Eastern Wayne cruises past Czech Nationals

By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on April 6, 2010 1:46 PM

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GREENVILLE -- Two days after struggling with fundamentals, Eastern Wayne appeared to take strides toward turning the corner on Monday afternoon.

The Warriors pounded out 20 hits and made just one error in a 19-2 win over the Czech Republic 18U national team in day two of the Jimmie R. Grimsley Hot Stove Baseball Classic at Guy Smith Stadium.

Robert Faucette's RBI single in the top of the first gave Eastern Wayne a 1-0 lead. Faucette and Jose Ponce both scored on errors to extend the advantage to 3-0.

The Warriors erupted for nine runs on six hits and two errors in the top of the third. Logan Wicks' two-run single and an error that scored Hunter Newsome gave Eastern Wayne a 6-0 cushion. Colton Fulghum added an RBI single and Zach Beachem tacked on a two-run double.

The Warriors picked up three more runs during the outburst off Czech errors.

Feasting on a steady diet of fastballs all afternoon, Eastern Wayne (7-7 overall) had seven players tally at least two hits. Moye and Jose Ponce both collected three hits and an RBI. Fulghum, Beachem, Faucette, Newsome and Wicks each had two hits.

The Czech Republic hurt its cause by committing five errors.

"We played better today," said Warriors head coach Jabo Fulghum. "We improved today. We did a good job with two strikes. I know we probably got four or five hits or more with two strikes. We put the bat on the ball today."

The Czech Republic picked up a run on Michal Janko's RBI single in the bottom of the third.

Eastern Wayne hammered out nine more hits and seven runs in the top of the fourth.

David Dolezalek's RBI single in the top of the fifth capped the scoring.

Wicks allowed one earned run on three hits with one strikeout and one walk in four innings of work to earn pitching win. Michael Fields allowed one run on two hits with three strikeouts and no walks in one inning of relief.

Outside of an error and one base running miscue, the Warriors avoided the fundamental mistakes that plagued them in Saturday's 10-5 win over Havelock.

"We had one base running blunder, but we had a couple of base running plays that we were good on," said Fulghum. "You've always got to try to improve. I told the boys when we started this tournament that our goal was to get better for our conference. I feel like we have."

Eastern Wayne completes play in Greenville at 6 p.m. today against J.H. Rose. The Warriors lost 4-2 and 4-3 in a pair of games with the Rampants in mid-March.

"We've got one more game to play with Rose," said Fulghum. "We've played them twice and we've had opportunities to beat them twice. We're hoping to play well tomorrow."