West Craven shuts out CBA

By Ryan Hanchett
Published in Sports on March 25, 2008 2:24 PM

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KINSTON -- Breezy conditions turned the atmosphere chilly at Viking Field on Monday afternoon.

Charles B. Aycock was equally as cold offensively.

The Golden Falcons managed just three hits and endured a 4-0 loss to West Craven on day two of the third annual George Whitfield Invitational. The loss snapped Aycock's four-game winning streak in the event.

The meager hitting effort drew Charles Davis' ire.

"Until our guys decide to be more coachable hitters, things like today are going to happen," said the Aycock coach. "Shutouts are going to happen. The coaches tell them to do things a different way, and we have a few guys that continue to want to do things their own way."

West Craven loaded the bases in the first inning against Golden Falcon starter Jesse Randolph. But he wiggled out of the jam thanks to a rally-killing double play turned by middle infielders Connor Narron and Stephen Strouse.

The pitcher's duel continued until the fourth inning.

Randolph yielded a one-out single to Branden Donnell and double to designated hitter Brett Mooring. Two pitches later, Trey Taylor delivered a two-RBI single to put the Eagles in front 2-0.

Later in the inning, East Carolina signee Shawn Armstrong knocked in two runs for the 4-0 final. That was all Eagle hurler Alan Edwards needed to keep the Golden Falcons, the reigning Class 3-A state champions, off the scoreboard.

Randolph finished with a complete-game, nine-hitter and posted four strikeouts. He gave up four earned runs.

"I can't say enough about the job that Jesse Randolph did today on the mound," Davis said. "He pitched a really good game against a good West Craven team. We just have to get another guy ready to pitch tomorrow."

Aycock threatened to score in the fifth, but left a runner stranded at third base.

The Golden Falcons (7-4 overall) dropped their second contest in their last three outings heading into today's contest with perennial power D.H. Conley. It's a rematch of last year's Invitational final won by Aycock. Conley defeated the Golden Falcons on the way to the Class 3-A state title in 2006.

Game time is 4 p.m. at Grainger Stadium in Kinston.