PREP BASEBALL: WCDS completes CPIC sweep

By Ben Coley
Published in Sports on May 5, 2017 10:13 AM

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bcoley@newsargus.com

Wayne Country Day and Wayne Christian were both presented with opportunities to drive in runs during the Coastal Plains Independent 1-A Conference tournament title game Thursday afternoon.

The difference in the game was simple -- the Chargers made the most of it, and the Eagles didn't.

WCDS smashed five home runs and 15 hits, which lifted it to a 12-0 mercy-rule victory over the Eagles. The Chargers swept the CPIC regular season and tournament titles.

WCS was runner-up for both honors.

"That's what we talked about at the beginning the day -- balls are going to be flying today," said CPIC Coach-of-the-Year Michael Taylor. "We knew Ted (Suggs) likes to get ahead, so we just talked about getting ahead of his fastballs."

WCDS came after Suggs in the second inning.

The Eagles' pitcher left a ball up in the zone and Amane Godo smacked it over the left-field wall. Right after him, Zach Barfield smashed a ball over the right-center field fence.

WCDS added two more runs in the third to make the score 4-0.

In the fourth, Tanner Willman singled, Avery Browning doubled and CPIC Player-of-the-Year Mitch Turnage brought everyone home with a deep shot to center. Not to be outdone, John Strickland followed up Turnage's homer with his own moonshot to center field.

Two back-to-back home run innings, one short game.

The exclamation point came in the fifth. With the bases loaded and an eight-run lead, Browning invoked the mercy rule with a grand slam to left field.

"Before the game, we talked about keeping the ball down," said WCS head coach Pete Norris. "And (Suggs) kept it down. They hit some 12 inches off the ground and still hit them 200 to 300 feet. The ball flies out of here."

The game unfolded a bit differently for WCS.

Addison Johnson led the game off with a hit, but WCDS turned a double play. In the second frame, the Eagles had the bases loaded, but Corbett Schafer struck out.

Johnson returned in the third inning with a lead-off walk, but the next three batters struck out. WCS stranded seven runners in five innings.

"We didn't hit in the crunch," Norris said. "You gotta hit when you get runners on base in a game like this."

Strickland -- who received the mound win for the Chargers -- allowed two hits and struck out eight. Browning led WCDS with a 4-for-4 effort while Godo went 3-for-3.

After the game, it was announced that WCDS' Jack Talton earned All-CPIC honorable mention. All-conference players from the Chargers included Godo, Case Kermode, Browning, Turnage and Strickland. Luke Suggs, Ted Suggs, Will White and Holden Foster received all-CPIC honors for Wayne Christian.

Taylor said the seedings for the state playoffs will be revealed on Sunday. If the Chargers remains mentally focused, Taylor believes his team has the ability to compete for another, bigger trophy.

"I think we're clicking on all cylinders," Taylor said. "We got to clean up the defensive side of the ball. If we keep swinging it like we did (Thursday), we have a chance to make a run at (the state title)."