North Duplin corrals SW Onslow, gets to third round
By Ryan Hanchett
Published in Sports on May 19, 2010 1:47 PM
CALYPSO -- North Duplin was unwilling to call it a season.
After blowing an early five-run lead, the Rebels bounced back from a late deficit and knocked Southwest Onslow out of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 1-A baseball playoffs with a 12-10 win.
North Duplin travels to East Columbus on Friday.
"I really feel like I am blessed right now," said North Duplin head coach Joey Keefe. "I am proud of our guys for not giving up and making the most of the opportunity to come back."
The Rebels jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first on back-to-back home runs by James Kornegay and Ryan Wolfe. North Duplin added an insurance run one inning later when Mitchell Thigpen walked and scored on a wild pitch.
Southwest Onslow scored the next nine runs.
A five-run, third inning and a four-run fifth gave the Stallions the lead and it appeared as if Luie Williams was cruising on the pitcher's mound. As he began to wear down, Williams lost his control and started to leave pitches up in the strike zone.
Shayne Deaver led off the bottom of the fifth with a home run.
"That was a big at-bat as far as changing the momentum of the game," said Keefe. "Shayne has been hitting the ball all season, but that home run really gave our guys a lift."
Trailing 10-7 in the bottom of the sixth, the Rebels went back to work at the plate.
Thigpen reached on an error, Julio Mora was hit by a pitch and Deaver belted an RBI single that chased Williams from the pitcher's mound. The Stallion relievers fared no better as Marcus Kornegay delivered an RBI single and James Kornegay drew a walk.
Joseph King walked to load the bases and Will Lanier followed by drawing a base on balls with the bases loaded which plated the go-ahead run. A throwing error by the catcher allowed Kornegay to score the game's final run.
Ryan Wolfe promptly dispatched the Stallions in the seventh and sent the home crowd into a frenzy. Wolfe earned the mound win in relief of Chase.
North Duplin (15-5 overall) will spend the next two day preparing for an East Columbus team that eliminated Spring Creek on Tuesday night.
"I am not here to say 'look at what we did, we made it to the third round'," said Keefe. "My goal is to survive and advance because that is what the playoffs are all about."