Hawks shut down Warriors

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on March 12, 2006 2:25 AM

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By DAVID HALL

Courtesy Kinston Free Press

LAGRANGE -- In baseball parlance, North Lenoir will wear this win for a while.

Brandon Sutton pitched six shutout innings for the Hawks, who were hit by pitches five times in an 8-0 victory over Eastern Wayne on Friday.

North Lenoir scored five unearned runs with help from three Warriors errors and wildness on the inner half of the plate from Eastern Wayne starter Taylor Sutton, who plunked two batters in a five-run fifth inning.

"I don't care how we get on base," North Lenoir coach Jim Montague said. "If our kids don't get hurt, I'm happy they got hit. And I don't mean that to sound bad, but I'm happy they got hit, especially with two strikes."

Brandon Sutton, a lefthander, used his assortment of off-speed pitches -- a curveball, a changeup and a knuckleball -- to hold Eastern Wayne (1-3) to three hits. He faced just four over the minimum with help from two early double plays, one of which started with a diving stab by first baseman Brian Smith that may have saved a run in the first.

"My defense did a good job behind me, especially with turning double plays," Brandon Sutton said.

Andrew Manning and Tyler Smith each went 2-for-2 for the Hawks (6-0), who finished with just five hits.

Taylor Sutton, a righthander, allowed three unearned runs in the first. He kept North Lenoir from scoring again until the fifth, when a pair of singles and a hit batsman loaded the bases with one out.

Sutton then walked pinch-hitter John Alphin, plunked Tyler Smith and walked Brandon Sutton to force in three runs and make it 6-0. The final two runs scored when Warriors left fielder Jackson Frederick misjudged and then dropped an Alex McGaughy fly ball in a swirling wind.

"We just put too many runners on base today for them," Eastern Wayne coach Jabo Fulghum said. "We didn't play well defensively, and we didn't pitch well today."

Brandon Sutton walked three and struck out five. He held the 2 through 5 spots in the Warriors order to an 0-for-11 night.

Michael Mintz went 2-for-3 for Eastern Wayne.

The Hawks left seven runners on base, including three in the fourth. Before the big fifth inning, North Lenoir had gotten the ball out of the infield just twice. Three of the Hawks' hits were of the infield variety.

"I'd just like to see us get more aggressive," Montague said. "The nice thing is, we win. You win some ugly, you win some pretty. But a win's a win, and I'm a firm believer that every time you win, you get better and more confident."