LEGION BASEBALL: WC Post 11 sweeps twinbill from Ahoskie

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on June 25, 2018 5:51 AM

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By AVIEL SMOLKA

asmolka@newsargus.com

Wayne County Post 11, after seeing its 12-game win streak come to an end Friday night at Kinston Post 43, returned home Sunday for a doubleheader against Ahoskie Post 102.

"Kinston is a good team. We had a nice streak going, but they played really well," said Post 11 coach Adam Pate. "We've had a lot of success, but at the same time it's still baseball and anything can happen.

"We remain positive, there's only one way to go and that's back up. After a loss you get up and get right back at it."

Anything did happen against Ahoskie.

Wayne County battled back to win the opener, 9-5, and throttled Post 102 by a 18-0 count in the second game.

"Coach Pate told us to keep our heads up, to ball out and be ready to eat," said Aryc Chrisman.

Starting pitcher Conner Vernon struggled and Wayne County quickly fell behind 3-0 in the first inning of game one. Post 102 scored off of an RBI triple, a sacrifice fly and a Wayne County error.

"You never want to make excuses, but they [Ahoskie] got a couple hits, but we battled back," said Pate.

Wayne County started rolling in the third when Jack Casbarro hit a two-RBI triple, which cut Ahoskie's lead down to 3-2.

Aryc Chrisman gave Post 11 the lead with a fourth-inning, three-run home run.

"Ayrc Chrisman played great, he didn't miss anything tonight," said Pate.

The score was 7-3 after Luke Frederick hit a two-RBI single. Casbarro made the score 8-3 after he hit a RBI double.

Blake Gipson replaced Vernon and threw five strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings.

"I try to fill the strike zone, it doesn't matter if we're up or down," Gipson said. "Today was one of my better outings. I always try to stay ready because anybody can be called up at any time."

Kolby Harris relieved Gipson and got Wayne County out of a jam in the fifth. Case Kermode came in the sixth and threw two strikeouts.

Christian Yarbrough scored off of a sacrifice fly increasing Wayne County's lead to 9-3.

Ahoskie rallied to within 9-5.

Chrisman came in the for save and Wayne County ended the game on a double play.

"The double play was huge," said Pate.

After a post-game snack of burgers, Wayne County came out firing on all cylinders in game two.

'We came out swinging, we started off kind of slow in game one, but in the end, we looked good," said Chrisman.

Wayne County (16-2 overall, 6-1 Area I East) got off to quick start in the first when Chance Howard hit a RBI triple for the game's first run. Chrisman made the score 2-0 with a RBI double, and Gipson hit a RBI single to make it 3-0.

Gipson and Yarbrough both stole home to make the score 5-0.

The wheels fell off for Ahoskie in the second.

Chrisman hit his second home run of the day. Tyler Daniels hit a two-RBI double and Casbarro added an RBI double of his own. Howard's RBI double boosted the lead to 11-0.

"I just swung the bat well today well today," said Chrisman.

Chrisman's two-RBI single increased Wayne County's lead to 13-0. Gipson's RBI single, Daniels' bases-loaded two-RBI double and Casbarro's two-RBI single accounted for the 18-0 final.

"We like scoring a lot of runs, and we've been able to do that this year," Chrisman said.

Starting pitcher Tucker Chapin threw five strikeouts in two innings, and got the win.

"Tucker had a great start on the mound, we got him out there quick because we didn't want to wear him out, and our bullpen looked great," Pate said.