Story -- Northwood Temple vs. WCDS

By Justin Hayes
Published in Sports on May 13, 2017 11:37 PM

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Nine days.

That's how long Michael Taylor's Wayne Country Day baseball outfit sat idle, waiting for undercard brackets to clear and weather suitable enough to stage its appearance in the quarterfinal round of the 2017 N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association 1-A state playoffs.

Suffice to say, his brood of batsmen and battery pillars emerged no worse for the extended intermission.

Junior hilltopper Jack Talton seated 10 en route to a no-hitter, left-fielder Zach Barfield piled up four RBI and the host Chargers pummeled Northwood Temple Academy of Fayetteville, 9-1, on Saturday afternoon to, in the words of Taylor, "survive and advance."

Talton was the story from the outset, wheeling and dealing to all portions of the strike zone with baffling curvature and poise. Time and again, Northwood batters were frozen entirely or wave wildly ahead of the junior right-hander's offspeed delivery.

Over the first three frames, No. 15 recorded six strikeouts while facing just one batter over the minimum.

His effort allowed for some exploratory freedom at the plate by the Chargers, which resulted in an RBI double from senior Mitch Turnage in the first inning, then a full-scale riot in the fifth, when Country Day organized a six-run outburst that effectively sealed matters for good.

Case Kermode incited the barrage with a sharply hit ball up the middle, and was followed in short order by a deft Avery Browning bunt that spun awkwardly away from the clutches of Northwood pitcher Noah Wingate.

After a Turnage rocket to left field -- which stayed in the air an eternity and scored Kermode -- shortstop Amane Godo reached on a fielder's choice, which set the stage for the fully-realized ruination of Northwood (10-6).

Working on the clean side of an advantage count, Barfield found a Wingate offering to his liking and sponsored a never-in-question, torch-lit balloon ride over the fence in left field. When it landed, the scoreboard changed with enough substance to give those in attendance great confidence about reaching the state semifinals next week.

The Chargers would continue, however, tacking on an RBI single from 8th-grader Tanner Willman and two more RBI from Barfield in the sixth inning.

In addition to Talton's brilliance -- and Barfield's 2-for-4, 4-RBI effort -- the Chargers received contributions throughout their lineup, totaling nine base hits on the day.

Following a brief post-game assembly with his troops along the left-field chalk, skipper Taylor described the trials of dormancy ahead of a clash so meaningful.

"We were so antsy at the plate," the coach said of the game's early going. "They (the players) were just ready to go hit, go play and do what they needed to do -- we made some adjustments, and a win's a win."

Fortunately, Wayne Country Day (18-5 overall) won't have to endure a lengthy hibernation prior to its next outing. On Tuesday, the Chargers travel to Henderson, where a state semifinal tilt with Kerr-Vance Academy awaits.

First pitch is 6 p.m.