Charger Diamond Classic: Eagles' Burt homers twice, drives in 6 runs

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on April 26, 2014 11:17 PM

• Print
• Email

rcoggins@newsargus.com

The first inning confirmed Curt Hinton's fear.

Two errors on routine plays allowed Greenfield to seize early momentum and eventually claim a 9-7 victory during the Charger Diamond Classic on a cloudy Friday afternoon.

Shortly after the loss, the Eagles dodged intermittent rain storms and took out their frustrations in a 19-1, mercy-rule romp over Carolina Christian 1-A Conference foe Lee Christian. Wayne Christian (10-4 overall) clinched the CCC regular-season title outright.

"We just came out flat because of the big game with (archrival) Wayne Country Day yesterday (Thursday)," Hinton said. "I was afraid they would come out not mentally engaged. It took us a good three innings before we looked like a ball team out there."

Greenfield led 4-0 through four innings.

Catcher Hunter Burt put Wayne Christian on the board with a three-run bomb over the right-field fence in the top half of the fifth inning. Burt belted his second three-RBI homer over the center-field fence one inning later.

Burt ended the day 2-for-4 with six RBI.

"Hunter was definitely dead on (at the plate)," Hinton said. "He's been working hard on his swing and continuing to improve. That opposite-field home run was something we were glad to see."

Burt's second homer trimmed the Knights' lead to 8-7, but they added an insurance during their half of the sixth. Dwanya Sutton crushed a double to left-center field and took third on a missed relay throw.

Sutton eventually scored to make it 9-7.

Wayne Christian went quietly in the seventh, which gave Sutton the save in relief of starter Jake Taylor. The Eagles collected eight total hits, including two each from Burt, lead-off batter Austin Howell and Brandon Price (RBI).

Holden Foster took the pitching loss.

Hinton held a short meeting with his team before the short ride back to their ballfield.

"I told the boys you're good enough to beat any team and they have to believe they can beat any team," Hinton said. "We've got to be able to slam the door when we have the chance, buckle down and prevent the big innigs by making the big play."

As dangerous thunderstorms rolled through eastern North Carolina, the Eagles went to work against Lee Christian. They posted 10 first-inning runs and ended the afternoon with 18 total hits.

Burt (RBI), Nick Easom (two RBI) and Trey Hinton (RBI) cranked out three hits apiece. Burt stole two bases. Howell (two RBI), Ted Suggs (two RBI) and Tanner Rose provided two hits apiece. Rose drove in a team-high four runs.

Foster (two RBI), Austin Sutton (RBI) and Ryan Kennedy (RBI) each delivered one hit.

Rose threw a four-hitter on the mound. He struck out six Lee Christian batters and yielded an unearned run during five innings of work.

"Lee Christian is very young, in a rebuilding process," Hinton said. "Once we scored those 10 runs, I called the horses off and put in my bench pretty quick. Tanner pitched well and mixed up his pitches."