Currituck takes 2-1 win

By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on May 16, 2012 1:48 PM

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There were tears, hugs and seniors reluctant to take their jersey off one last time. This was not the way Eastern Wayne envisioned its season coming to a close.

Tyler Schuster's RBI triple drove home the go-ahead run in the top of the sixth inning and Currituck County escaped with a 2-1 win over the Warriors in the second round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 3-A state baseball playoffs Tuesday evening.

The loss marks the first time since 2007 that Eastern Wayne has not advanced past the second round in the postseason.

A sore elbow forced Eastern Wayne starter Nolan James to leave the game with one out in the top of the third inning. Jeremy Lancaster replaced James on the mound and surrendered two runs (one earned) on three hits with no walks and no strikeouts in 22/3 innings and endured the loss.

Hunter Barnett pitched two scoreless innings of relief.

"Nolan threw a bullpen session two days ago and he felt good," Warriors' head coach Jabo Fulghum said. "He said his elbow was bothering him tonight. He told me he could pitch if I needed him, but Nolan threw the ball well and so did Lancaster and Barnett."

Currituck County starting pitcher Evan Voliva took a no-hitter into the fourth inning. The right-hander pitched a complete game and allowed one earned run on two hits with three walks and nine strikeouts.

Eastern Wayne (16-7 overall) managed to score just one run despite tallying seven base runners.

"We didn't get the timely hit and they did," Fulghum said. "They got the timely hit tonight and we just couldn't find a way to get a few more. I'm going to give (Voliva) a lot of credit. He kept the ball down in the strike zone. He kept it knee-high for most of the night. We certainly had our chances offensively."

The Knights (20-4) went ahead 1-0 in the top of the fourth inning as Wayne Twiford scored from third base on a two-out error.

Tyler Huetter and Lancaster drew back-to-back two-out walks from Voliva in the bottom of the fourth inning. Josh Dixon broke up Voliva's no-hitter with an RBI single to right field to tie the game at 1-1.

Schuster's RBI triple in the top of the sixth inning put Currituck in front 2-1.

It was the final game for six Eastern Wayne seniors -- Jake May, Wesley Stewart, Barnett, James, Benito Avila and Wes Capps.

"Our seniors have gone through a lot this year," Fulghum said. "Our whole team has gone through a lot. They've bounced back and been resilient and I'm proud of them for being battlers. They've learned some things and they've left their mark."