Post 11 plays flat in non-division loss to Wallace Post 156

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on June 20, 2015 11:41 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

DUDLEY -- "Clean everything up."

A disappointed Wayne County Post 11 head coach Jason Sherrer told his team after a less-than-inspired, non-division loss to Wallace Post 156.

Helmet tucked underneath his left arm, Sherrer wiped sweat from his brow with a towel. He looked toward the backstop and chose his words carefully before he spoke.

A team that had won 10 of its last 11 games since an 0-2 start showed no enthusiasm and made uncharacteristic defense miscues that led to a 6-0 shutout defeat -- the program's first in 384 days and just its third overall since 2010.

"I don't know (where we were tonight)," Sherrer said. "We were very flat ... four of five errors, maybe three balls hit hard. It didn't look anything like we have displayed this entire season as far as offense, defense ...

"I know we are short-handed with guys at the State Games, but we've played plenty of games with 12 guys and we've played well. We've played plenty of games with nine guys and we've played well.

"There's really no excuse. We got out-played 100 percent."

Wallace Post 156 right-hander Mike Smith allowed just five base runners and scattered three hits in a complete-game performance. He constantly worked ahead of the batter, consistently pounded the strike zone and threw any pitch he wanted at any time in the count.

Wayne County (10-4 overall) put just three runners aboard in the final four innings, and hit into a pair of rally-killing double plays during that stretch. Post 156 also turned a first-inning DP on a dropped third-strike wild pitch.

Smith threw 90 pitches.

"Their guy pitched well and we didn't make any adjustments (at the plate)," a disappointed Sherrer said. "He was very aggressive by getting ahead, was able to throw his breaking ball for a strike and it wasn't necessarily a put-out pitch in the count.

"It was one of those things where we went up there hacking, thinking that we were going to do something without having an idea at the plate."

Chad Spurgeon, Coy Barnett and Trent Herndon collected one single apiece. Smith held Wayne County to a .125 batting percentage -- well below its .292 season average.

Eager to avenge a two-run loss to Post 11 just nine days ago, Wallace posted three first-inning runs -- including two unearned. Cedrick Kornegay and designated hitter Jonathan Wright each supplied an RBI hit, while Post 156 collected its third run on a routine infielder grounder.

Wallace added a single run in the fourth when the umpire, out of position, missed a tag at the plate that would have ended the inning.

As thunder rumbled in the background and drops of rain started to fall, Wayne County got in two at-bats before a streak of lightning danced across the sky. The umpires sent both teams to the dugout, which started a 47-minute delay.

When play resumed, Wayne County still couldn't solve Smith and eventually endured its fourth home loss of the season.

"When you have three base runners through five innings, it's tough to win," Sherrer said. "When you don't put pressure on the defense with lazy fly balls and on the defensive side you let them get extra bases."

Wallace put the game away with a pair of unearned runs in the sixth inning. Post 156 finished with nine hits, but scratched just three against Post 11 reliever Jordan Gurley, who sat down nine of the last 10 batters faced.

Gurley logged three strikeouts in five innings.

Post 11 traveled to Ahoskie on Saturday, which continued a stretch of seven games in the final nine days of regular-season play. Wayne County visits Wilson for a pivotal Area I East game Monday, and returns home to face Pitt County on Wednesday.