Price throws five-hitter for C.B. Aycock

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on April 21, 2006 2:10 PM

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VANCEBORO -- A week-long layoff and disheartening news about a teammate didn't deter state-ranked Charles B. Aycock from claiming its ninth consecutive win Thursday evening.

Brandon Price threw a five-hit gem and lifted the Golden Falcons to a 9-2, non-conference conquest of West Craven. Jackson Massey and Thomas Pilkington each homered for C.B. Aycock, which improved to 18-1 overall and protected its No. 3 ranking in the latest ImpactBaseball.com Class 3-A poll.

Price drew the start after head coach Charles Davis learned that junior left-hander Grant Sasser was out for the season. Sasser strained a ligament in his throwing arm against Southern Wayne nearly two weeks ago. Had he torn the ligament, he would have undergone Tommy John surgery.

"We're going to shut him down for eight weeks," said Davis. "That way it will heal itself. It's definitely a big blow for us. Hopefully the kids will turn this negative into a positive and take it as a challenge.

"Brandon ... that's what he did last night and gave us a great effort on the mound. He's not going to go out and strike out a lot of people, but he is going to keep you in the ball game. We played great defense behind him, too."

Price (6-1) collected four strikeouts and yielded two earned runs to the Eagles, who dipped to 4-12 overall.

Massey and Pilkington slapped back-to-back homers in the third inning to give Aycock a 2-0 lead. The Golden Falcons added a single run in the fifth and erupted for six runs in the seventh.

Bradley Taylor provided a two-RBI double in the last-inning uprising. Pilkington and Will Spence each produced an RBI single, while catcher Bennett Jeffreys contributed an RBI groundout.

Spence, Pilkington and Price emerged the offensive leaders with two hits apiece. Aycock roughed up three West Craven hurlers for 11 hits.

"We've been swinging the bat extremely well," said Davis. "Last night might have been one of our better overall efforts of the season -- pitching, hitting and defense."

The Golden Falcons travel to Fike today, while West Craven plays host to defending N.C. High School Athletic Association 2-A champion North Lenoir. Each contest starts at 7 p.m.

C.B. Aycock 002 010 6 -- 9 11 1

West Craven 000 100 1 -- 2 5 3

Leading hitters -- C.B. Aycock -- Jackson Massey 1-3, HR, RBI; Will Spence 2-4, 2 RBI; Bradley Taylor 1-4, 2B, 2 RBI; Bennett Jeffreys 1-4, RBI; Thomas Pilkington 2-4, RBI; Brandon Price 2-2, HR. West Craven -- Chris Ipock 2-3, 2B; Shaun Armstrong 2-3, HR, 2 RBI.

IP H R ER BB SO

C.B. Aycock

Price (W, 6-1) 7 5 2 2 0 4

West Craven

Dudding (L) 6 6 3 3 0 5

Edwards 0 4 6 6 1 0

Wetherington 1 1 0 0 1 1