Wise's catch preserves Saints' win at CBA
By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on May 2, 2010 1:50 AM
PIKEVILLE -- Earlier this week Trae McKee asked his team to start playing with more emotion and intensity.
The Southern Wayne head coach got his wish and then some on Friday night.
Will Broadwell tossed a complete game and got some help from his defense in the Saints' 5-2 Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference victory at Charles B. Aycock.
The Golden Falcons' loss gave Eastern Wayne its third consecutive ECC conference championship.
"I told the boys in the locker room before we left, 'boys I've got a good feeling about today. I think we were going to start playing with some
energy. We've been searching for it,'" said McKee."
Southern Wayne right fielder Kevin Wise's leaping catch at the wall brought back Jonathan Taylor's potential game-tying home run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Wise's catch preserved the Saints' 4-2 lead.
"I got a good read on the ball off the bat and I just tracked the ball down and I felt for the fence and caught the ball," said Wise. "I was being very cautious. I was just tracking the ball down. I was going to do anything to keep it in. It felt good after I caught it."
Broadwell surrendered two runs (one earned) on three hits with four strikeouts and two walks.
"I can't say enough about Will Broadwell," said McKee. "He threw his heart out there. He really kept his poise on the mound when they did get a hit and he got back to what was so effective. That was using his fastball to pound the strike zone and use his off-speed stuff to try and keep them off-balance."
Zach Grantham's two-run home run to left-center field in the top of the first gave Southern Wayne an early lead.
Jonathan Taylor's RBI single to left field in the bottom of the second inning cut the lead to 2-1.
Taylor Brock's solo home run in the top of the fourth extended the Saints' lead to 3-1.
Wise's RBI double in the top of the fifth put Southern Wayne in front 4-1.
Nicholas McGee's solo homer to left field in the home half of the fifth pulled Aycock to within 4-2.
Wise's single and an Aycock error plated a run in the top of the seventh giving the Saints a 5-2 lead. Grantham (two RBI) and Wise (RBI) each collected two hits.
The Golden Falcons (20-3, 8-2 ECC) went hitless in four of the seven innings and had just six base runners.
"Will Broadwell had a lot to do with us never getting in a rhythm offensively," said Aycock head coach Charles Davis. "We've not played very the last week. I'm not sure what it is. Hopefully we can right this ship and turn it around."
Southern Wayne (13-10, 4-6) visits Greene Central on Monday. The Golden Falcons travel to non-conference opponent Kinston at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.