Post 11 takes advantage of Kinston miscues

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on May 31, 2006 2:51 PM

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KINSTON -- How often does a team strike out 15 times, hit the ball out of the infield three times and find a way to win a baseball game?

Well, that's exactly what happened in the American Legion contest between Area I East opponents Wayne County Post 11 and Kinston Post 43 on Tuesday night.

Kinston starter Paul Novicki hurled eight dazzling innings, striking out 13 while allowing three hits and walking one. But several Kinston miscues, of both the fielding and base running varieties, allowed Wayne to steal a 3-2 road win at Viking Field.

Wayne County (2-1, 1-1 Area I East) is the guest of Beaufort County today.

The offensive woes continued for the locals as they saw their season batting average fall to .172 with 10 walks to 30 strikeouts. But for the second time in the young season, mistakes did in their opponent.

Kinston took the early lead in the first.

Billy Dudding doubled down the left field line but was out attempting to take third on a Hoyt Killette's grounder to pitcher Brandon Price. Killette took third on a hit and scored on a wild pitch.

David Combs walked with one out in the Wayne third, stole second, went to third on an error and scored just ahead of the throw to the plate on a passed ball by jumping over the tag.

Two Kinston errors in the third provided Wayne with its other two runs.

Brady Wiggins opened the inning by reaching on an error and advanced on a bunt. He took third on Austin Hood's misplayed grounder. Hood stole second, and Wiggins came home on the bad throw. Bennett Jeffreys then doubled home Hood for Wayne's second extra base hit of the season.

Wiggins' liner to right in the fifth and a pinch-hit single by Thomas Pilkington in the seventh would be the only other balls hit out of the infield the rest of the way for Wayne.

Kinston had several more chance but capitalized on merely one. Brad Jones singled with one out in the fourth, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on a two-out hit by Grant Williams.

In the Kinston fourth, Novicki drew a leadoff walk, but was thrown out at third on a hit down the left field line. Jeffreys threw out a runner attempting to steal in the sixth.

But the biggest rally killer came in the seventh.

Braxton Lewis singled through the right side of the infield, and Novicki reached on an error. Dudding bunted them over. Killette hit a soft liner that fell in front of shortstop Hood. He tagged Novicki going to third and fired the ball home to get Lewis in a rundown for the final out, leaving Kinston nothing to show for its strong start.

Kinston had one final show at tying it in the ninth.

Williams singled to lead off the inning and moved up on a sacrifice. He got to third on a two-out passed ball. Reliever Garrett Davis fell behind 3-0 to Dudding but came back to strike him out looking on a full count to end the game.

Wayne County 012 000 000 -- 3 3 3

Kinston 100 100 000 -- 2 8 3

Leading hitters -- Wayne County -- Austin Hood 1-4; Thomas Pilkington 1-1. Kinston -- Dudding 2-4; Rouse 1-3; Wetherington 1-4; Jones 1-4; Williams 2-4, RBI; Lewis 1-2.

IP H R ER BB SO

Wayne County

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

Hinson 22/3 2 0 0 1 2

Davis (S, 1) 1/3 0 0 0 0 1

Kinston

Novicki (L) 8 3 3 0 1 13

Dudding 1 0 0 0 1 2