Barnett handcuffs Triton, Mozingo delivers big hit

By Ryan Hanchett
Published in Sports on March 24, 2012 11:08 PM

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Triton starter Kyle McCauley made one bad pitch over the course of six innings and Eastern Wayne slugger Zack Mozingo made him pay dearly for the mistake Friday evening.

Mozingo's three-run home run in the bottom of the third inning proved to be the difference as the Warriors defeated the Hawks 4-1 and remained unbeaten in Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference play.

"I thought both teams played pretty heads-up baseball for most of the night," Eastern Wayne head coach Jabo Fulghum said. "Mo was able to stay back on a two-strike pitch and hit it over the fence, and that gave us a lead that we were able to hold on to."

Triton jumped ahead with an unearned run in the top of the third inning. Eli Manness belted a base hit and moved to second on an Eastern Wayne error. A fielder's choice left Hawks on the corners with two outs before a double steal allowed Manness to score from third.

Eastern Wayne answered in its half of the inning.

Benito Avila drew a one-out walk and moved into scoring position on Ryan Faucette's single. Mozingo followed with his blast over the right-field fence that gave the Warriors a 3-1 lead.

Eastern Wayne added a run in the fifth when Avila reached on a two-base error and scored on an RBI base hit off the bat of Faucette.

"(McCauley) did a good job of keeping our guys off balance for most of the night," Fulghum said. "But we took advantage of two big opportunities and hit a couple of balls hard with guys in scoring position."

Hunter Barnett tossed six innings to earn the mound win which included four walks and seven strikeouts. Mozingo picked up the save.

"Hunter did not have his sharpest stuff but he kept us in the ballgame for six innings," Fulghum said. "When he needed to make a big pitch he got it done."

Eastern Wayne (7-3 overall, 5-0 ECC) travels to North Lenoir on Tuesday.