Taylor, Wayne County top New Bern
By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on June 22, 2011 1:47 PM
MOUNT OLIVE -- Those frustrating, error-filled losses are becoming a distant memory.
Wayne County Post 11 is hitting its stride and finding a little swagger on the baseball diamond.
Cameron Taylor threw a complete game and Wayne County earned a rain-delayed, 11-1 triumph over Area I East South Division foe New Bern Post 24 at Scarborough Field on Tuesday evening.
"He's a pleasant surprise on the mound," said Post 11 head coach Rob Watt of Taylor. "He's been doing a good job for us all year, and it's usually been one inning at a time. You have to give credit to (assistant coach) Jackson (Massey). He was the one who wanted to start him on the mound.
"Turns out it was a pretty good idea."
Taylor (3-0) scattered seven hits and logged seven strikeouts in the mercy-rule victory. The right-hander struck out the side in the second and sixth innings, and retired seven of the final nine batters he faced.
New Bern tallied its lone run in the first inning.
"Once he got his feet wet, he got command of his fastball and threw his change-up for strikes," said Watt. "His fastball, he was able to go in and out. He was putting guys away when he got two strikes on them."
Taylor got all the run support he needed in the third inning.
Tied at 1-1, Cody Davis connected on a lead-off single, stole second and trotted home on a two-out infield error. Tyler Gainey pounded out a two-RBI double to make it 4-1.
Wayne County (10-4 overall, 4-2 South) plated runs in six of seven innings against New Bern hurlers Trevor Pence and Trent Wynn. The duo combined to permit seven earned runs on 10 hits.
Pence took the loss.
"(Hitting) is something that hopefully continues to happen (for us)," said Watt, whose team has scored 40 runs in its last three outings. "We're still trying to find the right lineup. I think all these guys have really good nights at times, and we're trying to get them as many ABs (at-bats) as we possibly can."
Seven of nine starters had at least one hit for Post 11.
Davis, Kevin Wise (RBI) and Gainey finished with two hits apiece. Tyler Farmer (three RBI), Adron Hollowell (RBI), Tyler Ruffin and Nick McGee (RBI) each contributed one hit.
Davis' one-out RBI single, with the Post 24 infield drawn in to get a possible force play, capped the mercy-rule decision for Wayne County. It was the 100th mercy-rule win in program history.
Post 11 turned its first error-free performance of the season.
"That was the best thing to happen tonight," said Watt. "Errors give other teams breathing room. After the game, the guys were really pleased about it. They hadn't been pleased with the way they were playing defense.
"Cameron let the defense do the work for him."