Union eliminates Spring Creek from 1A baseball playoffs

By Ryan Hanchett
Published in Sports on May 15, 2013 1:47 PM

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SEVEN SPRINGS -- Spring Creek dug a deep hole over the first two innings, but could never recover in a 7-2, season-ending loss to Union in the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1-A baseball playoffs Tuesday evening.

The Spartans play Tri-County champ Midway on Friday.

"We had some chances as the game wore on," Spring Creek head coach Heath Whitfield said. "But the bottom line is, we did not do enough at the plate to win the game."

Union jumped in front in the top of the first inning.

Dustin Alphin and Cody Preddy each drew a walk to start the game. Ryan Hall followed with a single that loaded the bases. Bryson Worley forced in a run when he was hit by a pitch and a Spring Creek error allowed two additional runs to cross the plate.

The Spartans added an insurance run in the second that made the score 4-0. Back-to-back RBI base hits from Alphin and Preddy in the top of the fourth extended the lead to 6-0.

Spring Creek got back in the game in the bottom of the fifth when Luke Miller walked and Logan Miller reached on an error. Chad Spurgeon plated one run with an RBI double and Matt Rogers drove in the Gators' second run with a sacrifice fly to make it 6-2.

The Gators would get no closer.

Union (11-10 overall) added a run in the sixth inning and relief pitcher Tyler Matthis shut the door on the Gators' offense with three innings of scoreless relief. Hall earned the win with four innings of work.

"Obviously this is not how we wanted to end the season," Whitfield said. "But I am still really proud of these guys. I feel like we exceeded expectations this year."

Spring Creek concluded the year 13-11 overall.