Golden Falcons take rematch against Warriors

By Allen Etzler
Published in Sports on May 5, 2015 1:48 PM

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aetzler@newsargus.com

PIKEVILLE -- Standing off to the side talking to his third base coach, Bobby Hampton listened and laughed as Charlie Robertson was announced at the plate.

Hampton laughed because it was still his at-bat after he had fouled the previous pitch off his foot and took time to walk it off. But after the mishap from the announcer, Hampton got back in the batter's box.

And it's a good thing for Charles B. Aycock.

Hampton smoked the next pitch up the middle for an RBI single to spark a rally, which eventually led to a 9-1, senior night victory for the Golden Falcons over Eastern Carolina 3-A/4-A Conference and county archrival Eastern Wayne.

"They just whooped our tail tonight," Eastern Wayne coach Jabo Fulghum said.

Hampton's base hit drove in the first two runs of a seven-run outburst that put the Golden Falcons in control of the game.

And from there, Hampton put his stamp on the game where he's at his best -- the mound. The senior, who is headed to Appalachian State, struck out nine, gave up two hits and allowed an unearned run. It was his fourth appearance in Aycock's last four games -- a stint in which he has thrown more than 20 innings in two weeks.

"I'm real tired now," Hampton said. "I tell coach I can pitch, my arm is good. It doesn't hurt. It's just tired."

If Hampton was tired, it didn't seem like it.

But the Warriors' Zack Smith struggled. Nearly unhittable all season, Smith entered the game 5-1 on the mound with a solid earned run average. But the right-hander couldn't locate his pitches and gave up five earned runs on 10 hits.

"He just didn't couldn't get the ball down," Fulghum said. "Wasn't locating his pitches at all. It was very uncharacteristic of him. But he'll bounce back. We'll bounce back."

The biggest thorn in the side of Smith was Aycock lead-off batter Ashton McGee, who has been on a torrid streak since getting moved to the lead-off spot. The sophomore reached base in all four plate appearances, including two walks.

But when Smith offered pitches for McGee to hit in his final two at-bats he would take advantage. He McGee stroked a double down the left field line to start the fifth-inning rally, and then later drove in two runs with a single.

"I'm happy to reach base any way that I can so if they walk me, I'll talk a walk," McGee said. "But then I started getting fastballs and I was able to square them up."

Ryan Warren had an RBI double for the Warriors. Lee Daniels had the Warriors' other hit.