Wayne Christian falls in quarterfinals of NCISAA 1A baseball playoffs

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on May 12, 2014 1:48 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

FAYETTEVILLE -- Although Wayne Christian committed more strikeouts than head coach Curt Hinton preferred, he couldn't have been more pleased with his team's aggressive attitude at the plate Friday afternoon.

The Eagles, however, just couldn't get that one break they needed to advance in the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association 1-A baseball playoffs. Freedom Christian plated the game-winning run in the bottom of the fifth inning and left-hander Logan Hales permitted three hits during a 2-1 victory on the J.P. Riddle Stadium diamond.

The third-seeded Patriots (12-7 overall) travel to Oakwood for a semifinal-round game Tuesday. Top-seeded Greenfield opposes six-time defending state champion Lawrence Academy in the other semifinal.

"We didn't do some of the things we could have that would have made a difference, but we also made some plays that saved a couple of runs as well," Hinton said. "I just love the way they've played as a team this season, they pick each other up and don't get down on each when a mistake is made.

"We win as a team, we lose as a team."

The sixth-seeded Eagles, automatic qualifiers from the Carolina Christian Conference, committed three errors on the afternoon. None proved damaging against the Patriots, who batted 3 for 13 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight men on base.

Wayne Christian turned an inning-ending double play with runners on first and second in the third. Catcher Hunt Burt threw out a runner at third and picked off a runner at first base in the fifth and sixth innings, respectively.

"Great defensive plays," grinned Hinton.

Freedom broke the scoreless tie in the fourth. Ryan Faircloth stroked a lead-off triple into the power alley and scored on Isaac Morrison's one-out single to center field. Faircloth screamed loudly toward his teammates as he emphatically stomped on the plate.

The Patriots eventually loaded the bases, but reliever Holden Foster induced an infield pop-up and inning-ending flyout to right field. The Eagles trailed 1-0.

Burt foiled Hales' no-hit bid with a one-out single to right field in the fourth. His teammates denied Hales' shutout attempt one inning later.

Brandon Price doubled into left field and took third base on a hit-and-run play that drew a first-strike pitch with Tyler Mozingo in the batter's box. Mozingo chopped Hales' second offering between third base and shortstop, and Price trotted home for the 1-1 tie.

Freedom caught the break it needed in the sixth.

Austin LaFollette connected on a triple into the power alley. Austin Deal followed with a fielder's choice ground ball and LaFollette took off for home. Shortstop Ted Suggs threw the ball a little off target and Burt couldn't get a glove on it as LaFollette slid across the plate.

"It was close, could have gone either way," Hinton said. "A perfect throw and we have him out. That was the difference in the ballgame."

Wayne Christian put runners on the corners with two outs in the sixth, but couldn't manufacture a game-tying run. Hales recorded six strikeouts in the sixth and seventh innings combined, and nine total for the game.

"We hadn't seen that slow left-handed curveball that kind of fooled the guys," Hinton said. "Mostly the backwards Ks (strikeouts) were that slow curve coming in the backdoor and that's what got us. (But) we were ready to hit (and) we put some balls in play."