Golden Falcons spoil Warriors' senior night

By Brandon Davis
Published in Sports on May 8, 2016 1:47 AM

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bdavis@newsargus.com

It didn't end so well for Jabo Fulghum.

The Eastern Wayne head baseball coach watched his team fall to Eastern Carolina 3-A/4-A Conference and county rival Charles B. Aycock, 6-0, during his last regular-season home game as skipper on Saturday evening.

Fulghum plans to retire after 24 years of coaching.

"You got to play with heart," he said. "We got down and we kind of laid down. You got to play with heart, you got to keep fighting until the end.

"As of this point right now, we're all zero to zero going to the playoffs, and it's a one-game show. If you win you stay in, (and) if you don't you're going home. We got to regroup. We've played our best baseball on the road this year."

But the frustrating loss happened against a hungry Charles B. Aycock squad.

The Golden Falcons entered the top of the first inning with purpose -- a No. 1 seed in the 3-A playoffs.

Senior Landon Casey drew a bases-loaded RBI walk that scored senior Kyle Davis from third base. Senior Bryce Anders launched the ball to left field and brought in two teammates.

Aycock led 3-0, but the Warriors showed defensively they wanted the No. 1 seed, too.

Eastern Wayne left-hander Tanner Wells threw four strikeouts over five innings. The Warriors held the Golden Falcons scoreless until the sixth inning.

Junior Chandler Matthews scored teammates Carson Smitherman and Blake Gibson with a hard-hit grounder to shortstop Ryan Warren.

Warren was ready when Davis stepped up to the plate. He leapt to catch the ball, which ended the Golden Falcons' rally. However, Aycock scored again in the seventh on doubles by Cameron Kornegay and Casey.

Kornegay scored for 6-0 final.

"I think the key was the first inning," Golden Falcons head coach Charles Davis said. "Any time you come out and score in the first inning, it puts pressure on the other team. Jacob (Sanford) was pretty good for us on the mound tonight. The most impressive play to me was Cameron Kornegay busting his tail out of the box and going to second base on that ball.

"We wish Eastern Wayne a lot of luck in the playoffs. Everybody is zero to zero. It's a one-game series."