WC South weathers Benson rally

By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on June 9, 2010 11:25 AM

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DUDLEY -- Leading by six runs and needing just three outs for a win, Wayne County South picked the wrong time to relax.

Benson scored five runs in the top of the seventh inning, but Wayne South held on for a 10-9, Junior American Legion victory on Tuesday night.

Wayne South led 10-4 entering the top of the seventh before Benson loaded the bases with no outs. Ryan Underwood's RBI groundout, a wild pitch and Will Dupree's RBI single cut the lead to 10-7.

Another wild pitch and a Wayne South error that led to a run pulled Benson to within 10-9.

Benson had the tying and go-ahead run on base with two outs, but Wayne South reliever Jamar Holmes got Austin Pope to groundout to end the game. Holmes pitched 2/3 innings of relief to pick up the save.

"I thought our defense could have been much stronger tonight," said Wayne South head coach Trae McKee. "I thought we sat back on our heels on some ground balls. We've got to stay in the moment and collect an out. You can't take for granted that we've got a six-run lead and this team is going to go away because teams aren't going to go away."

Benson trimmed Wayne South's lead to 6-4 in the top of the fifth before Wayne South answered with four runs in the home half of the fifth. Joseph Sasser delivered a pinch-hit RBI single and he later scored on a wild pitch. Tyler Gainey's two-run single put Wayne South in front 10-4.

"I told them right before that inning started not to let them hang around," said McKee. "Bad things happen when you let teams hang around. That did open it up a little bit."

Underwood's RBI single and Lane Johnson's RBI groundout gave Benson a 2-0 lead in the top of the first.

Wayne South (7-1 overall) scored five unearned runs with help from three Benson errors in the bottom of the first. Jamie Dove's RBI infield single in the top of the second pushed Wayne South's lead to 6-2.

Jackson Hayes recorded the win on the mound for Wayne South surrendering four earned runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and a walk in five innings.

Wayne South travels to Charles B. Aycock on Thursday.