Wayne County Post 11 designated hitter Cameron Aycock pops a bunt attempt into the air during first-inning play against Fuquay-Varina Post 116 Wednesday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Wayne County Post 11 center fielder Wyatt Lassiter turned in a two-hit performance during a 7-4 loss to Fuquay-Varina Post 116 in game one of the Area I West finals on Wednesday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Wayne County Post 11 right-hander Will Pennington warms up against Fuquay-Varina Post 116 on Wednesday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Wayne County Post 11 right-hander Jackson Jenkins provided four solid innings of relief against Fuquay-Varina Post 116 Wednesday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Fuquay-Varina Post 116 first baseman Laverne Chavis is called safe by umpire Ricky Crumpler, right, after he scored on a passed ball during second-inning action against Wayne County Post 11 Wednesday evening. At left, is Post 11 pitcher Will Pennington.
Fuquay-Varina Post 116 right fielder Jake Barbour slides in safely ahead of the throw during a five-run, second-inning uprising against Wayne County Post 11 Wednesday evening. Post 11’s Braeden Collins just missed making the tag. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Wayne County Post 11 faithful who witnessed a 7-4 loss to long-time rival Fuquay-Varina Post 116 Wednesday evening may attempt to place blame on certain plays.
Head coach Adam Pate would disagree.
“Obviously, there’s a few things that to the naked eye, sitting in the stands, you see,” Pate said. “You’re pointing fingers or attributing a lack of runs on offense, but we did not play that bad. Those are two really good baseball teams.”
The teams are playing again tonight at Campbell University for game two in their best-of-five, Area I West championship series. First pitch is 7 p.m. at Jim Perry Stadium in Buies Creek.
Post 11 entered the game No. 2 in the latest statewide N.C. Senior American Legion baseball rankings, while Post 116 stood third.
Neither team scratched in the first inning.
The second inning, however, proved different.
Fuquay-Varina (21-2 overall) seized a 5-0 lead against Post 11 right-hander Will Pennington. Post 116 capitalized on three base hits, two walks, a passed ball and infield error.
“His stuff was not bad,” Pate said. “He battled well and gave us a chance.”
Jackson Jenkins entered from the bullpen and induced an inning-ending groundout. The right-hander provided four innings of three-hit, four-strikeout relief and yielded two runs (one earned) on three hits.
“Jackson, on the mound, that was incredible coming in from the bullpen and holding him like he did gave us a chance to win the game,” Pate said.
Casey Culbreth yielded one hit and picked up a strikeout over the final 1 1/3 innings.
“That’s what you can hope from your kids when you bring them into a tight game against a really talented team, so Jackson, Penny and Casey did a good job,” Pate said.
Wayne County (28-4) erased the shutout in the third inning.
Wyatt Lassiter connected on a lead-off single, Davis Albert walked and Mason Moffett loaded the bases with an infield hit.
Lane McLean stroked a line-drive single up the middle to plate Lassiter. Moffett scored on the relay throw, which closed the gap to 5-2.
Post 116 responded with an inside-the-park home run from Pierre Bouwman. Post 11 right fielder Nate Smith appeared to hold the FV shortstop to just a single, but the ball took a wicked bounce and rolled to the fence.
Down 6-2, Wayne County rallied in the fifth.
McLean reached on a two-out single. Smith drew a free pass.
Braeden Collins blasted a two-RBI double to deep left field that nearly cleared the fence. McLean and Smith scored to boost Collins’ RBI total to 20 this season.
“A big swing…we got some energy back in our dugout and they [Post 116] did a good job stopping it there,” Pate said. “The very next batter, Landon [Sutton] hits a ball hard. If that becomes a hit, then the [offensive] wheels are turning.
“Going down 5-0, we made a big statement on scoring some runs. We hit some balls right at them, too, and that’s the game [of baseball].”
Fuquay-Varina reliever Andrew Clifford shut down the Wayne County offense from there. The right-hander retired all six batters he faced on two groundouts, two flyouts and two strikeouts.
Wayne County stranded seven runners aboard with five in scoring position.
McLean (two RBI) and Lassiter paced the offense with two hits apiece. Moffett, Smith and Collins (two RBI) each contributed one hit.
