Warriors swat three HRs against Falcons

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on March 25, 2009 1:47 PM

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PIKEVILLE -- Charles B. Aycock's players constantly stared at the scoreboard and watched as the run total kept climbing on the "guest" side.

Another set of numbers -- pitch count -- concerned Golden Falcons head coach Charles Davis. His bullpen constantly fell behind Wilson Hunt's hitters and paid dearly throughout the Class 3-A Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference affair.

The Warriors swatted three home runs and collected 12 hits total in an 11-5 victory. Hunt snapped a 20-game losing streak against C.B. Aycock, which started in 1996.

"We didn't pitch well," said Davis. "When you pitch from behind, good teams take advantage of it. You have to get ahead (in the count) and get the off-speed stuff over, and we failed to do that.

"But I was proud of the kids and I thought we competed. We had some adversity to start the game and when we gave up three runs in that first inning, that could have caused us to fall on our face."

Aycock played without starting shortstop Connor Narron, who aggravated a lower-back injury in batting practice before the game. Second baseman Jeff Carmel took a hard grounder to the nose during first-inning action, but remained in the contest.

Davis said each player would be evaluated day-to-day.

Hunt (5-2 overall, 2-1 ECC) erupted for three first-inning runs on four hits, two walks and an infield error against Aycock hurler Jordan Quinn. The left-hander threw 35 pitches and ended the inning with a strikeout.

The Golden Falcons (7-2, 2-1) answered with a five-run uprising, led by Adron Hollowell's two-RBI single. Catcher Nick McGee, Quinn and Anderson Barnes also collected RBI for the 5-3 advantage.

Quinn (2-1) couldn't hold onto the lead and permitted four second-inning runs on four hits. Warrior catcher Kyle Pittman (3-for-4, 3 RBI) delivered the big blow, a two-RBI single into left center field.

Aycock went quietly during its second at-bat.

"The key was the second inning," said Davis.

Hunt right-hander Ches Lamm, who relieved starter Jacob Hackney, allowed just one base runner in the second and third innings combined. Zack Lee entered the fourth and tossed four innings of one-hit, scoreless relief.

The Golden Falcons had just three base runners total after the first inning and fell victim to a fifth-inning double play.

"(Lamm) did a pretty good job of hitting his spots and that's effective against a good-hitting team," said Davis. "We squared some balls up and they made some defensive plays, too. They did what they had to do to win and we didn't do what we needed to do to win."

Six of nine Warriors scratched out at least one hit against the Golden Falcons' staff, which yielded a season-high three home runs. Aycock had its seven-game win streak halted after a season-opening loss to perennial 2-A power North Lenoir.

Will Edgerton and Hollowell (two RBI) recorded two hits apiece in the loss. Carmel and Tyler Ruffin each contributed one hit.

Weather permitting, Aycock is scheduled to entertain Greene Central on Thursday and visit defending ECC champion Eastern Wayne on Friday.

"We know things aren't always going to go our way and the mark of a good team is to see how they respond to that," said Davis.