Rouse hurls shutout in Carolina 1A baseball

By Brandon Davis
Published in Sports on April 14, 2016 1:48 PM

• Print
• Email

bdavis@newsargus.com

SEVEN SPRINGS -- Will Rouse pitched seven innings, threw seven strikeouts and allowed no runs from his opponent.

But that wasn't the Spring Creek senior's best game -- or even a pretty one, for that matter.

"I had trouble locating," Rouse said, whose team defeated Carolina 1-A Conference rival North Duplin, 4-0, on Wednesday evening at "The Swamp".

Despite his thoughts on the performance, Rouse kept pitching.

"That was the most pitches I think I've ever thrown. I don't think my arm's ever been sore," he said. "I haven't had any problems with it ever, so during a game, I can pretty much play the whole time."

In the top of the first inning, Rouse allowed a hit, but he soon found his rhythm and threw back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning.

Rebels senior Dustin Carter stepped to the mound, nodded at catcher Hunter Brickhouse and launched three quick strikes to start the Gators' half of the inning. He fired again, but Spring Creek junior Levi Miller and senior Sawyer Smith both stole home, giving the Gators a 2-0 lead.

The next five innings moved quickly between Carter and Rouse's combined 13 strikeouts.

"He (Carter) hit the zone constantly," Rouse said. "He didn't throw many balls, didn't walk many people, he was extremely good."

The Rebels found themselves within striking distance going into the bottom of the sixth. Still down by two runs, sophomore Ricky Cameron caught a pop fly in left field -- just two more outs to go.

Carter allowed two hits, but the third drove a dagger into North Duplin. Spring Creek sophomore Casey Whitfield slammed the ball out to right field, bringing in freshman Jensen Barwick and Rouse.

SC led 4-0.

Rouse stood tall on the mound and protected the lead.

"Spring Creek doesn't beat themselves. They don't ever beat themselves," North Duplin head coach Charles Crumpler said. "When we've got runners in scoring position, we've got to score. Four runs should not beat us. Four runs should not ever beat anybody.

"I think we played well, defensively. Dustin Carter threw a heck of a game, a couple of hit batters, but we're used to that. We want to pound the ball inside, if it hits them, I hate it, you know, it hits them, but Rouse was on."

Sophomore Colby Bass was 2-for-4 at the plate and junior Copeland Brickhouse was 2-for-3 for the Rebels.

Miller batted 2-for-3, while Whitfield recorded 2 RBI.

"He's (Rouse) been our go-to-guy by far. This was probably the worst game's he pitched," Spring Creek head coach Doyle Whitfield said. "It was the first time he's ever thrown over 100 pitches, usually he's down around 75 or 80, but he battled hard and battled his tail off. He didn't have his best stuff, but he battled and overcame.

"He's a bulldog."

Spring Creek (10-5 overall, 7-0 CC) travels to Lakewood today, while North Duplin (6-7, 3-4) plays host to Neuse Charter.