LEGION BASEBALL: WC Post 11 completes sweep of Wilson

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on July 2, 2018 5:50 AM

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By RUDY COGGINS

rcoggins@newsargus.com

WILSON -- Start aggressive early.

It's a mantra Adam Pate has drilled into the heads of Wayne County Post 11 players this season, and to no surprise, the mentality produced an early windfall Saturday evening.

Jack Casbarro's first-inning steal drew two errant throws and sent a message to Wilson Post 13's defense. Post 11 swiped six bases on the night and pulled off an 8-5 victory at venerable Fleming Stadium.

Wayne County (21-1 overall) is the No. 1 seed for the Area I East Division playoffs, and is scheduled to host Game 1 of a semifinal-round series on July 9. The opponent has yet to be determined.

Coming into the game, Post 11 had stolen 106 bases in 20 outings this season.

That assertiveness proved pivotal. Wayne County managed six hits and finished 2-for-10 (.200) with runners in scoring position.

"Offensively, we didn't look bad, we just didn't have many hits," Pate said. "I love to play aggressive and run. What the players have done this season speaks volumes about their speed and their willingness to learn. It's helped us get in scoring position as quick as possible.

"We did take advantage of their mistakes."

Wayne County boosted its advantage to 5-0 in the second.

Will Uzzell reached on a fielder's choice and trotted home ahead of Conner Vernon, who deposited a two-strike pitch over the left-field fence. It was Vernon's first homer of the season and No. 19 overall for Post 11.

"A big swing," Pate said. "I was glad to see him put that one out."

Designated hitter Lance Wise walked and moved into scoring position on Casbarro's one-out fielder's choice that wiped Kolby Harris out at second base. Wise and Casbarro both scored on Carson Smitherman's two-RBI single up the middle.

Case Kermode collected a fifth-inning RBI, while Casbarro supplied an RBI double in the sixth.

Down 7-1, Wilson pushed across two unearned runs in the fifth and added two more in the sixth. Post 11 starter Aryc Chrisman departed in the fifth in favor of Vernon.

Chrisman (2-0) sat down six Post 13 batters on strikeouts and permitted an earned run on three hits through 4 1/3 innings.

"Aryc had a great start...was really, really good," Pate said. "If we didn't already have the one seed, I probably wouldn't have taken him out. We let them back into the game a little bit."

Bullpen specialist JP Peacock caught Parker Harris gazing at a called third strike to end any further trouble in the fifth after Tucker Chapin stepped in for Vernon.

Post 13 left the bases loaded in the fifth and stranded a total of five runners on the night.

Wayne County's defense committed a couple of sixth-inning miscues that put Peacock's save opportunity in jeopardy. But the right-hander coaxed Cedrick Kirby into an inning-ending groundout, and retired Post 13 in order in the seventh.

"I thought we played pretty well," said Pate, whose team had recorded back-to-back error-free outings against Pitt County.

"It wasn't our cleanest game."

Smitherman emerged as Wayne County's offensive leader with two hits and two RBI in three plate appearances. Casbarro finished 1-for-2, while Tyler Daniels contributed a hit and an RBI.

Wayne County claimed its fourth East division title over the past five years and second outright during that span.

Post 11 hasn't won an East division tournament crown since 2014, when it advanced to the N.C. Senior American Legion Baseball State tournament as the Area I champion.