Local digest

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on March 18, 2008 1:52 PM

• Print
• Email

FAYETTEVILLE -- Jay Hinson recorded a season-high 14 strikeouts as Faith Christian rolled past Berean Christian 15-1 in a N.C. Christian Schools Association Class 2-A Coastal Region game Monday.

Hinson permitted an unearned run on a hit batsman and error.

Matt Lambert paced the Conquerors' offense with two hits. Nick Gourley belted a home run.

Faith Christian (3-0 overall) visits Liberty Christian today.

Gators fall to Midway

SEVEN SPRINGS -- Alex Casey allowed two earned runs in a complete-game effort, but Midway handed Spring Creek a 5-3, non-conference defeat Monday afternoon.

Casey fanned six Raider batters and supplied two hits on offense. Lucas Potter added two hits.

The Gators (3-5 overall) are the guests of Greene Central today.

Chargers stumble

KINSTON -- Wayne Country Day continues to search for its first win in 2008 after suffering a 4-0, non-conference loss against Arendell-Parrott Academy on Monday.

Cameron Ford smacked two doubles for the Chargers, who are winless in three outings this season. Ryan Ford yielded five hits and posted seven strikeouts in a complete-game effort on the mound.

"I thought Ryan did a great job on the mound," Charger head coach Michael Taylor said. "He pitched well enough to get the win."

Wayne Country Day travels to Rosewood on Thursday.

Eagles defeated

WILSON -- Matt Neal threw a complete game for Rosewood, but Wilson Fike swept the regular-season series, 5-0, on Monday afternoon.

Neal surrendered four earned runs on nine hits.

Holt Rains and Taylor Allen had one hit apiece for the Eagles.

Rosewood (1-5 overall) visits Hobbton today.

Softball

Saints best Rams

SNOW HILL -- Lindsay Pearsall rapped out three hits as Southern Wayne cruised past Greene Central 8-0 on Monday afternoon.

Pearsall added an RBI double for the Saints, who improved to 6-1 overall this season. Lauren Darden and Brianna Lofton also contributed hits.

Darden notched 12 strikeouts in the pitcher's circle.

The Saints visit Kinston today.

Tennis

Greene Central dominates

Greene Central began defense of its Eastern Plains 2-A Conference title with a 9-0 thrashing of Farmville Central on Monday afternoon.

The Rams collected singles points from James Kersey, Trey Cash, Colby Chase, Andrew Harrison, Jason Perry and Hunter Thigpen. Harrison posted a shutout at No. 3 singles. Cash and Chase each lost just one game.

Cash-Eric Simmons, Kersey-Perry and Harrison-Chase each prevailed in doubles.

"I was really pleased with both the concentration and the effort today," said Greene Central head coach Brad Sauls. "I was happy to see us utilize strategies that we have practiced."

Greene Central (5-1 overall) entertains Tarboro on Thursday.

Golf

Goldsboro improves

FARMVILLE -- The learning process continued for Goldsboro during their Eastern Plains 2-A Conference golf meet on the Farmville Country Club links.

The Cougars shaved 20 strokes off their season-opening performance one week ago at Goldsboro Municipal Golf Course. Obediah Speight, one of two starters back from last year, improved 11 strokes on Monday.

"We were the only team whose score came down from the first meet, which I was really pleased with," said Cougar coach Al Sutherland. "Our goal is to get better with each match, and today we did."

Will Norville fired a medal-winning round of 73 and helped North Lenoir fashion a four-player total of 306. The host Jaguars were 54 strokes back in second place.

Warriors tie

WILSON -- Eastern Wayne and Wilson Hunt each logged four-player totals of 336 during their Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference meet Monday at Willow Springs Country Club.

Charles B. Aycock's Austin Forrest earned medalist honors with a 77 for his first-ever individual career win in ECC play. He helped the Golden Falcons finish third overall in the six-team field.

Nick Barrow led Eastern Wayne with a 79, while Kyle Ham carded an 80.

All six ECC teams return to action March 31 at Wedgewood Country Club in Wilson.

Soccer

WCDS triumphs

GREENVILLE -- Kim Martell delivered a goal and an assist as Wayne Country Day blanked Oakwood 3-0 in a Class 1-A Coastal Plains Independent Conference game Monday.

The Chargers grabbed a 1-0 lead when eighth-grader Mack Thompson scored off an assist from Catherine Ford. Left midfielder Sterling Coggins made it 2-0 off Martell's assist.

Martell concluded the scoring with a second-half corner kick that deflected off the far post and into the net.

"It was a beautiful play," said WCDS head coach Baron Heinemann.

The Chargers owned a 19-1 edge in shots on goal. Keeper Ellen Elmore posted her third shutout of the season.

"(But) it proved not to be such an easy game," said Heinemann. "It was good to see those pre-conceived notions put in place because Oakwood proved to be aggressive and fought hard the entire time."

Wayne Country Day (3-0 overall, 2-0 CPIC) visits in-county rival Rosewood today. Kickoff is 7 p.m. at Branch Pope Field.

Hawks top Gators

LaGRANGE -- Sasha Holeman recorded a hat trick (three goals) as North Lenoir downed Spring Creek 7-0 on Monday.

Jordan Hudson, Lindsay Fulton, Chela Crayton and Dani Jarman each scored one goal. Keepers Ra'Nelle Dudley and Amie Heath combined for the shutout.

The Hawks (6-2 overall) visit Rosewood on Wednesday.

JV sports

* Wayne Christian girls soccer 5, Wilson Christian 0 -- Brooke Barfield scored two goals for the Eagles, now 3-0 this season. Kaitlyn Kosuda, Courtney Howell and Tiffany Price provided one goal apiece. Wayne Christian visits Faith Christian-Rocky Mount today.

Middle schools

* Eastern Wayne softball 11, Spring Creek 0 - Stephanie Smith and Haley Ginn combined to pitch a shutout as Eastern Wayne improved to 4-0 overall. Ginn also led the Warriors with two hits. Jana Price reached base twice for the Gators. Eastern Wayne travels to Dillard on Thursday.

* Spring Creek baseball 18, Eastern Wayne 3 -- Zach Harrell belted a pair of home runs as Spring Creek downed Eastern Wayne by a 18-3 final. Chris Nichols pitched three innings of one-run ball to earn the win on the mound. Spring Creek will host Grantham, Wednesday.