State-ranked CBA goes deep vs. Hunt

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on May 10, 2006 2:15 PM

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PIKEVILLE -- Thomas Pilkington and K.C. Kartch each smacked a solo home run as state-ranked Charles B. Aycock turned back Wilson Hunt 7-1 in their Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference tournament semifinal contest Tuesday evening.

The Golden Falcons, ranked No. 2 in the ImpactBaseball.com 3-A poll, oppose county archrival Southern Wayne for the championship at 7 p.m. Thursday. The winner receives the No. 1 seed for the N.C. High School Athletic Association playoffs, which begin next Tuesday.

The Saints eliminated Eastern Wayne 3-1 in the other semifinal game.

Kartch extended Aycock's lead to 3-0 with his second-inning blast. Pilkington delivered his third homer of the season in the fourth inning to make it 4-1.

The Golden Falcons (23-2), who have hit 25 home runs this season, added three runs in the sixth.

Will Spence (RBI) and Jackson Massey each cranked out two singles in Aycock's eight-hit attack. Garrett Davis provided two hits in three plate appearances.

Hunt right-hander Matt Watson endured the pitching loss.

Golden Falcon right-hander Brandon Price limited the Warriors to three hits and fanned eight in a complete-game effort. Price threw 81 pitches, including 60 strikes, and collected his ninth victory in 10 tries.

"Brandon just goes out and gives us very solid outings (every time)," said Aycock coach Charles Davis, who has eight conference titles and 283 career wins in 16 seasons. "We played pretty good. Thomas, Will and Joseph Toler had some very good defensive plays for us in the infield.

"I was pleased with that."

John Barnes produced a third-inning, RBI single for Hunt.

Wilson Hunt 001 000 0 -- 1 3 1

C.B. Aycock 210 103 x -- 7 8 3

Leading hitters -- Wilson Hunt -- John Barnes 1-2, RBI. C.B. Aycock -- Will Spence 2-4, RBI; Jackson Massey 2-2; Thomas Pilkington 1-3, HR, RBI; Garrett Davis 2-3; K.C. Kartch 1-3, HR, RBI.

IP H R ER BB SO

Wilson Hunt

Watson (L) 6 8 7 6 1 5

C.B. Aycock

Price (W, 9-1) 7 3 1 0 0 8