Eastern Wayne slips past West Carteret

By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on May 19, 2009 1:46 PM

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All season long the phrase "Elmer's glue" has served as a constant reminder of the importance sticking together and trusting one another for Eastern Wayne's baseball team.

The Warriors put those words into action during a fifth-inning rally in a 5-3 comeback victory over West Carteret on Monday evening in the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A playoffs.

The Patriots led 3-2 entering the home half of the fifth before Josh Frederick got the Eastern Wayne rally started with a lead-off single. Walker Gourley's groundout moved Frederick to second, and consecutive walks to Colton Fulghum and John Wooten loaded the bases with one out.

Robert Faucette later delivered a two-out infield single that scored Frederick and tied the game at 3-3. Jose Ponce's RBI single to right field pushed across Fulghum to give the Warriors the lead for good at 4-3.

"We found a way to get on and we didn't panic at the plate," said Eastern Wayne head coach Jabo Fulghum. "I knew we weren't going to quit. We talk about 'Elmer's glue,' and when the going gets tough you've got to stick together and believe in each other.

"When you believe in each other, it's going to happen."

Wooten's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth scored Frederick and extended the lead to 5-3.

The Patriots threatened in the top of the seventh with runners on first and second and two outs, but Wooten struck out Damon Hoggard to end the ballgame.

Wooten allowed one earned run on four hits and fanned four Patriot batters in four innings of relief. In addition to grabbing the pitching win, the East Carolina signee batted 2-for-2 with a solo home run and two RBI.

"John came in and threw the ball well tonight," said coach Fulghum. "John and Walker's leadership is big with their actions and not just with their bats."

Freshman Zack Mozingo got the start on the mound for the Warriors and tossed three innings. He yielded two earned runs on three hits, recorded three strikeouts and walked two batters. Mozingo wiggled out of a bases-loaded, two-out jam in the top of the first inning. He left after allowing back-to-back hits to start the fourth.

"Mozingo threw the ball great," said Fulghum. "He got us to the fourth and his changeup worked well tonight."

Cambric Moye's RBI groundout gave Eastern Wayne a 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the first inning. Wooten's long solo home run to left field in the bottom of the third increased the lead to 2-0.

The Warriors (21-4 overall) reached the 21-win mark and earned a third-round postseason appearance for the second consecutive season. Eastern Wayne entertains either defending state champion Rocky Mount or South Central on Friday.

"We're still alive," said Fulghum. "You've got to play one game at a time."