West Johnson cruises past Spring Creek
By Ryan Hanchett
Published in Sports on June 19, 2011 1:51 AM
SEVEN SPRINGS -- Sometimes in sports it's not about how a team plays.
It's all about who a team plays.
Spring Creek ran into defending state Junior American Legion baseball champion West Johnston on Friday night and the mismatch was clear throughout a 14-0 win by the visitors.
"They come from a big school district and they are a veteran group," Spring Creek head coach Heath Whitfield said. "Every guy in their lineup can hit and it was clear tonight why they are always very strong."
West Johnston scored six runs in the first inning.
Tyler Mashburn and Cody Whitley delivered the biggest blows, each with an RBI base hit. A pair of Spring Creek errors prolonged the frame and allowed four more runs to score.
The home team's best scoring chance came in the bottom of the first when Chad Spurgeon singled and advanced to third on a West Johnston error, which allowed Zach Harrell to reach safely. Two quick outs by the next two batters halted the rally.
West Johnston added one run in the second inning and ended the contest via the mercy rule in the top of the fifth inning with seven additional runs.
Three walks and an error doomed Spring Creek in the inning. West Johnston shortstop Jack Sherrill plated two runs with a double and Tripp Atkinson sealed the game with a sacrifice fly.
"We have some guys on this team that are young and that I think are going to be pretty good ball players," Whitfield said. "But tonight it was very clear who the better team was."
Atkinson earned the win on the pitcher's mound for West Johnston with a complete game shutout. Spring Creek finished with two hits, both singles off the bat of Spurgeon.
Spring Creek (3-5 overall) plays host to C.B. Aycock on Monday night.