C.B. Aycock shuts down Princeton
By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on March 4, 2011 1:48 PM
PIKEVILLE -- Charles B. Aycock didn't waste any time putting its shiny new scoreboard to work Thursday afternoon.
The Golden Falcons scored early and often in a 15-0, mercy rule-shortened rout of Princeton. Aycock bounced back from a one-run, one-hit loss at Wilson Hunt on Tuesday.
Mick Walker's RBI groundout and Collin Dubose's RBI bloop single gave the Golden Falcons a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.
Adam Pate's RBI double in the home half of the third inning extended the lead to 3-0. Cameron Taylor followed with a two-run single that put Aycock in front 5-0. Mick Walker drove home a run on a fielder's choice.
The Golden Falcons sent 14 batters to the plate in the first two innings.
"If you put the ball in play on the ground things will happen," said Aycock head coach Charles Davis. "That's what we emphasized going into today's game was putting the ball in play and putting it in play on the ground."
Craig Murdock's two-run single and Adam Pate's RBI single pushed the margin to 9-0 in the bottom of the third inning. Murdock later scored on a wild pitch.
John Taylor's fielder's choice scored Pate to increase the cushion to 11-0. Dubose tacked on an RBI double and the Golden Falcons added a run on an error.
Pate scored on a Bulldogs' error in the bottom of the fourth inning as the lead swelled to 14-0. Blake Sutton provided a pinch-hit RBI single. Pate had three hits, two RBI and reached on a walk. Dubose and Murdock both provided two hits and two RBI. Stafford also had two hits.
Pate earned the win on the mound. The sophomore surrendered four hits with one walk and three strikeouts in four innings. Avery Anderson worked a scoreless inning of relief.
"You couldn't ask for any better," said Davis. "He's going to go up there and battle and throw strikes. He did what I expected him to do."
Princeton committed three errors and had just six base runners. Tyler Craft led the Bulldogs' offense with two hits.
"You can't beat yourself, especially against Charles B. Aycock," said Princeton head coach Bruce Proctor. "They are a great baseball team and they are where we want to be. The great thing is we get to come play tomorrow. We're going to show up and get after a whole lot better than we did today."
The Bulldogs (0-1 overall) entertain Corinth-Holders today. The Golden Falcons (1-1) face South Central in the Pitt-Wayne Challenge on Saturday. First pitch is 2 p.m. at Guy Smith Stadium in Greenville.