Local sports digest

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on April 19, 2006 2:02 PM

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Winders doubles twice, hits grand slam for Faith Christian

GREENVILLE -- Rusty Winders doubled twice, belted his first-ever grand slam home run and finished with nine RBI in Faith Christian's 23-6 victory over N.C. Christian Schools Association Class 2-A Coastal Region rival Trinity Christian on Tuesday afternoon.

Winders belted his bases-clearing homer in the fifth inning, which was part of a 15-run uprising. The Conquerors also collected nine singles, two doubles and one triple to break open what had been a tightly-contested game.

T.J. Sasser provided five hits and two RBI in five plate appearances. Jeremy Sandlin (two RBI) and John Spencer (two RBI) just missed hitting for the cycle with a single, double and triple each. John Kurt Cozine added three hits and two RBI.

Josh Brannan contributed two hits and two RBI.

Jay Hinson struck out two Trinity batters and allowed three runs (one earned) on two hits in a one-inning stint for the win. Brannan provided three innings of six-strikeout relief, while Allen Ray Darby retired Trinity in the fifth on three consecutive strikeouts.

The contest was called after five innings due to the 10-run mercy rule.

Faith Christian (8-3, 6-2 NCCSA 2-A) is the guest of Bethel Christian-Kinston next Monday afternoon.

Faith Chris. 150 2(15) -- 23 25 1

Trinity-G-ville 050 10 -- 6 7 3

Leading hitters -- Faith Christian -- T.J. Sasser 5-5, 2 RBI; Rusty Winders 3-5, 2 2Bs, HR, 9 RBI; Josh Brannan 2-4, 2 RBI; John Spencer 3-4, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI; Jeremy Sandlin 3-5, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI; John Kurt Cozine 3-3, 2 RBI. Trinity-Greenville -- Steve Stallings 3-3, 2B, 4 RBI; Bob Haynes 2-3.

IP H R ER BB SO

Faith Christian

Hinson (W, 4-1) 1 2 3 1 2 2

Brannan 3 5 3 1 1 6

Darby 1 0 0 0 1 3

Trinity-Greenville

Stallings (L) 2 7 6 5 1 0

Haynes 2 5 2 2 1 1

Horge 1 13 15 13 1 2

So. Wayne reaches

Diamond Beach final

SHALLOTTE -- David Combs scampered home on a third-strike wild pitch in the seventh inning and Southern Wayne clipped North Davidson 4-2 in the semifinals of the Touchstone Energy Beach Diamond Invitational contested at West Brunswick on Tuesday evening.

The Saints (10-7) oppose either Bishop Ireton or Waccamaw Academy in today's title game at 7 p.m. Waccamaw is the three-time defending N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association 1-A champion.

Leading 2-1 heading into the seventh, Combs banged out a lead-off single. The senior catcher advanced to second on Brady Wiggins' sacrifice bunt and remained alive on base when Ashton Langston reached on an infield error.

Byron Powell swung at a third-strike pitch in the dirt and when the North Davidson catcher threw to first, Combs took off for home.

"He made a really good read (on the play)," said Saints coach Trae McKee.

Langston tallied an insurance run on Garrett Barfield's ground ball up the middle, which ended up deflecting off the second baseman's glove.

"It was in no-man's land ... one of those seeing-eye ground balls," said McKee, whose team is 5-3 all-time in three Invitational appearances.

North Davidson, the reigning Invitational champion, scratched for the game's first run in the third. The Saints answered with back-to-back single runs in the fourth and fifth innings, respectively.

Austin Hood emerged Southern Wayne's offensive leader with three base hits in three at-bats. Chris Massey doubled, while Combs and Wiggins each provided a single.

T.J. Hinson picked up his fifth win of the season against two defeats on the mound. The right-handed hurler allowed two earned runs on seven hits and struck out four in a complete-game performance.

So. Wayne 000 110 2 -- 4 7 2

N. Davidson 001 000 1 -- 2 7 4

Leading hitters -- Southern Wayne -- Chris Massey 1-3, 2B; Austin Hood 3-3, RBI; David Combs 1-3; Brady Wiggins 1-2.

IP H R ER BB SO

Southern Wayne

Hinson (W, 5-2) 7 7 2 2 1 4

Vikings, Falcons

stop Greene Central

KINSTON -- Greene Central wrapped up a fourth-place showing on a long Tuesday in the inaugural George Whitfield Invitational contested on the Kinston High and historic Grainger Stadium diamonds.

The Rams fell 2-1 to state-ranked D.H. Conley in the completion of a suspended game from Monday. Viking right-hander Spencer Fagan scattered five hits and fanned seven Greene Central batters in a complete-game effort.

Michael Speedy and Lance Murray each batted 2-for-3 for the Rams.

Tanner Biagini doubled twice in four plate appearances for D.H. Conley, ranked No. 4 in the latest ImpactBaseball.com poll. Spencer Hampton banged out a pair of hits in two at-bats.

Drew Sowers recorded a season-high 12 strikeouts and surrendered five hits in a losing cause for the Rams.

South Central, of the Coastal 3-A/4-A Conference, defeated Greene Central 12-2 in the nightcap. Tyrell Worthington tripled and concluded the day 2-for-3 with three runs scored for the Falcons.

Billy Walling provided three hits and two RBI.

Speedy, who endured the mound loss, paced the Rams with two hits. Tyler Chase tripled in two at-bats.

Greene Central (10-8) entertains North Pitt next Tuesday as second-half play begins in the Eastern Plains 2-A Conference.

Golf

Local golfers

claim tournament

PIKEVILLE -- Former and current Charles B. Aycock golfers emerged the top team in the inaugural Southern Wayne Super Ball golf tournament contested Tuesday afternoon at Lane Tree Golf Course.

The foursome of Will Vinson, Ryan Campbell, Ryan Walderman and Jonathan Burke seized the tournament crown. Vinson and Campbell currently play for the Golden Falcons. Burke is the reigning Wayne County Men's Amateur champion and the club champion at Lane Tree.

The trio of Jackie Turlington, Curt Douglas and Michael Hatch finished second.

Douglas, Hatch, Chad Matthews and Ronnie Southerland each won a closest-to-the-pin prize on the par-3 holes.

Joel O'Neal claimed the longest drive award.

Walnut Creek

Ladies weekly play

Faye Franklin prevailed in play of the day, while Novella Zambelli won low gross, Pete Reaves took low net and Frankie Farfour claimed low putts.

Winners in the Eastern Ladies League this week were Brooke Eason (first net, championship flight), Charlotte Campbell (second gross, second flight), Linda Cannon (first net, second flight), Evelyn Rose (first gross, third flight) and Pete Reaves (second net, third flight).

College softball

Jackson hurls

five-hitter on road

ORANGEBURG, S.C. -- Western Carolina freshman Jenny Jackson scattered five hits in a complete-game effort in a 4-1, non-conference victory over South Carolina State on Tuesday afternoon.

Jackson, a former Charles B. Aycock standout, yielded an unearned run en route to her 11th win of the season. A right-handed hurler, Jackson fanned six Bulldog hitters.

Western Carolina swept SCSU for the second time this season and improved to 32-16 overall.