Post 11 extends win streak to 3 games

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on June 2, 2015 1:48 PM

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By RUDY COGGINS

rcoggins@newsargus.com

DUDLEY -- Five games into the season, Wayne County Post 11 is starting to develop an identity.

There's no flashy play.

Or hanging on the fence to disrupt an opposing team's mental game.

It's more of a gritty, business-like approach that surfaced against Area I non-division nemesis Garner Post 232 on Monday evening. Despite seeing its four-run advantage disappear, Post 11 scratched out four runs in the final two innings and prevailed 9-5 on the Doyle Whitfield Athletic Complex diamond.

"This is a big win, we just beat a really good ballclub without all of our players," Post 11 outfielder Tanner Wells said. "I think that says a lot about how good our team is with six players gone, we can still beat a talented team with a lot of guys going to the next level to play baseball."

Tied at 5-5, Wells drove in the eventual game-winning run in the top of the sixth inning after Garner's defense had gunned down two runners at the plate. With men at second and third, Wells (1-for-4) collected his lone hit and RBI -- a two-strike double -- that bounced off of the left-field wall.

"That was a good pitcher (Langdon Wilson) on the mound and I was looking for a fastball," Wells said. "I knew the count and he didn't get his breaking balls over, so I assumed he was coming back with a fastball.

"I got set early and jumped on the fastball. He left it up (middle inside) and I connected with it."

The extra-base knock scored Zack Smith. Chad Spurgeon scampered home on a passed ball to make it 7-5.

Smith's two-RBI single extended Wayne County's lead to 9-5 in the seventh. The University of Charlotte commit cranked out three hits along with Coy Barnett, who delivered a run-scoring single in the third inning.

Sawyer Smith earned the mound win in his first-ever Senior Legion start. The right-hander permitted five earned runs on 10 hits and retired one Garner batter on a strikeout.

"I felt pretty good, hung a few curveballs ... especially that  change-up the dude (Cole Hinnant) sent over the wall," said Smith of his six-inning, 90-pitch outing. "I let my defense work ... just put it in play and let them make the plays for me. They didn't let me down tonight."

Wayne County played error-free defense.

Kevin Williams threw one inning of one-strikeout relief as Post 11 snapped a three-game skid against Garner.

"That's a really good win (against) a good ballclub that always seems to have our number," WC head coach Jason Sherrer said. "I'm not sure the last time we beat Garner. We always play them tight, but just can't pull away. We had Sawyer go and we didn't know what we'd get out of him because he hadn't thrown but an inning or two last week.

"He pitched very well, kept the ball down and got out of some big jams."

Post 11 turned a #sctop10 play in the third inning. After Hinnant's solo bomb, Zeke Barefoot reached on a single. Diego Guerrero hit a fly ball to center fielder Lee Daniels, who made a diving catch.

Thinking the ball would drop, Barefoot took off for second base and was almost to third. Daniels jumped up and threw to WC first baseman Allen Coor to complete the double play. Garner tied the game at 5-5 in the fifth before Wells supplied his game-winning knock in the sixth.