Chargers rally, knock off No. 4-ranked Greenfield, 7-5

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on April 9, 2014 1:48 PM

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Parker Smith connected on a sixth-inning fielder's choice RBI grounder and Wayne Country Day upended No. 4-ranked Greenfield, 7-5, in a Coastal Plains Independent 1-A/2-A Conference game Wednesday afternoon.

Jacob Magera's RBI bases-loaded walk capped the three-run, sixth-inning uprising for the Chargers, who spotted their long-time nemesis a 5-0 lead after 1 1/2 innings of play.

"The guys could have easily rolled up and stopped playing," WCDS head coach Michael Taylor said. "We just told them to stay focused and good things are going to happen. We scored two runs in the fourth and John (Strickland) gained some confidence.

"It was a team effort yesterday."

WCDS closed to within 5-4 and seized command in the sixth. Patrick Hall connected on a lead-off single and moved into scoring position when Drew Barnes reached on a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt attempt.

Hall and Barnes perfectly executed a double steal, which allowed Mitch Turnage to produce a game-tying single that scored Barnes. Smith and Magera followed with their respective heroics.

Strickland earned the mound win. He surrendered one earned run on one hit and posted six strikeouts in five innings of relief. Mason Bland and Hall combined two throw the first two innings.

"To be in the middle of the conference race right now speaks highly for this team because no one gave us a shot to win a conference game this year," said Taylor, whose team managed just five hits and stole four bases in five attempts.

The Chargers (6-3 overall, 2-2 CPIC) are the guests of six-time defending N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association state 1-A champion Lawrence Academy on Thursday.