Matthews' 6th-inning single lifts Aycock past defending 3A state champ Topsail

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on May 21, 2015 1:48 PM

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HAMPSTEAD -- Hank Smitherman laid motionless down the first-base line as Charles B. Aycock assistant coach Jon Horton stabilized his head.

Senior captain Bobby Hampton called the team together for a huddle. Each player removed his cap, took a knee and prayed for their fallen teammate.

Pender County EMS officials soon arrived and worked on Smitherman, who never lost consciousness, for about 10 minutes. Strapped to a baseboard on a gurney, the immobilized Smitherman gave two thumbs up which drew a collective sigh from the Golden Falcon faithful.

"Hang in there Hank," CBA head coach Charles Davis said.

"Yes sir," Smitherman replied. "Go get the win."

Aycock did.

Chandler Matthews delivered the game-deciding single in the top of the sixth inning and the Golden Falcons stunned defending state champion Topsail, 3-2, in their third-round N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A playoff game. Aycock (20-4 overall) returns home Friday to face Wilson Fike.

A game time has not been determined.

Smitherman's injury occurred during the top of the fifth inning. He chopped a grounder toward shortstop Jake Madole, whose throw forced first baseman Josh Madole to come off the bag. Madole and Smitherman collided on the play and Smitherman fell backward onto the hard clay infield.

The impact caused Smitherman to suffer whiplash on the play. Aycock's coaches quickly rushed to the senior.

"Hank has played (varsity) for three years and he's been my best friend since were eight years old," CBA pitcher Bobby Hampton said. "Seeing him hurt, it really got to me. If it was me, he would have gone even harder if I had gotten hurt.

"Knowing that we all love him that much, it shows how close we are. We realized tonight we all needed each other tonight."

Smitherman was transported to an area hospital and released nearly two hours after the game had been completed. An MRI revealed no injuries, but Hampton must see his regular physician today to get clearance for Friday's eastern semifinal.

Younger brother Carson tweeted "Thank you everyone for the thoughts and prayers for Hank. He's talking and smiling as usual and doing better."

Locked in a scoreless duel through two innings, it was Smitherman -- ironically -- who put Aycock on the board in the top of the third. The senior stroked a two-strike, two-RBI double down the right-field line that plated Trent Herndon and No. 9 batter Brandon Palmer.

Topsail (25-3) knotted the game at 2-all in the bottom of the third. Hampton walked the No. 9 batter and surrendered back-to-back singles to lead-off batter Denny Wilson and Jake Madole. Wilson drove in Chase Riker and later scored on two-out infield error.

"I always do it," said Hampton, who walked the No. 9 hitter twice.

"But I believe, after I walked him (Riker in the fifth) we had a double play. I thought he was safe at first, but I wasn't going to argue."

Hampton allowed one base runner retired 14 of the final 15 batters he faced, and retired the Pirates in order in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings. The left-hander faced just five batters over the minimum for a seven-inning game and threw an efficient 87 pitches -- including 55 strikes.

Topsail managed three hits -- all in the first two innings.

Tied at 2-2, Matthews stepped into the box in the top of the sixth. He missed one bunt sign and laid down another bunt toward the third-base line that rolled into foul territory.

Working with a 2-2 count, Matthews laced a single up the middle and scored Hampton -- who had reached on an infield error to start the inning. Hampton thought he might get stranded at third until Matthews, who had one of Aycock's seven hits on the day, came through in the clutch.

"I knew I had missed a sign there and I told myself 'I'm gonna get a hit no matter what for Hank'," Matthews said. "I wanted to step up big and get a hit for us. (Hank's injury) put some fire in me and my teammates talked about we were going to get this 'W' after it happened.

"That's what we did. We competed."