Spring Creek eliminates Wallace-Rose Hill

By Ryan Hanchett
Published in Sports on May 12, 2012 11:56 PM

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SEVEN SPRINGS -- Spring Creek starter Duane Gurganus rolled along for five innings and the Gators' bats gave him plenty of run support to work with in a 10-0 win over Wallace-Rose Hill in the opening round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 1-A state baseball playoffs.

The Gators (16-8 overall) travel to Holly Ridge Dixon on Tuesday night.

Gurganus allowed just two hits over five innings as he picked up the win on the mound. The veteran right-hander recorded six strikeouts.

"Duane is a senior and he is a guy that is going to battle every time out," Spring Creek head coach Heath Whitfield said. "I thought he threw the ball well tonight and he stayed poised even when we missed some plays defensively."

Spring Creek scored one run in the second inning and took command with four additional runs in the third. Luke Miller led off the inning with a double and Zach Harrell immediately plated Miller with a single. Gurganus followed with a base hit.

With two outs, Chad Spurgeon was hit by a pitch and Alan Coor singled. Corey Howell reached on a base hit and Logan Miller forced in a run with a walk. A balk allowed Coor to cross home and make the score 5-0.

"We got one or two good solid hits and seemed like it got contagious," Whitfield said. "We put a couple bunts down and moved guys around, and it all kind of fell into place for us offensively."

Spring Creek added two runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth before ending the game in the bottom of the sixth. Coor drew a lead-off walk and moved to third on a wild pitch. Two pitches later, Coor scored on a passed ball and made the score 10-0.

The Gators pounded out 13 hits in the game. Six different Spring Creek batters each tallied multiple hits in the win.

Jacob Hargrove and TJ Murrell each recorded one hit for the Bulldogs, who finished the year 15-9 overall. Alex Boyette suffered the pitching loss.