LEGION BASEBALL: Wilson eliminates Post 11 in Area I East semifinals

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on July 17, 2018 5:51 AM

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By RUDY COGGINS

rcoggins@newsargus.com

Wayne County Post 11 can't seem to solve the enigma that is Wilson Post 13.

At least since 2015.

During that four-year span, Post 13 has ousted Post 11 from the Area I East Division semifinals on three occasions.

The latest occurred Friday evening.

Fourth-seeded Wilson plated a pair of eighth-inning runs and stunned top-seeded Wayne County, 12-10, in the decisive Game 5 of their series.

"Pretty shocked, upset obviously," Pate said of the season-ending loss.

"We didn't think we would lose. We thought our season would at least end toward the state tournament the way our regular season had gone. They knew they had played hard and I knew they had, too, and that's more than I can ask for from them.

"It was tough that it ended so quick, I guess."

The long-time rivals, who have met 140 times on the diamond since the late 1940s, combined for series highs in total runs scored (22), total hits (31), total runners left on base (19), hits with runners in scoring position (14) and total single-game home runs (3).

Wayne County bolted to a 4-0 lead on Chance Howard's RBI sac fly, Jack Casbarro's two-RBI single and Blake Gipson's RBI base knock.

Wilson put six on the board in the third inning.

Josh Fuller connected on a two-RBI triple. Cedrick Kirby, Silas Gonzalez and Jalyn Melton each supplied an RBI hit. The offensive barrage, which came with two outs, prompted Pate to replace right-handed starter Aryc Chrisman on the mound.

"We got off to a good lead, were playing well, but they've been swinging the bat well all series...a lot better than they did against us in the regular season," Pate said.

Post 11 filed four runs in the scorebook in the third.

Christian Yarbrough delivered an RBI double, Howard drove in a run and Kolby Harris -- in a pinch-hit role -- cranked out an RBI single. A defensive miscue, one of four by Post 13 on the night, also contributed to a run.

Wilson knotted the contest at 8-all in the top half of the fifth.

Casbarro put Wayne County in front, 10-8, with a two-out, two-RBI home run in the bottom half of the frame. Casbarro concluded the night 3-for-5 with four RBI.

"We came back and then they'd come back," Pate said.

Wilson forged a 10-10 tie in the sixth.

Wayne County (23-5 overall) stranded two runners in scoring position in the sixth and left the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth.

"We had the winning run on base and at the plate, so what more can you ask for from your players?" Pate said. "That's baseball. It was tough, no doubt...a good game."

Case Kermode chipped in three hits, while Harris and Howard recorded two hits apiece. Blake Gipson (RBI), Landon Ginn, Yarbrough and Daniels each ended up with one hit.

Howard took the mound loss with three innings of four-hit, four-strikeout relief. He replaced Harris, who stepped in for Ginn after Chrisman encountered trouble in the third.

Wilson (9-9) opens the Area I East finals today at second-seeded Pitt County. The best-of-five series will determine the division's state qualifier.