Junior Legion: Aycock's Runyon tosses complete-game four-hitter

By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on June 14, 2012 1:48 PM

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PIKEVILLE -- Charles B. Aycock couldn't do much right in a loss on Tuesday night at Rocky Mount.

Logan Runyon couldn't do much wrong Wednesday evening.

The right-hander pitched a complete game and scattered four hits in Aycock's 2-1 victory over Rocky Mount at Charles Davis field. It was a positive response from a loss on Tuesday night that was tainted by seven errors.

Kyle Taylor reached on an error in the top of the first inning and later scored on Micah Varnell's RBI single to give Rocky Mount a 1-0 lead.

Ben Rouse's two-out RBI single to left field in the bottom of the second inning scored Timothy Naughton to tie the game at 1-1.

Hank Smitherman reached on an error in the home half of the third inning and later scored on an error to put the Golden Falcons in front 2-1. Trent Herndon paced Aycock with two hits.

"Ben Rouse had a big two-out hit to score a run and Hank Smitherman got on the base paths with two outs," Aycock head coach Nelson Cunningham said. "This was a nice turnaround from last night."

Aycock (6-5 overall) stranded a pair of runners on base in the second, third and fourth innings. It finished with eight runners left on base.

"We've been leaving people on all season," Cunningham said. "We're losing a little bit of focus with guys in scoring position. I'm hoping it will come with a little bit of maturity. We've got to go up with a little different approach with guys in scoring position."

Rocky Mount threatened in the top of the fifth inning with the tying run on second base and one out. Runyon recorded back-to-back strikeouts to work out of trouble. Runyon retired 14 of the final 16 batters he faced and surrendered one unearned run with six strikeouts and no walks.

"I hadn't started Logan," Cunningham said. "I've been using him in some relief appearances and he really threw a gritty performance for us. He threw strikes with three pitches and went out and competed for seven innings.

"Logan got two big punchouts there in the fifth inning with the number nine hitter and then with I think there best hitter in the lead-off man. That was huge."

Aycock visits Wilson on Monday.