Smitherman sparks Golden Falcons

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on May 21, 2014 1:48 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

PIKEVILLE -- Hank Smitherman considers himself a solid glove man in the infield and a decent hitter in the batter's box.

Opposing pitchers won't take him lightly again.

Smitherman stroked a two-run home run and collected four RBI during Charles B. Aycock's 6-1, third-round triumph over Southern Lee in the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A baseball playoffs Tuesday evening.

The Golden Falcons (18-9 overall) play host to Topsail either Friday or Saturday at Charles Davis Field with a berth in the best-of-three eastern championship series on the line.

"Southern Lee, everything I had heard about them, reminded me of our group in 2012," said CBA head coach Charles Davis, whose team finished state runner-up that season.

"They just find a way to win. When the score was 3-1, in the back of my mind (I was thinking) this team will not go away, this team will not go away."

Smitherman made sure the Cavaliers did.

The 165-pounder delivered a two-RBI single down the left-field line to make it 5-1. A bases-loaded walk pushed the margin to 6-1, which provided breathing room for relievers Tim Naughton and Noah West, who took the mound behind starter Bobby Hampton.

"I was lucky enough to get another fastball and put a good swing on it," said Smitherman, who concluded the night 2-for-3.

Hampton surrendered two hits and fanned five Southern Lee batters during a four-inning stint. Naughton tossed two innings and West threw the seventh.

The trio of hurlers combined for six walks, three wild pitches and two hit batsmen. The Cavaliers manufactured their lone fifth-inning run on a walk and three consecutive wild pitches.

Aycock took a 1-0 lead in the bottom half of the first inning.

Garrett Joyner connected on a lead-off double and scored on Noah West's sacrifice fly. Smitherman's two-run, second-inning blast extended the Golden Falcons' advantage to 3-0.

"I was kind of hoping he'd throw a fastball," Smitherman said. "From what I had heard, I knew he had been keeping people off balance all through the players and he did a good job (today).

"I saw it, hit it and am just glad it went out."

It was Smitherman's first homer of the season.

"I won't say he hit it well," Davis said of Smitherman. "I always kid him about his strength. I think the wind blew it out, but it's a two-run homer. I was just messing with him."

The Golden Falcons collected eight hits, including two by Hampton. Joyner, Ben Rouse, Ashton McGee and Logan Runyon contributed one hit apiece.

McGee had a stolen base.