Wayne County Post 11 right-hander Carter Gipson warms up against Durham Post 416 in game one of their best-of-five, Area I West semifinal-round series Thursday evening. Gipson shut out Durham for four innings and allowed three hits. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Durham Post 416 third baseman Nick Reed dives to tag Wayne County Post 11’s Braeden Collins who got caught in a rundown situation Thursday. Collins was called out for running outside the baseline. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Wayne County Post 11 first baseman Mason Moffett stretches for the throw and retires Durham Post 416 batter Alex Pena during first-inning action Thursday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Durham Post 416 third baseman Nick Reed catches Wayne County Post 11’s Davis Albert attempting to steal the bag during first-inning action. Reed’s tag completed an inning-ending double play. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Wayne County Post 11’s Wyatt Lassiter is met by his teammates after scoring the game’s first run against Durham Post 416 Thursday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Wayne County Post 11 took care of business and received an unexpected, added bonus Thursday evening.
Right-handed hurlers Carter Gipson and Gabe Adams spearheaded a 10-0, five-inning shutout over Durham Post 416 in game one of their Area I West semifinal-round series.
WC head coach Adam Pate said after the game that Durham had forfeited the remainder of the best-of-five series. Post 11 advances to the Area I West finals to face either Fuquay-Varina or Louisburg.
“They’re pulling out of the playoffs,” Pate said. “We’re looking for some exhibition games and have some possibilities lined up for either tomorrow [today], Saturday or Sunday. Our goal is to find two more games to try to emulate a best-of-five series.”
Pate couldn’t have been more pleased with Gipson and Adams’ efficient outings.
During his four-inning stint, Gipson yielded three hits and sat down three Durham batters on strikeouts. Adams hurled two innings of no-hit, two-strikeout relief.
Three runners reached base against Gipson and two were stranded in scoring position. Adams retired all six Post 416 hitters he faced.
Wayne County recorded its fourth consecutive shutout.
“Really good pitching, obviously,” Pate said. “Carter and Gabe did their jobs, threw a lot of strikes and got outs.”
Offensively, Post 11 played its normal aggressive game.
Durham’s defense responded early. It thwarted two stolen-base attempts, recorded an inning-ending double play and got a Post 11 runner hung up between second and third.
The plays didn’t bother Pate.
“We ran ourselves out of a couple of innings, but at the same time we were being aggressive … put a lot of good swings on the ball, so I’m proud of my guys tonight,” Pate said.
Up 2-0, Wayne County seized command in the third.
Lassiter roped a one-out triple to the left-field corner and scored on Mason Moffett’s RBI base knock up the middle. Davis Albert, who walked, crossed the plate on Cameron Aycock’s single.
Nate Smith plated Moffett and Aycock with a two-strike double into left field.
Wayne County added two runs in the fourth.
Braeden Collins capped the mercy-rule win with a two-strike, two-RBI double in the fifth. The extra-base hit scored Smith and Landon Sutton.
“Honestly, you take a six-day break for the Fourth of July and you don’t really know what to expect, so I was really proud of our guys coming back, putting barrels on the ball and hitting the ball hard.
“Cates was a sidearm, the ball ran and that’s a tough matchup for right-handed hitters. They did a good job, very proud of them.”
Lassiter, Albert (four RBI), Moffett (RBI), Smith (two RBI) and Collins (two RBI) provided two hits apiece. Aycock (RBI), McLean and No. 9 hitter Alex Ferrell (RBI) each contributed one hit.
McLean and Albert each had a stolen base.
Wayne County (27-3 overall) claimed its ninth consecutive playoff-opening win and 15th overall in 18 tries since 2005.
