Charger Diamond Classic: WCDS blanks Neuse Charter in 4 1/2 innings

By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on April 4, 2013 1:47 PM

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Wayne Country Day has found both confidence and wins hard to come by this season, but it took a step in the right direction in both areas on Wednesday afternoon.

The Chargers capitalized on Neuse Charter's four errors and seven walks in a 10-0 win in 41/2 innings on day one of the Charger Diamond Classic.

Wayne Country Day grabbed 1-0 lead on Cody Neal's RBI groundout in the bottom of the first inning.

The Chargers broke the game open with six runs in the home half of the second inning. Thomas Kierski delivered an RBI single and two Cougars' errors led to two more runs. Mason Bland supplied an RBI groundout and Neal raced home on a wild pitch as the lead swelled to 7-0.

Jacob Parks' RBI single capped the six-run outburst.

"We haven't been hitting the ball very well all year," Chargers' head coach Michael Taylor said. "Today we were swinging the bat. I told them to swing the bat and make things happen and that's what they did. We haven't had a whole lot of confidence.

"We got a win today and that's big for our confidence and conference play really gets going next week. Hopefully with these games today and tomorrow we can really get some confidence and some more at-bats and play better defense and things of that nature."

Wayne Country Day (4-5 overall) completed its scoring in the bottom of the third inning with Bland's RBI double, and an error and a wild pitch that allowed additional runs to score.

The Chargers sent 29 batters to the plate for the game.

Four Wayne Country Day pitchers combined for a five-hit shutout. Kierski got the start on the mound and scattered four hits with two strikeouts in 21/3 innings to record the win. Neal, Mitch Turnage and John Strickland collectively provided 22/3 innings of six strikeout, one-hit relief.

"Today our game plan was to get the lead and let everybody throw a little bit," Taylor said. "I wanted to get those four guys some innings and they went in there and threw strikes and did what they needed to do."

The Chargers wrap up the Classic today against N.C. Christian Schools Association power Bethel Christian. Game time is 4:30 p.m.