Wayne North avenges loss to Wayne South

By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on July 2, 2009 1:46 PM

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Wayne County North is starting to show signs of maturity one win at a time.

Logan Wicks pitched his second consecutive complete game and Wayne County North held on for a 4-3 win over Wayne County South on Wednesday evening in New Hope.

Cody Davis' RBI to center field scored Keith Jones and pulled Wayne South to within 4-3 in the top of the seventh inning. Davis later moved to third base with two outs on a Wayne North error.

Wicks battled back and struck out Duane Gurganus to end the ballgame.

Wayne North led 4-1 entering the sixth inning before Gurganus scored from third as part of a double-steal to cut the margin to 4-2. Wayne South had runners on the corners with no outs in the sixth inning, but managed to score Gurganus.

South left six runners on base including one in each of the last three innings.

"We had a great opportunity in the seventh, but it's not just the seventh," said Wayne County South head coach Trae McKee. "We had first and third with nobody out, and we had back-to-back strikeouts. We've got to swing it better with runners in scoring position.

"We don't even have to get a hit; we've just got to put the ball in play."

Wicks tossed a complete game in his second straight start and allowed three earned runs on 10 hits with four strikeouts and no walks.

"The Wicks kid has been pitching his tail off and he's been really good for me," said Wayne North head coach Roger May. "He's just been amazing on the mound."

Wicks' RBI single and a Wayne South error on the same play that resulted in a run gave Wayne North a 2-0 lead in the home half of the first. Zach Beachum's RBI single extended the cushion to 3-0.

Beachum collected two hits and an RBI. Wayne North left just three runners on base.

"Getting that lead early helped," said May. "This is a growing process and we're still growing. For some of them that light switch hasn't come on and when that light switch comes on I hope they'll realize some of the things that we're trying to teach them. We're getting there."

Tyler Gainey's RBI double in the top of the third inning narrowed North's advantage to 3-1. Wesley Stewart's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth gave Wayne North a 4-1 advantage.

Corey Howell provided Wayne South with 5 2/3 innings of one-run relief to keep his team in the ballgame. The Spring Creek product allowed one earned run one three hits with five strikeouts and three walks.

"Corey did a good job," said McKee. "Corey found his breaking ball late and he started fooling some guys a little bit."

Davis led Wayne South with three hits and an RBI. Gurganus and Zach Grantham each added two hits.