Golden Falcons escape Hunt

By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on March 19, 2008 1:49 PM

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WILSON -- The ability to thrive or crumble in the face of adversity is often the fine line that separates first place from second.

Charles B. Aycock toed the line Tuesday afternoon.

Two errors and Jordan Carr's RBI single allowed the Golden Falcons to escape Wilson Hunt 7-5 in their Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference game. Aycock (6-2 overall) seized sole possession of the league race at 3-0 and handed Hunt (6-2) its first ECC loss of the season.

Down by one in the seventh, the Golden Falcons put runners on the corners with two outs. Catcher Zach Wright reached on an infield error and Jackson Wooten scored to create a 5-5 deadlock.

Hunt first baseman Russell Ward retrieved the errant throw and tried to gun down Will Edgerton at third. But the ball got past Kyle Pittman and Edgerton crossed home for a 6-5 advantage.

Carr's single capped the comeback.

"In game a like this, whoever ends up getting the lucky break is the one that will come out on top," said Aycock head coach Charles Davis. "We are trying to find different ways to score runs. All we did that last inning was just try to put the ball in play."

Jimmy Kearney kept Hunt silent in the seventh and earned his second save of the season. Aycock picked up its 21st ECC regular-season win in its last 23 tries.

Hunt wasted Jake Strickland's sixth-inning grand slam, a blast to left field. The multiple-run shot erased a three-run deficit and was the lone hiccup in an otherwise solid performance by Aycock hurler Jesse Randolph.

Randolph trusted his defense and was rewarded with several fine plays in the field.

Left fielder Josh Martin threw out Pittman at third trying to tag up from second on a fly ball in the bottom of the third. Carr made a diving grab at first base on a ball hit through the infield off the bat of Justin Nygard in the home half of the second. A double play got Randolph out of trouble in the first.

Randolph (4-0) allowed five runs (all earned) on nine hits with two walks and four strikeouts in six innings of work.

"I couldn't ask for anymore out of Jesse," Davis said. "Jesse's a senior who pitched on JV last year and got just one inning of varsity experience. He never whined or complained, he just kept working. He's thrown some good ballgames for us this year."

Connor Narron (RBI) and Carr (two RBI) each batted 2-for-4 on the afternoon. Ward led the Warriors' offense with three hits. Blake Jones, who had a first-inning RBI single, ended up 2-for-4.

Aycock returns home for a contest against county archrival Eastern Wayne on Thursday. First pitch is 5 p.m.

"Anytime you can win a game on the road in this conference you better chalk that one up," Davis said. "Hunt's been playing well. My kids just seem to surprise me every time we come out.

"This is a big win."