Spring Creek capitalizes on Goldsboro's miscues

By Justin Hayes
Published in Sports on March 24, 2016 1:46 PM

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SEVEN SPRINGS -- Trademark speed.

Spring Creek, known area-wide for its activity on the basepaths, used its calling card yesterday to exploit a litany of box score oddities en route to a 19-0, non-conference victory over Goldsboro.

All the Gators needed was an opportunity. And courtesy of their opposition's opening-inning pitching, they received it.

Bases on balls, two.

Errors, two.

A hit batsman.

From there, Spring Creek went to work -- post haste.

The Gators (6-3 overall) turned their half of the first into a bat-around-the-order carnival. Nine base runners reached -- with six stealing second base. In a flash, the game was in hand, 9-0.

Spring Creek was led by the plate work of Will Rouse, Kane Geelen, Jordan Ammons and Sawyer Smith. The quartet combined to go 5-for-9 with an impressive eight RBI.

"We wanted to get a lead," SC head coach Heath Whitfield remarked, "and we want them to stay aggressive."

Done and done.

And to further their point, the Gators put together a dizzying, lights-out third stanza. The effort -- a 10-run combination of plunked batsmen, walks and Cougar errors -- effectively muted any hope of a Goldsboro rally.

"We had some tough situations early, and they (Spring Creek) put the ball in play and made things happen," said Goldsboro head coach Danny Merritt. "Got to give them credit."

And despite Goldsboro's willingness to compete, the Spring Creek show marched toward its inevitable mercy-rule conclusion.

Junior Matthew Dupuy hurled the final frame for the Gators, who used four pitchers on the evening. As a staff, Spring Creek issued nine strikeouts, one walk and one base hit -- a fifth-inning laser to left field by Goldsboro's Jamaal Wilson.

"Landon (Smothers) was around the strike zone, real pleased with the way he threw it," Whitfield said of his freshman starter. "(But) all of those guys are gonna to help us... get their feet wet a little bit."

Smothers fanned five Cougar batsmen on the evening. Sophomore Casey Whitfield earned the win for Spring Creek.

The Gators travel to South Lenoir today. Goldsboro (0-9) plays Fayetteville Westover on March 29.