Brock's double play thwarts comeback

By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on April 29, 2010 1:46 PM

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DUDLEY -- Southern Wayne badly needed a win.

Cody Davis and Taylor Brock made sure the Saints got this one.

Davis tossed a complete game and Brock started a game-ending, double-play in the top of the seventh inning to preserve a 3-2, non-conference victory over Spring Creek on Wednesday afternoon.

The Gators put the tying run on base in the top of the seventh when Will Janning reached on an error. Janning advanced to second base on Corey Howell's sacrifice bunt.

Chris Nichols hit a line drive to first base that Brock dove to catch and then doubled-up Janning off second base to end the ballgame.

The win helped ease the pain of Southern Wayne's five-inning, mercy-rule loss to Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference foe Eastern Wayne on Tuesday night.

"Taylor made an awesome play for us," said Saints' head coach Trae McKee. "It could have easily been a tied ballgame if he doesn't lay out and make that play."

Davis surrendered two earned runs on four hits with two strikeouts and two walks. He gave up just one hit after the third inning and faced the minimum in each of the last four innings.

"Cody's a good athlete," said McKee. "He bared down and made some big pitches for us. Cody did a good job for us out there."

Spring Creek (11-7 overall) took an early lead on Duane Gurganus' RBI groundout in the top of the first inning. Southern Wayne (11-11) answered with Kevin Wise's RBI single in the bottom of the first.

Gurganus' sacrifice fly in the top of the third scored Dontay Boseman and the Gators went in front 2-1.

Wise scored on a Spring Creek error in the bottom of the fourth. Davis' RBI single in the home half of the fifth put the Saints ahead for good.

"We got fortunate and took advantage of an error that they had," said McKee. "I still think we've got to swing it better. We've got to play with a lot more intensity. I felt like we were lifeless. We should be looking to play our best baseball right now. I just don't know that we're hungry right now."

After winning a thrilling 25-12 slugfest at Ayden-Grifton on Tuesday night Spring Creek can now turn its focus to tonight's rematch at home with Rosewood. The Eagles lead the Gators by one game in the Carolina 1-A Conference standings.

Spring Creek and Rosewood split a pair of meetings earlier this season.

"We're going to find out what we're made of a little bit," said Gators head coach Heath Whitfield. "We know we're going to see (Matt) Neal again. It's nice to be in this position where we play a meaningful game like that determines who ends up winning the conference."

Southern Wayne concludes regular-season play Friday at Charles B. Aycock.