Wayne County Post 11 takes today off before heading west to face perennial powerhouse Cherryville Post 100 on Friday evening. The road outing begins a stretch of 10 games in 10 days for head coach Adam Pate and his players. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Opportunistic chances and solid pitching.Once again, Wayne County Post 11 benefited from those two factors during a 14-6, non-division triumph over Louisburg Post 105 Wednesday evening.
Five walks, a passed ball, a wild pitch, a hit batsman, throwing error and balk haunted the visitors. Nate Smith delivered a sacrifice RBI flyout in the first inning, while Davis Albert supplied a run-scoring double in the second.
WC led 6-1 after two innings.
Louisburg closed the gap to 6-4, but could get no closer.
Post 11 starter Carson Gipson recovered from his third-inning hiccup and held Post 105 scoreless in the fourth and fifth innings. He gave up four earned runs on four hits, walked three and notched 11 strikeouts.
Bullpen mate Sterling Bass threw the sixth. The rising junior at Wayne Country Day permitted two unearned runs on two hits, walked one and posted three strikeouts.
Gabe Adams struck out the side in the seventh.
Wayne County scratched out six hits — two each by Albert (RBI) and Braeden Collins (two RBI). Collin Woolard (RBI) and Landon Sutton (RBI) each registered one hit.
Post 11 lived like thieves on the bases. Albert and Lassiter had three swipes apiece, while Collins and Mason Moffett each had two. Lane McLean, Daniel Kornegay and Woolard each had one.
Next up
Off to its best start in program history, Wayne County (10-0 overall) begins a stretch of 10 games in 10 days on Friday. That’s when Post 11 travels to perennial powerhouse Cherryville Post 100 for a 7 p.m. battle at Fraley Field.
On Saturday, head coach Adam Pate takes his club to Shelby for meetings against 2022 state qualifier Rowan County and Cleveland County. Game times are 2 and 7 p.m. at Keeter Field, home of the American Senior Legion Baseball World Series.
According to its current updated schedule, Post 11 plays an undetermined opponent Sunday.
After a one-day break, Wayne County welcomes reigning state champion Wilmington Post 10 to the University of Mount Olive on June 14. Game time is 7 p.m. at Scarborough Field.
Pate’s talented squad hits the road again for its Area I West opener against Fuquay-Varina and a meeting against 2022 Southeast Regional qualifier Randolph County on consecutive nights. The Fuquay-Varina matchup is June 14 at NC State, while the Randolph County game is June 15 at Jim Perry Stadium on the Campbell University campus.
The grueling 10-day schedule concludes with back-to-back road outings against Pitt County Post 39 and Kinston. Post 11 and Post 39 will play at Lenoir Community College on June 16. Post 11 is the guest of Kinston at Viking Field on June 17.
