Simply perfect: Wayne Christian's Davis tosses perfect game

By Steve Roush
Published in Sports on April 4, 2007 1:48 PM

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No-hitters? Been there, done that -- three times already this season, in fact.

On Tuesday afternoon, Traci Davis was perfect.

The junior flame-thrower struck out 11 of the 12 hitters she faced with the only batter able to put the ball in play flying out weakly to second as No. 1 state-ranked Wayne Christian hammered visiting Trinity Christian-Greenville 15-0 in four innings.

The Eagles, who lost to eventual state champion Cape Fear in the playoffs a season ago, improved to 6-0 in 2007.

"We want to win state this year," said Davis, who was also 1-for-1 with an RBI and two walks hitting cleanup on Tuesday. "We want to stay No. 1 -- that's our goal."

Wayne Christian coach Roger Longwell has equally lofty goals.

"We're looking pretty good so far," he said. "Our expectations are to win it all and to keep getting stronger as the season progresses."

Davis (5-0) was particularly strong against Trinity (0-6), using a wide assortment of pitches to keep the Tigers baffled. For the season, Davis has allowed just two earned runs and only six hits in 25 innings of work. She's struck out a whopping 54 hitters and has walked just five.

"She's got two new pitches this year," Longwell said of his ace. "She's got the curve and the drop curve, and we've worked all summer long and all winter long to get her ready for this year. She moves it around the plate pretty well -- she has about six, seven different pitches and she's throwing up around 60 mph. She's been dominant."

The Eagles were also potent at the plate as Wayne Christian pounded out 12 hits off Trinity pitcher Lauren Moore and scored in every inning.

Kayla Kennedy went 3-for-4 at the dish and drove in two runs, Michelle Krug was 2-for-3 with a team-best four RBIs, Carlie Hightower was 2-for-3 with an RBI, Brittney Sullivan was also 2-for-3 with a run driven in, Spring Creek transfer Sarah McCollum was 1-for-2 with a double, and Hope Wright finished 1-for-2 for Wayne Christian.

The Eagles played the game without three injured starters, Charles B. Aycock transfer Cynthia Burroughs, who has a broken thumb, Reagan Hinton and Charity Wright. Longwell said he hopes all three will be back by the beginning of May, if not sooner.

"We're trying to get healthy and get everyone ready to go by the end of the regular season," he said.

The Eagles are off for spring break, and will return to action April 14 to take on visiting Union Grove out of Greensboro at 11 a.m.

Trinity 000 0 -- 0 0 3

Wayne Christian 356 1 -- 15 12 0

Leading hitters -- Wayne Christian -- Carlie Hightower 2-3, RBI, 3 runs; Kayla Kennedy 3-4, 2 RBIs, 2 runs; Traci Davis 1-1, RBI, 2 walks; Brittney Sullivan 2-3, RBI; Sarah McCollum 1-2, 2B, 2 runs; Michelle Krug 2-3, 4 RBIs; Hope Wright 1-2, run; Brittney O'Hara 2 walks, run; Katie Johnson 0-1, RBI.

IP H R ER BB SO

Trinity (0-6)

Moore 3 15 12 8 3 4

Wayne Christian (6-0)

Davis (W, 5-0) 4 0 0 0 0 11

-- Moore pitched to two batters in the fourth inning

HBP -- McCollum (by Moore).