Local digest

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on April 25, 2008 1:48 PM

• Print
• Email

DUDLEY -- Charles B. Aycock clinched the Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference regular-season title outright with a 9-0 shutout of Southern Wayne on Thursday afternoon.

The Golden Falcons (17-2 overall) remained unbeaten in eight ECC matches, and posted their 13th shutout of the season. They earned the No. 1 seed for the N.C. High School Athletic Association dual-team playoffs.

Individual match results were not available.

Warriors halt Vikings

KINSTON -- Eastern Wayne rebounded from its loss to rival Charles B. Aycock with a season-ending, 8-1 win at Kinston on Thursday.

Drew Jackson, David Benton, Chris Knoblin, Eric Barnes and Charlie Umstead each earned singles wins for the Warriors.

The doubles tandems of Jackson-Benton, Knobling-Barnes and Marvin Bowman-Michael Barnette were all victorious.

Eastern Wayne (13-4 overall, 8-2 ECC) clinched the No. 2 seed for the N.C. High School Athletic Association dual-team playoffs.

Gators chomp RW

Spring Creek rolled past Rosewood 9-0 in Carolina 1-A Conference play on Thursday.

The Eagles fell to 0-7 overall and 0-6 in conference play.

The Carolina 1-A Conference tournament is Wednesday at Herman Park.

Baseball

Hawks cruise

LaGRANGE -- Three different North Lenoir players belted home runs and John Alphin tossed a complete game during the Hawks' 8-2 victory over Tarboro on Thursday.

C.C. Croom went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a home run. Alphin (two RBI) and Tyler Potter (RBI) were both 2-for-4 with home runs, while Carter Capps added two hits and an RBI.

Alphin allowed two runs on three hits with nine strikeouts and no walks over seven innings of work.

The Hawks (14-1 overall) improved to 7-0 against Class 2-A Eastern Plains Conference opposition this season. They visit North Pitt today.

Saints go down

VANCEBORO -- West Craven handed Southern Wayne an 9-4 non-conference loss on Thursday.

The Eagles scored four runs in the bottom of the second and never looked back.

Ryan Messimer tallied three hits for the Saints and Ricky Oddon tacked on a pair of RBIs. Scott Holloman had two hits and Matt Holmes added an RBI.

Cameron Wiggins took the loss on the mound allowing six runs (five earned) on seven hits with two walks and no strikeouts in four innings.

Southern Wayne (12-9, 5-4 ECC) concludes Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference play when it hosts Charles B. Aycock at 7 p.m. today.

Chargers rally past ND

CALYPSO -- Ayden-Grifton scored three runs in the sixth inning and rallied past North Duplin for an 11-9 win on Thursday.

North Duplin scored six runs in the bottom of the first and led 9-8 entering the sixth before the Chargers came storming back.

Trea Beavers and Doug Lloyd each had two hits for the Rebels. Brad Rhodes, Brian Chase, Buddy Grady and Taylor Coates all added RBIs.

Rhodes took the loss allowing seven runs (all earned) on three hits with four walks and no strikeouts in 1 1/3 innings.

North Duplin (4-10, 2-5 Carolina) visits Rosewood on Tuesday.

Golf

Hunt seizes control

WILSON -- Wilson Hunt took full advantage of its home course and jumped to the top of the Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference golf standings by carding a team total of 297 at Wedgewood Golf Club on Wednesday.

Four Hunt golfers finished with rounds of 76 or lower, including medalist Paul Howell who fired a 71.

Charles B. Aycock netted a team total of 320 to finish second on the afternoon. Austin Forrest's 75 paced the Golden Falcons. C.P. Cranford carded a 77, while teamates Hayward Jeffries and Kyle Parker shot 82 and 86, respectively.

"I was pleased overall with how we played," said Aycock coach Rick Smith. "We gained a few strokes in the conference standings, and we should play even better at Goldsboro Municipal on Monday."

Kyle Ham led Eastern Wayne with a round of 75 followed by teamamte Nick Barrow's 77 and Eric Huetter's 85. Ryan Lake carded an 89.

Southern Wayne's Will Bunch finished the day with an 87.

Wilson Hunt leads the tight conference race with a total stroke count of 1,288. Eastern Wayne is second with 1,305 and Aycock rests third with 1,350.

Softball

EW edges Kinston

KINSTON -- Eastern Wayne picked up its second Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference win of the season, edging Kinston 2-1 on Thursday.

Caitlin Turner was 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Carrie Adams (RBI) and Casey Mitchell both supplied hits.

Lanie Fricks picked up the win on the mound allowing one run on four hits with six strikeouts and three walks.

The Warriors (7-15, 2-8 ECC) host West Carteret for senior night on Monday.

Rebels blank Chargers

CALYPSO -- Jessica Pridgen posted 10 strikeouts in a complete-game effort as North Duplin earned a 2-0 Carolina 1-A Conference victory over Ayden-Grifton on Thursday.

Pridgen scattered three hits and didn't allow a walk in the pitcher's circle. She batted 2-for-3 with two RBI at the plate.

Jodie Williamson, Elizabeth Lane and Jenny Coley all recorded hits.

"We played very well," Rebels head coach Heather Best said. "Jessica pitched exceptionally well tonight and the whole team played solid defense. Playing games like these are helping the girls' confidence levels rise and showing them the capability of their play."

North Duplin (7-6, 3-4 Carolina) visits Rosewood on Tuesday.

WCS crushes NWT

Wayne Christian routed Carolina Chrisian 1-A Conference opponent 16-1 in three innings on Thursday.

Traci Davis tossed a no-hitter, striking out nine and walking only three. Northwood's lone run came on an error, a fielder's choice and a passed ball.

Sarah McCollum went 2-for-3 for Wayne Christian, including a two-run homer. Cynthia Burroughs was 3-for-3 and Kayla Kennedy added a triple.

The Eagles (10-2 overall, 4-1 CCC) visit Johnston Christian on Friday.

Rams top Tarboro

Shanna Parker belted two extra-base hits including a home run, as Greene Central dropped Tarboro 13-0 on Wednesday night.

Parker finished with five RBI.

Liz Webb and Jessica Moore combined for the shutout on the mound. The duo struck out 12 Tarboro batters.

Greene Central (13-7 overall) climbed to 6-1 in Eastern Plains 2-A Conference play. The Rams are the guests of Farmville Central next Tuesday.

Track

Eagles finish 2nd

Rosewood's girls track team finished second in a Carolina 1-A Conference tri-meet with North Johnston and North Duplin on Thursday.

North Johnston finished first with a team score of 79.5 ahead of Rosewood's 66.5 and North Duplin's 21.

First place finishers for the Eagles were India McGowan (long jump), Olivia Neal (pole vault, 400-meter dash), Sade Davis (100-meter high hurdles) and Jasmine Montgomery (200-meter dash). Rosewood's 400- and 1,600-mete relay teams also finished first.

Warriors run to victory

WILSON - Eastern Wayne's girls track team easily finished first in an Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference tri-meet at Wilson Beddingfield.

The Warriors compiled a team score of 94.3 ahead of Hunt''s 49.3 and Beddingfield's 32.3.

First place finishers for Eastern Wayne were Alysha Stevens (100 meter hurdles), Noel Kelly (400 and 800 meters), Esther Sutter (100 meters) and Leanna Kirkland (two mile). The Warriors 400-, 800- and 3,200-meter relay squads all finished first.

Eastern Wayne will return to action on Tuesday in the ECC Conference meet at Wilson Hunt.

Middle schools

* Rosewood softball 13, Spring Creek 0 -- Janna Price had two hits for Spring Creek and Ashley Parks added one.

* Spring Creek baseball 15, Rosewood 3 -- Zack Harrell and Adam Haggerty led the Gators with two hits each. Spring Creek (9-2-1 overall) travels to Mount Olive on Monday.