Gore shuts down Spring Creek

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on May 23, 2015 10:35 PM

• Print
• Email

From staff reports

WHITEVILLE -- McKenzie Gore was as good as advertised.

The left-handed sophomore struck out the first seven batters he faced and 14 overall as top-seeded Whiteville upended Spring Creek, 4-1, in round four of the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1-A playoffs Friday evening.

The Wolfpack (24-4 overall) face in-county rival West Columbus in the best-of-three eastern regional championship series.

Gore permitted five hits in a 93-pitch outing.

"He was a very, very good polished young left-handed pitcher," SC head coach Heath Whitfield said. "As a sophomore, I couldn't believe his poise and mechanics. He threw all of his pitches for strikes. He's a solid pitcher at 1-A, but would be good at any level."

Whiteville posted two-first inning runs on a two-out rally. The Wolfpack added single runs in the second and third innings. Gore benefited from a defense that didn't commit an error, but had its string of 25 consecutive shutout innings end in the seventh.

Spring Creek's three seniors -- Logan Miller, Allen Coor and Chad Spurgeon -- broke up Gore's shutout bid. Miller singled up the middle, Coor beat out an infield hit and Spurgeon had a base knock to left field.

"It was good to see them get a hit in the final at-bat of their career," Whitfield said.

Will Rouse (2-for-3) plated the Gators' lone run with a two-out single to right field. Spring Creek finished with five hits on the night.

Rouse tossed 3 2/3 innings of two-hit, one-strikeout relief behind Spurgeon, who worked two-plus innings on the bump. Whiteville managed six hits and all four runs were earned.

"They jumped on pitches that were up in the strike zone," Whitfield said. "Will came in and was great, stayed around their knees."

The Gators ended the year 16-7 overall.