Post 11 rallies in ninth inning
By Ryan Hancett
Published in Sports on July 10, 2011 1:51 AM
MOUNT OLIVE -- Wayne County plated two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning and completed a series sweep of Rocky Mount Post 58 with a 6-5 win on Saturday night at Scarborough Field.
Post 11 advances to the Area I East Finals which begin on Monday evening. Wayne County's opponent is yet to be determined.
"Our team is never out of it and we proved it again tonight," Post 11 assistant coach Jason Sherrer said. "We made a few big plays and hung around."
Sherrer was in charge of the team on Saturday due to head coach Rob Watt's ejection in the opening game of the series on Friday.
Trailing 5-4 in the bottom of the ninth Post 11 got its bats going.
Collin Dubose led off with a walk and was sacrificed to second by Tyler Farmer. Cody Davis drew a walk and both runners advanced when Adron Hollowell grounded into a fielder's choice. Dubose scored the tying run on a wild pitch.
Davis raced home three pitches later on another errant attempt by the Rocky Mount hurler.
"Cody didn't hesitate and broke right away," Sherrer said. "He got in under the tag. It was a great feeling for our guys."
Rocky Mount opened the game with a run in the top of the first inning when Spires Miller led off with a double, advanced to third on a sacrifice from Chase Johnson and scored on Matthew Berry's ground ball.
Wayne County answered in the home half of the first.
Davis singled and was moved into scoring position with a stolen base and scored on Hollowell's RBI single.
Rocky Mount wasted no time getting the lead back.
Jordan Taylor singled to lead off the second inning. Tyler Wooten doubled and Kalil Maclin loaded the bases with a walk. Kyle Pratt drove in a run with a single and Jeremy Sloop added an RBI with a ground out. Miller added a sacrifice to complete the three-run outburst.
Wayne County cut into the lead in the sixth inning when Kevin Wise led off with a triple and scored on a wild pitch to make the score 4-2. Wise provided the defensive highlight of the game in the top of the seventh with a diving catch in deep left center-field.
"That was one of the greatest catches I have ever seen," Sherrer said. "Kevin has that kind of ability and when he made that play the bench went nuts. It totally changed the momentum."
Post 11 pulled within 4-3 in the seventh inning when Tyler Ruffin reached on an error, Tyler Farmer doubled to right field and Davis plated Ruffin with an RBI groundout.
Wise evened the score in the bottom of the eighth with a single. The Southern Wayne product stole second and raced to third on an overthrow. Jon Taylor plated Wise with an RBI single to tie the game 4-4.
Rocky Mount jumped back in front in the top of the ninth only to set up the Post 11 heroics.
Dubose got the win on the mound in relief of Cameron Taylor. Taylor lasted eight innings and struck out four batters.
Post 11 will play the winner of the other semifinal series between Pitt County and Kinston. The best-of-five championship will begin on Monday night.