Aycock rallies for critical ECC road win

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on April 25, 2009 11:58 PM

• Print
• Email

WILSON -- Never give up.

Charles B. Aycock rallied twice from early-inning deficits and turned back Wilson Hunt 11-8 on the Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference baseball scene Friday evening.

The Golden Falcons (15-5 overall) avenged an earlier defeat to the Warriors and moved into a second-place tie with Southern Wayne at 5-3 in ECC action. Hunt (12-4) is a half-game back at 4-3.

"This was a great conference win and a great overall team win because everybody contributed," said Aycock head coach Charles Davis. "We never quit at the plate."

Especially in the sixth inning.

Trailing 8-5, the Golden Falcons used a two-out error to their advantage. With catcher Nicholas McGee and Tyler Farmer aboard, UNC Wilmington signee Will Edgerton swatted a bases-clearing triple.

Tyler Ruffin followed with a run-scoring single to break the 8-8 deadlock.

"We definitely responded," said Davis.

McGee belted his first-ever varsity home run, a two-run shot, in the seventh inning to cap the comeback. Aycock improved to 21-2 all-time against Hunt and has yet to lose on the Warriors' diamond since the series began in 1996.

While Davis applauded his team's late-game mentality in the batter's box, he heaped praise on bullpen hurlers Erik DuBose and Jimmy Kearney. DuBose, a left-hander, provided two innings of sterling two-strikeout relief for his fifth win in six decisions on the mound.

Kearney tossed two innings of one-hit relief and earned his third save of the season.

The duo shut down Hunt, which touched Aycock starter Adron Hollowell for eight runs (seven earned) on six hits and three walks in three innings. The Warriors finished with nine hits overall.

"Adron threw the ball better than what the stats show," said Davis. "Erik and Jimmy threw strikes and we played good defense behind them. They got ahead of the hitters and when you do that, it's not rocket science because you know the other team is forced to hit your pitch, put the ball in play.

"Those two kids came in and held them, and we were able to fight back."

Aycock finished with 11 hits in the late-season marathon. Hollowell and Farmer each batted 3-for-4. Edgerton

Continued from 2B

(three RBI), Ruffin (RBI), McGee (2 RBI), Connor Narron and Kearney supplied one hit apiece.

Narron smacked a one-out double in the third inning and scored on Jonathan Taylor's sacrifice fly. The Golden Falcons led 3-2 before the Warriors parlayed three infield hits and three walks into a six-run, third-inning outburst.

Aycock entertains county rival Eastern Wayne, which has secured its second consecutive ECC regular-season title, on Tuesday. First pitch is 7 p.m. in Pikeville.