Mozingo scatters five hits, Post 11 benefits from sixth-inning defense
By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on June 26, 2010 11:16 PM
KINSTON -- Ominous clouds grew darker.
Lightning flashed in the distance.
And Zack Mozingo kept on throwing in the rain.
The right-handed hurler spearheaded two crucial defensive plays, and Wayne County Post 11 gained a pivotal 4-1 triumph over Kinston Post 43 on Friday evening.
Already playing in humid temperatures, tempers turned intense in the sixth inning.
Mozingo coaxed Mike Wetherington into a double-play groundout that prevented Post 43 from further cutting into the 4-1 deficit. With two outs, Alex Brann took ball four and it got away from Wayne County catcher Nicholas McGee.
McGee retrieved the wild pitch and tossed it back to Mozingo, who tagged Tyler Potter out the plate. Potter and his father, Bert, an assistant coach, vehemently argued the call. The umpire ejected them and the Kinston dugout erupted in dispute. Post 43 fans who braved the rain, fumed from the bleachers.
The Potters sat out Saturday's first game of a doubleheader at Post 11.
Mozingo logged a complete-game, five-hitter and kept Wayne County in the hunt for the Area I East South Division championship. The Eastern Wayne standout registered four strikeouts and walked two.
"Zack, except for that one inning in the rain, had good command," said Post 11 head coach Rob Watt. "When you throw strikes, good things happen. With pitchers who work quick, pound the zone and throw a bunch of strikes, that keeps the defense ready.
"They're going to make good plays behind him."
Wayne County (12-5 overall, 4-3 South) turned two double plays and forced Kinston to strand two runners in scoring position.
Post 11 scratched the first run into the scorebook against Post 43 right-hander Scottie Ginn. Cody Davis stroked a lead-off double to left field, moved into scoring position on an infield error and trotted home on Tyler Edwards' sacrifice fly.
Two innings later, Ginn and his defense labored to record an out as Wayne County reverted to "small-ball" tactics. Davis, Kevin Wise and Edwards loaded the bases on consecutive singles. Edwards plated Davis to make it 2-0.
Adron Hollowell legged out an infield bunt and Zack Chase followed with an RBI, wind-aided single to right field. McGee induced a bases-loaded, RBI walk from Ginn to conclude the scoring.
"Cody Davis, again, does what a lead-off guy is supposed to do and he is really swinging the bat well right now," said Watt. "The middle of the order did the rest. We moved runners around and the wind was blowing in, so it (the ball) wasn't carrying well. We put our bunts down and when we got them 90 feet away, we drove them in."
Six of nine Wayne County starters posted at least one hit against Ginn. Davis concluded the contest 4-for-4.
Kinston (7-4, 3-2) closed within 4-1 in the sixth when Wes Sowers scored on a passed ball. Potter singled and two batters later, the controversy ensued.
The teams waited out a 30-minute rain delay before umpires viewed the radar and ruled the contest official.