Warriors earn share of league crown

By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on April 24, 2009 1:46 PM

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Get better everyday.

Eastern Wayne put its season-long motto in practice Thursday evening with a 15-hit effort in a 14-1, five-inning rout of Wilson Beddingfield.

Zach Mozingo threw four strong innings for the No. 1-ranked Warriors, who clinched at least a share of the Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference regular-season title.

Five Warriors starters pounded out two or more hits.

"I was pleased with our total effort tonight," said Warriors head coach Jabo Fulghum, whose team collected seven doubles. "As I told them before the ballgame, we need to get better every game so we can peak at the end. We've practiced every Saturday this season and we're going to practice again this Saturday.

"That's commitment. That's guys that love the game."

Colton Fulghum's RBI single to right field scored Walker Gourley in the bottom of the first inning to give Eastern Wayne a 1-0 lead. Cambric Moye's infield single and a Bruins error led to two more runs. Mozingo added an RBI double to stretch the lead to 4-0.

Moye's two-run, second-inning double stretched Eastern Wayne's advantage to 6-0. After the Bruins scored, Josh Frederick answered with a third-inning infield RBI single to make it 7-1.

Eastern Wayne (14-2 overall, 8-0 ECC) erupted for seven runs on six hits in the bottom of the fourth inning. Jose Ponce's RBI single plated Hunter Newsome and Robert Faucette later scored on a wild pitch.

Gourley provided an RBI double and Fulghum followed with an RBI single. Gourley (three RBI), Fulghum (two RBI) and Moye (two RBI) finished with three hits apiece on the day.

John Wooten's two-run home run to right field capped the Warriors' scoring. Wooten and Ponce had two hits each. Eight different Eastern Wayne players contributed at least one hit.

"It wasn't just one or two guys there were quite a few of them," said coach Fulghum. "Colton hit the ball good and Walker and Cambric hit the ball hard. We're improving and that's what I want to see."

Mozingo allowed one earned run on two hits, fanned six Bruins and walked one in his first varsity start of the season. Wooten threw a scoreless fifth inning.

"Mozingo came through tonight on the mound and he gave us four quality innings," said Fulghum said. "We're trying to get better and we feel fortunate to be where we are but we feel fortunate to be where we are."

The Warriors visit archrival C.B. Aycock on Tuesday. First pitch is 7 p.m. in Pikeville.