled, which put both runners in scoring position. Michael Steward laid down the suicide squeeze to score Davis for a 5-4 advantage.

Porter cleared the bases with his second home run of the season.

Washington led 4-3 before the Saints tied it in the seventh.

David Combs reached with a lead-off single and moved to second on Davis' sacrifice bunt. With two outs, Porter laced a game-tying to right field.

"We found a way to scratch that run," Saints coach Trae McKee said.

Porter finished with two hits in four at-bats. Combs added two hits, including a triple, and two RBI.

T.J. Hinson claimed the pitching win, striking out 10 in a complete-game effort. Three of Washington's four runs, on six hits, were unearned.

CBA handed loss

MOREHEAD CITY -- C.B. Aycock tumbled to fourth place in the Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference standings after a 2-0 loss at West Carteret on Tuesday evening.

The Patriots' Lonnie Chisenhall, who has verbally committed to South Carolina, yielded four hits and struck out 10 in a complete-game effort. Gamecock scouts attended the game.

"Chisenhall was sharp ... on top of his game," Aycock coach Charles Davis said. "Our kids played well and Grant (Sasser) threw the ball extremely well."

Sasser allowed two unearned runs on five hits and struck out eight in a six-inning stint. Three of the Patriots five hits, and one costly error, led to a two-run uprising in the fourth.

Joseph Toler paced the Golden Falcons' offense with two hits in three at-bats. Will Spence and Garrett Davis each contributed one hit.

Drew Poulk went 2-for-3, including a double, for the Patriots. Teammate Brandon Johnson added a hit and an RBI.

C.B. Aycock (13-7, 9-4 ECC) entertains Wilson Beddingfield today.

Warriors cruise

Eastern Wayne hitters belted three home runs in a 21-0 win against Goldsboro in Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference play Tuesday afternoon.

Jesse Lancaster, Chris Davis, Trey Johnson and Joey Moye each had two hits for the Warriors.

The Cougars' Cedric McClary, Monquavius Edwards and Eugene Norman combined for the pitching loss.

Goldsboro entertains West Carteret this afternoon.

Eastern Wayne (12-7, 10-3 ECC) is the guest of archrival Southern Wayne on Friday.

Rams upended

SNOW HILL -- Lee Hawkins provided three doubles and SouthWest Edgecombe remained tied atop the Eastern Plains 2-A Conference standings with a 3-1 victory against Greene Central.

The Cougars and South Lenoir, which beat Tarboro 4-2, each possess a 6-2 mark in league play. The duo owns a one-game lead against North Lenoir, which fell to North Pitt.

Hawkins finished the day 3-for-4. Bailey Watkins added a double and two RBI in a 2-for-3 performance. Walker chipped in three hits, including two doubles.

Drew Sowers, Lance Murray and Will McLawhorn each had two hits against Cougar starter -- and winning pitcher -- Jason Letchworth.

Sowers took the pitching loss.

Greene Central (10-9, 3-5 EPC) entertains Tarboro at 7 p.m. Friday.

Hawks clippped

BETHEL -- Chip Wall threw a complete-game three-hitter as North Pitt doubled up North Lenoir 2-1 in Eastern Plains 2-A Conference action Tuesday evening.

Wall recorded nine strikeouts and walked two for the Panthers, who evened their EPC slate at 4-4. The Hawks entered the game in a three-way tie for first place, but exited 5-3 against league opposition.

Wall and Jordan Stock led North Pitt's offense with two hits apiece.

Josh Williams paced the Hawks with two hits in three at-bats.

Sthil Sowers threw a complete game for North Lenoir (15-4) and scattered five hits, while striking out six.

The Hawks return to action Friday at SouthWest Edgecombe.

Rebels denied

FARMVILLE -- Josh Marquez collected the lone RBI for North Duplin in a 4-1 loss at Carolina 1-A Conference rival Farmville Central on Tuesday evening.

Sterling Grice suffered the mound loss, striking out four in a six-inning stint.

Farmville Central had four runs (two earned) on five hits.

North Duplin (6-11) fell to 2-9 in the Carolina Conference.

Track and field

GC girls take EPC

BETHEL -- Greene Central sprinter Brittany Belcher emerged the 100 and 200 dash champion in the 2005 Eastern Plains 2-A Conference women's track and field championships contested Tuesday afternoon at North Pitt.

Belcher helped the Rams seize the team title with 168 points, compared to runner-up South Lenoir's 144. SouthWest Edgecombe finished third with 83 points, followed by North Pitt (69) and North Lenoir (48).

Tarboro failed to score.

Belcher ran the 100 in 12.7 seconds and the 200 in 26.64.

Teammate Miriam Sheppard captured the 100 hurdles in 18.08 seconds and finished more than two seconds behind SouthWest sophomore Dominique Hudson in the 300 hurdles.

Teketia May settled for runner-up honors in the triple jump (33 feet, 1/2-inch) and long jump (16-3). Shennika King (shot put), Michelle Manning (100 hurdles) and Kwan McPhail (100) each recorded a second-place showing in their respective events.

Greene Central won the 400 relay and took second in the 3,200, 1,600 and 800 relays.

North Pitt's Shannon Elliott was named the field MVP of the year. South Lenoir distance standout Jess King earned track MVP of the Year.

The Rams' Andre Quinerly picked up coach of the year accolades.

Softball

Golden Falcons win

MOREHEAD CITY -- Jenny Jackson tossed a complete-game two-hitter as C.B. Aycock cruised past West Carteret 5-1 in Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference play Tuesday afternoon.

Jackson (10-2) struck out 14 for the Golden Falcons, who maintained their half-game lead on South Central in the league standings. The teams meet Friday in Pikeville at 7 p.m.

Brittani Edgerton, Kandace Burroughs and Jazzmine Lee each collected two hits for Aycock. Rusti Talton tripled and drove in a run. Burroughs provided an RBI, while Lee added a double.

Aycock climbed to 15-3 overall.

G. Central triumphs

PINETOPS -- Greene Central spoiled SouthWest Edgecombe's Senior Day and remained in the hunt for a state playoff berth with a 4-1 victory in Eastern Plains 2-A Conference play.

The Rams (7-8) climbed to 5-3 in the conference, one game behind second-place North Pitt.

Amber Oakes just missed hitting for the cycle with a single, double and triple in four plate appearances. Cassie Webb added two hits, including a double, and an RBI.

Webb emerged the winning pitcher, striking out 10 and yielding three hits in a complete-game effort.

Stephanie Payne and Amanda Ellis (RBI) each provided one hit for the Cougars. Payne took the mound loss, striking out 10 and surrendering nine hits in a complete-game stint.

Greene Central is the guest of Tarboro on Friday.

Panthers too tough

KENLY -- Candace Evans threw a no-hitter as North Johnston turned back Rosewood 6-0 in a Carolina 1-A Conference contest Tuesday evening.

The Panthers (13-2) remained unbeaten in 10 league outings and continue play Friday at Ayden-Grifton.

Evans struck out 13 and allowed three walks en route to her 13th win 15 starts this season. The Eagles had just four base runners in the game.

Hannah Ellis led the Panthers with three hits, including a double. Amanda Pope and Robyn Creech contributed two hits apiece.

Saints post shutout

WASHINGTON -- Eight players registered at least one hit apiece in Southern Wayne's 4-0 victory at Eastern Carolina 3-A foe Washington on Tuesday afternoon.

Scarlett Joyner led the Saints with two hits. Haley Fail and Meredith Davis each tripled. Karen Thornton and Lindsay Jarnigan each provided an RBI.

The Saints erased a scoreless deadlock with a two-run sixth inning. They added two more in the seventh and handed the Pam Pack its fourth ECC loss in 12 outings this season.

Thornton threw seven solid innings, struck out eight and allowed six hits.

"I can't say enough about our defense and pitching," Southern Wayne coach Brad Matthews said. "Karen was on her 'A' game and coach Michael Wiggs did a great job on calling pitches.

"I could tell that Karen wanted the ball tonight, and she proved that she wanted it."

Southern Wayne (10-8, 6-6 ECC) entertains Eastern Wayne on Friday.

Golf

Walnut Creek Ladies

Evelyn Rose and Faye Franklin won play-of-the-day this week at Walnut Creek CC. Jewel Ivey emerged the low-gross winner, while Dot Jullian claimed low net.

Novella Zambelli took low putts.

Rams, Hawks advance

SOUTHPORT -- Greene Central captured the N.C. High School Athletic Association eastern 2-A regional team title with a four-player total of 333 on Monday afternoon at the Players' Club at St. James Plantation.

North Lenoir finished second with a 342, followed by South Brunswick with a 344. All three teams advance to next week's NCHSAA championship at Keith Hills in Buies Creek.

Josh Elmore led the Rams with a 74, while teammate Colby Murphy carded a 75.

Kyle Berger led the Hawks with an 81.

Soccer

CBA blanks Central

WINTERVILLE -- Charles B. Aycock's Shirlanne Caplinger scored two goals in the Golden Falcons' 3-0 win at Eastern Carolina 3-A opponent South Central on Monday.

Aycock (4-5 ECC) entertains Eastern Wayne in its regular-season home finale today. The Golden Falcons will take the conference's fourth playoff spot, regardless of today's outcome, and travel in the first round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association playoffs on May 11.

Lizzie Sodoma scored Aycock's final goal. Erin Medford had an assist on a throw-in.

The Golden Falcons outshot South Central 35-3.

Aycock goalie Emily Stewart turned in her first shutout of the season in goal.

Chargers fall

Caroline Lewis tallied Wayne Country Day's lone goal in a 3-1 loss against Kerr-Vance Academy in Coastal Plains Independent 1-A/2-A Conference play Tuesday afternoon.

Georgia Crowe assisted on the goal.

The Chargers (5-6-1, 4-5 CPIC) travel to Ridgecroft on Friday.

JV baseball

Saints take two

DUDLEY -- Byron Powell and Cameron Wiggins each collected a pitching victory as Southern Wayne swept Washington 5-1 and 11-4 in an Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference doubleheader Tuesday afternoon.

Powell yielded six hits, notched five strikeouts and surrendered an earned run in the opening game.

Ricky Oddon doubled and drove home a run. Josh Morgan added an RBI.

In game two, Wiggins allowed four runs (three earned), six hits and struck out two in a complete-game effort.

Dave Overman singled and doubled in the Saints' nine-hit attack. Powell provided a single, double and two RBI. Oddon contributed two RBI, while Matt Holmes added one RBI.

Wiggins, Doogie Niemond, Chris Massey and J.D. Medlin each had a single.

Cougars top GC

PINETOPS -- Billy Teston turned in a three-hit outing offensively, but it wasn't enough as Greene Central fell 5-4 at SouthWest Edgecombe in an Eastern Plains 2-A contest Tuesday afternoon.

The Rams outhit the Cougars 7-3 on the Lee R. Hall Athletic Complex diamond. Curtis Braswell added a double in three plate appearances.

Greene Central fell to 5-3 in the league, while SouthWest Edgecombe rose to 3-5.

JV softball

Golden Falcons roll

PIKEVILLE -- Emily Jordan threw a two-hitter and collected eight strikeouts as C.B. Aycock thumped West Carteret 19-8 in Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference play Tuesday afternoon.

Officials halted the game after 4 1/2 innings due to the 10-run mercy rule.

Stevie Savage led the Golden Falcons with four hits in four plate appearances. Leigh Smith added three hits, including a double. Brittany Ford doubled and tripled in four at-bats.

Emily Jordan and Kylie Justo had three hits apiece. Brittany King, Brooke Edgerton and LeeAnn Sager each pounded out two hits.

Aycock (11-0, 6-0 ECC) travels to J.H. Rose this afternoon.