Perennial power J.H. Rose defeats E. Wayne at home

By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on March 7, 2008 2:38 PM

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Without run support, quality pitching loses some of its meaning.

Starter John Wooten and reliever Josh Frederick did all they could to keep Eastern Wayne in its ballgame with visiting J.H. Rose on Thursday afternoon.

However, the Warriors' inability to give their hurlers runs to work with was too much to overcome as the Rampants picked up a 5-1 win.

Rose starter Mack Wilder mixed speeds all afternoon and kept his fastball down while striking out 10, walking three and allowing just three hits. Wilder left seven runners stranded on base.

Eastern Wayne's lone run was the result of a seventh-inning balk.

"The times we did have opportunities Wilder bared down and got out of it," Warriors head coach Jabo Fulghum said. "They made a couple of good defensive plays. At the end of the game our kids didn't quit ... we just faced a good pitcher today."

Wooten allowed a lead-off homer to Gray Garner in the top of the first to give the Rampants a 1-0 lead. A critical error kept Rose's half of the third inning alive and Drew Piland later scored on a fielder's choice, which pushed the margin to 2-0. Garner finished the game 2-for-3 with an RBI and a pair of runs scored.

The Rampants turned four hits and a walk into three runs in the fifth to chase Wooten from the mound. Wooten allowed five runs (three earned), struck out five and walked three.

"John settled in and he kept his ball down," Fulghum said. "He got his changeup over that was a big key for us. It was a good day for John, he just didn't get the win. He'll bounce back."

Josh Frederick appeared in relief of Wooten and tossed 3 2/3 innings of no-hit baseball, striking out four and not surrendering a walk.

Walker Gourley, Cambrick Moye and Michael Mintz each had hits for Eastern Wayne.

The Warriors open Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference play at archrival Southern Wayne on Tuesday.

"I told our guys, 'is this where I want to be record wise? No," Fulghum said. "But, I feel like we're ready for conference play. That's what your non-conference schedule is supposed to do."