Hollowell handcuffs Wilson Post 13

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on June 25, 2010 1:47 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- Three straight wins.

Four triumphs in its last five outings.

This is more like it.

Its confidence swelling each game, Wayne County Post 11 made archrival Wilson Post 13 its latest victim Thursday evening.

Adron Hollowell tossed five innings of one-hit relief and Wayne County captured a come-from-behind, 12-7 decision on the Scarborough Field diamond. Post 11 swept the regular-season series against Wilson, which was making its first appearance at Mount Olive College since 2006.

"The player of the game, no doubt," said Post 11 head coach Rob Watt of Hollowell. "It looked like it was going to be a slugfest ... looked like it was going to be a marathon game, no one was going to stop hitting the baseball.

"He came in and stopped the bleeding right away, held them until the ninth."

Hollowell (1-0) spelled left-hander starter Zach Beachem, who permitted four runs (three earned) on nine hits in three-plus innings. A right-hander, Hollowell coaxed Post 13's Mike McLawhorne into an inning-ending groundout in the fourth, and the visitors seriously threatened just one more inning.

Wilson (6-6 overall) grabbed a 3-0 lead after 1 1/2 innings, but saw its advantage evaporate in Wayne County's second at-bat. Post 11 parlayed three hits, three walks, a balk and a fielder's choice groundout into a five-run outburst.

Tyler Edwards provided a two-run single and concluded the game 2-for-2 with two RBI. Will Bynum drew an RBI, bases-loaded walk and Zack Mozingo trotted home on a balk.

"The boys have done a good job with the (plate) approach," said Watt. "That's our thing at Mount Olive and that's our thing here. In different situations, we look for certain things and they've really bought into it.

"They've done a good job."

Leading 7-3, Wayne County seized command in the fourth.

Edwards slapped a lead-off single into left center field and Hollowell reached when the Post 13 defense misplayed his routine bunt sacrifice. After a pitching change, Zack Chase reached a botched bunt attempt, which loaded the bases for Cambric Moye.

The UNC Greensboro signee drilled a two-strike, two-RBI single up the middle. Chase scored on an error to cap the uprising.

"We swung the bat and executed today," said Watt. "When you get the bunts down, that makes the other team work to get you out. They had a couple of blunders and we capitalized on them.

"We also hit the ball on the screws and they were able to get out of the inning on a double-up. Baseball is funny that way, but it has a way of working out."

Wilson turned three double plays.

Hollowell surrendered two sixth-inning runs and bullpen mate Matt Neal allowed a ninth-inning run. Three Post 11 hurlers combined to give up seven runs (five earned) on 13 hits in the three-hour, one-minute affair.

Eight of nine Wayne County starters contributed to a 12-hit attack. Mozingo crushed his second home run of the season -- a two-run blast in the third. Lead-off batter Cody Davis ended up 3-for-5, while Moye went 2-for-3.

Wayne County (11-5) leads the all-time series with Wilson 65-43.

"Any time we play them, it's going to be a little bit of a dogfight," said Watt, whose team travels to Kinston Post 43 today.