May scores as Hawks lose fly ball in lights
By Ryan Hanchett
Published in Sports on May 4, 2011 1:47 PM
Triton had an upset qued-up.
Eastern Wayne changed the playlist at the final moment.
The Warriors pushed across the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning and earned a 3-2 win over the Hawks in the opening round of the Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference baseball tournament on Tuesday night.
The victory sets up a third meeting between Eastern Wayne and Southern Wayne on Thursday night at the Doyle Whitfield Athletic Complex. First pitch is 7 p.m.
"We won the ballgame and that is what matters," Eastern Wayne head coach Jabo Fulghum said. "We made some mistakes and their pitcher kept them in the game, but the bottom line is that we get to play again on Thursday."
With the game tied at 2-2 in the bottom of the eighth, the Warriors gained momentum.
Jake May drew a lead-off walk and was followed by Greg Simms' bunt single. Zack Mozingo appeared to hit a lazy fly ball to right field on the next pitch, but the skyrocket got lost in the lights and fell in for a single.
May raced home from second once he realized the Hawks' outfielder had lost sight of the ball.
"It was one of those nights where a play like that was going to decide it," said Fulghum. "We got a break and that is all it took in a close game."
The teams battled back-and-forth throughout the contest.
Triton opened the scoring with a run in the first inning on a pair of walks and an Eastern Wayne error. The Warriors tied the game in the bottom of the third on an RBI single by May that plated Benito Avila.
Wes Capps gave Eastern Wayne its first lead in the fourth inning with a solo home run, but the Warriors immediately gave the advantage back when Triton tied the game on a throwing error.
Both starting pitchers suffered hard-luck no decisions. Triton starter Drew Baker went six innings and allowed two runs on four hits. Eastern Wayne left-hander Hunter Barnett also lasted six innings and allowed two runs only on two hits.
"I thought Hunter did an excellent job," Fulghum said. "Especially considering it was only his third start of the season. I hated to see him not get the win because we let him down a couple of times in the field."
Mozingo struck out each batter he faced in two innings of relief to earn the win on the mound.