Spring Creek posts second straight mercy-rule win in postseason

By Allen Etzler
Published in Sports on May 16, 2015 11:27 PM

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aetzler@newsargus.com

SEVEN SPRINGS -- After walking the first two batters to start the second inning, Spring Creek baseball coach Heath Whitfield walked out to the mound for what seemed like the shortest mound visit in history.

"Throw strikes, you got a four-run lead," Whitfield said.

Then he walked off.

"Well, then he hit me pretty hard (on the butt)," pitcher Sawyer Smith said. "It kind of hurt."

But throwing strikes was all Smith needed to do on a night he didn't have his best stuff, because the Gators did more than enough damage at the plate in their 12-0, mercy-rule win over South Creek in the N.C. High School Athletic Association 1-A playoffs Saturday evening.

The Gators have outscored the opposition 22-0 and played the minimum 10 innings in two playoff games.

"I don't know if it has been easy, but we're hitting the ball well I'll tell you what," Smith said.

The Gators got the offense going early after Whitfield saw something he could take advantage of when the Cougars warmed up. He noticed South Creek's starting pitcher Nick Cooper was falling off hard toward first base, and that the Cougars' third baseman Will McKeel played back and wasn't fast enough to charge on a ball.

So, Whitfield had his first two batters -- Logan Miller and Hunter Walker bunt for a hit -- and they both executed the bunts to perfection. The Gators' meat of the order drove in the first two runs and scored two more in the four-run first.

"That was big to get that going because if they get on base I feel good about the guys up after them that we're at least going to get a couple runs," Whitfield said.

In the third, Trey Hammonds came to the plate with runners on second and third. Hammonds squared to bunt as the runner on third broke for home. But, then Hammonds pulled his bat back and let the pitch go. The runner scurried back to third and narrowly missed getting thrown out.

"It was a squeeze play and he missed the sign," Whitfield said. "That could cost us in a close game down the road."

And, maybe it would have in this game -- if Hammonds didn't drive the next pitch to right center field for a two-RBI hit.

"He bailed himself out on that one," Whitfield said. "That's a big hit for him confidence-wise. I'm hoping he can carry that one over to the next game."

The Gators added five runs in the third and three more in the fourth before Chad Spurgeon took over for Smith and shut the door.

Miller had three hits for the Gators. Will Rouse had three hits with four RBI. Spurgeon chipped in two hits.

Smith settled himself and started to get ahead in counts, which helped him work in his offspeed pitches. He went four innings, gave up one hit and struck out two batters.