Wayne Juniors go 0-2 at state tourney

Published in Sports on July 23, 2006 2:10 AM

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RALEIGH -- Wayne County's time at the Junior Legion state tournament was a brief one.

Wayne received a No. 1 seed in its half of the eight-team event but went home after losing two games in less than seven hours.

In the morning game, Wayne rallied to take the lead with four runs in the top of the seventh only to have Southern Alamance come back with two in the home half to win 6-5 at Cary High School.

The loss set up a losers' bracket game in the afternoon with Pineville at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh.

Pineville ended Wayne's season with a 15-5 thumping that included 14 hits, nine walks and two hit batters. Wayne closed with a 19-7 mark and lost consecutive games for the first time.

South Alamance had scored three in the sixth to take a 4-1 lead before Wayne put the first six batters on base in the seventh. Nolan Lancaster singled and Scott Holloman walked to start the rally. Jackson Frederick loaded the bases with a hit against reliever Jason Groce. Alex Casey and Chad Gurley each drove in a run on consecutive singles.

Garrett Barfield followed with an RBI single, but Casey held up after rounding third and was overrun by Gurley, resulting in Casey being thrown out at the plate on a throw from second.

One out later, Tyler Wicks hit a ground ball single up the middle to give Wayne the lead.

But it would be short-lived. Wayne starter Cody Edwards walked the leadoff batter and was replaced by Taylor Allen. Ryan Winebarger bunted two pitches foul, then held on to draw another walk. Allen jammed the next batter on a 3-2 pitch for a popup but Adam Norris lined an RBI double to left to tie it.

An intentional pass loaded the bases. Matt Parker grounded to first baseman Scott Holloman for a force out at the plate, and Wayne was almost out of the inning. But the second pitch to Michael Nunn was in the dirt, and Norris came home with the game-winner.

Pineville broke open the second game with five runs in the fifth to take a 9-0 lead. A key play was a delayed catcher's interference call with two out after the teams began to leave the field. That loaded the bases and led to three more runs on a two-out single and a walk.

Wayne struck back with four runs in the home half. Gurley singled home a run with the bases loaded, and Barfield brought everyone home with a double to left centerfield. Barfield added an RBI single in the sixth to make it 9-5 and give Wayne renewed hope.

But everything fell apart in the seventh as Pineville scored six runs despite getting only two hits. Two Wayne pitchers walked four and hit one.

The trip to the state tourney was Wayne's first since 2002.

2006 Junior Legion

State Tournament

Game 1

(at Cary HS)

Wayne 000 010 4 -- 5 12 3

S.Alamance 100 003 2 -- 6 7 0

Leading hitters -- Wayne County -- Alex Casey 2-4, 2 RBIs; Chad Gurley 1-2, RBI, run; Garrett Barfield 2-4, RBI; Tyler Wicks 2-4, RBI; Nolan Lancaster 3-3, 2 runs; Jackson Frederick 1-3, run; Byron Powell 1-4. Southern Alamance -- Dameron 2-4, 2 runs; Norris 1-4, run; Stas 1-3, RBI; Parker 1-4, RBI, run; Nunn 1-3, run; Crawford 1-3, RBI.

IP H R ER BB SO

Wayne County

C. Richards 6 6 5 5 1 2

T. Allen (L) 1/3 1 1 1 1 0

M. Douglas 1/3 0 0 0 0 0

Southern Alamance

Stalker 6 7 3 3 3 3

Groce 1 5 2 2 0 1

Game 2

(at Cardinal Gibbons HS, Raleigh)

Pineville 110 250 6 -- 15 13 3

Wayne 000 041 0 -- 5 6 3

Leading hitters -- Pineville -- Jonathan Wall 3-5, RBI; Johnny Eaker 3-5, 2 runs; David Chandler 2-4, 2 RBI, 4 runs; DJ McMurchie, 2-4, 2 RBI, 3 runs; Eric Mumpower, 1-2, 4 RBI; Jay Wiens 1-3, 2 RBI, 2 runs; Hunter Glass 1-4, 2 RBI. Wayne County -- Garrett Barfield 2-2, 4 RBI; Scott Holloman 2-3; Nolan Lancaster 1-3; Chad Gurley 1-3, RBI, run.

IP H R ER BB SO

Pineville

Moody (W) 6 6 5 4 6 10

Baker 1 0 0 0 0 1

Wayne County

B. Powell (L) 1 3 2 2 1 0

M. Douglas 2 3 1 1 1 1

T. Allen 12/3 5 4 3 1 0

S. Grice 21/3 1 6 5 5 1

N. Lancaster 1/3 2 2 2 1 1

A. Otellio 1/3 0 0 0 0 1