Area I East finals: Wayne County rolls in opener, 20-5

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on July 14, 2014 1:48 PM

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aetzler@newsargus.com

DUDLEY -- After having the bounces go their way in a three-game sweep over Windsor Post 37 last week, Wayne County Post 11 wouldn't need any luck Sunday night.

The bats came to life, and the defense cleaned up its mistakes as Post 11 handed Pitt County Post 39 a 20-5 defeat at the Doyle Whitfield Athletic Complex on Sunday evening.

Game 2 of the Area I East Division championship series is today at Pitt Community College. First pitch is 7 p.m.

"Obviously we'll take the first game of the series against a good team," Wayne County head coach Jason Sherrer said. "That's the most we've scored all year. It was good to save our bullpen a little bit and see how these guys swung it against some good arms and a good team."

Post 11 took advantage of a flat Post 39 team that was coming off of a five-game series against Wilson Post 13 that included a 12-inning game Saturday evening.

Wayne County (14-4-1 overall) tallied four straight hits in the second inning to kick off a seven-run outburst that set the tone for the rest of the game.

After being short on arms from a long series, Post 39 chose to stick with starter Brady Hill through the first three innings. Post 11's two through five hitters -- Kevin Williams, Ryan Faucette, Zack Smith and Chad Spurgeon -- combined for six hits and seven RBI while Hill was on the bump.

"I don't know what came out of us tonight," Faucette said. "But it was something good. We were ready. Hopefully it continues. I want to sweep this series."

The offensive onslaught allowed Post 11 starter Reed Howell breathing room to pitch without pressure. The right-hander battled through 5 2/3 innings, giving up nine hits and four runs.

After a mound visit from Sherrer in the sixth with runners on first and second with one out, Howell forced a ground ball to third that should have been a double play and gotten him out of the jam. But third baseman Hank Smitherman's throw to first was in the dirt and Smith couldn't make the pick.

The defensive hiccup was one of only two errors Wayne County made on the night, after coming off a three-game series in which they made 15.

"We've got to rely on our defense," Spurgeon said. "When we aren't swinging it (well), we're going to have to win one or two-run ball games. We need our defense to come through in those good games, so this was good to see."

Howell eventually surrendered an RBI single. Coy Barnett finished off the inning in relief of Howell and yielded one run in 1 1/3 innings total.

A nine-run sixth inning, in which Wayne County walked nine times and had three hits, set up the mercy rule.

Spurgeon finished with four RBI. Faucette, Smith, Williams and Ryan Kelly each drove in two runs. Allen Coor and Hank Smitherman each added two hits.