Taylor shuts down Post 71

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on June 29, 2011 1:47 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- Smarting from an embarrassing loss in its previous contest, Wayne County Post 11 returned to the baseball diamond with a chip on its shoulder Tuesday evening.

Clayton Post 71 served as the victim.

Cameron Taylor tossed a sterling, complete-game shutout and Zach Grantham collected three RBI in a 6-0 triumph at Scarborough Field on the Mount Olive College campus. Wayne County (14-5 overall) picked up its seventh win its last eight contests.

Taylor (4-0) consistently pounded the strike zone and worked the corners effectively. The right-hander allowed just two Post 71 batters to advance into scoring position and retired the side in order in the final two innings.

A rising senior at Charles B. Aycock, Taylor received a superb performance from his defense, which logged its third error-free worksheet of the season. Center fielder Tyler Farmer and left fielder Adron Hollowell each threw a runner out at the plate.

Middle infielders Cody Davis and Collin DuBose turned two twin killings as Post 11 earned its first shutout against Post 71 in seven meetings.

"When a guy throws a bunch of strikes and lets his 'D' work, it helps the tempo of the game and helps the defense stay in it," said second-year Wayne County coach Rob Watt. "That's exactly the way baseball should be played on our side."

Taylor collected four of his six strikeouts in the final three innings. Clayton stranded five runners on the night.

"We had a game like this against New Bern where we played sound defense and got a good pitching effort ... no surprise that Cameron was throwing that game as well," said Watt. "He wasn't looking to blow the ball by anybody, just looking to fill up the zone again. He trusted his stuff and threw three pitches for strikes. That's tough on anybody, no matter who it is."

Post 11 established the offensive tempo during its first at-bat.

Cody Davis rapped a one-out single, stole his fifth base of the season and trotted home on Grantham's first of three RBI hits of the game. Tyler Gainey plated two runs with a double and scored on McGee's base knock.

"The offense got things rolling and that allowed Cameron to settle down a little bit," said Watt.

Indeed.

The four-run cushion was all Taylor needed.

Clayton (8-8) put the lead-off runner aboard on three occasions, but hit into double plays in the second and fifth innings. Taylor retired 10 of the last 11 batters he faced, and scattered eight hits.

Seven of nine Wayne County starters cranked out at least one hit in the Area I non-division battle. Grantham finished 3-for-5, including RBI singles in the second and fourth innings. Hollowell, McGee and Tyler Ruffin supplied two hits apiece.