Wayne County Post 11 center fielder Wyatt Lassiter legged out this infield bunt that started a sixth-inning rally against Rowan County on Tuesday afternoon in Buies Creek. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Wayne County Post 11 third baseman Braeden Collins stabbed this early-game line drive that ended an inning against Rowan County on Tuesday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Wayne County Post 11 right-hander Gabe Adams scattered two hits during a five-inning performance and earned the mound win against Rowan County Tuesday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Wayne County Post 11 head coach Adam Pate, middle, talks to his team before it takes the field against Rowan County in opening-round play of the 2023 NC Senior American Legion state baseball tournament Tuesday afternoon. At left is first-base coach Tyler Daniels and at right is assistant coach Colton Chrisman. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Wayne County Post 11 pitching coach Matt Hare, center, talks with catcher Landon Sutton, left, and reliever Casey Culbreth during a sixth-inning break against Rowan County Tuesday afternoon. Culbreth earned the save with two innings of one-hit relief.
Wayne County Post 11 catcher Landon Sutton, left, makes a throw down to second base after Rowan County’s Luke Graham attempted a bunt Tuesday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Wayne County Post 11’s Braeden Collins dives back to first during early-game action against Rowan County on Tuesday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Wayne County Post 11 second baseman Lane McLean catches Rowan County’s Elijah Palmer attempting to steal second base during their opening-round game in the 2023 NC Senior American Legion state baseball tournament Tuesday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
BUIES CREEK — “Come on out,” the first-base umpire said.
Casey Culbreth closed the bullpen gate and hustled toward the mound.The Wayne County Post 11 right-hander had waited for this moment. He warmed up, took a deep breath and glanced toward the scoreboard.
Down 4-0, top-ranked Rowan County loaded the bases and appeared poised for a game-changing, sixth-inning rally. After a strikeout, the Area III champs scored on a passed ball.
Culbreth didn’t flinch.
Two pitches later, he induced an ending-inning double play turned by middle infielders Braeden Collins and Lane McLean.
The twin killing helped seal a 4-1 outcome and set up another much-anticipated meeting — this time today against nemesis Fuquay-Varina in round two of the NC Senior American Legion state baseball tournament. Game time is 7:30 p.m. at Jim Perry Stadium on the Campbell University campus.
“I was out with a fractured shin for the rest of the year, so I just got cleared about a week ago,” Culbreth said. “It felt good [out there]. Besides that one pitch, my fastball had a good sink on it so they really weren’t able to barrel it up much.
“And they hit into a double play.”
Wayne County avenged a mid-June loss to Rowan.
Plus, Post 11 silenced some nay-sayers.
“A bunch of people doubted us today,” McLean said. “When we had orientation yesterday [Monday], we were talking to other teams and they were asking who we’re playing; they doubted we were going to win this game. It gave us that extra drive to want to beat them harder.”
Scoreless through three innings, Post 11 finally scratched in the fourth.
Davis Albert drew a two-out walk and raced home on Nate Smith’s RBI double that bounced off the left-field wall. Smith concluded the day 2-for-2 and boosted his season RBI total to 30.
Before Smith’s extra-base knock, Wayne County had trouble solving Rowan’s Hayden Simmerson. The right-hander yielded just two hits, struck out five and benefited from two stellar defensive plays — a pickoff at third and an inning-ending double play.
“Not finding the ball right, not putting it in play,” McLean said.
That changed in the sixth.
Will Lassiter and McLean spearheaded a three-run outburst with back-to-back infield bunt singles. Mason Moffett laid down a bunt and the Rowan defense threw the ball away at third.
Lassiter scored.
McLean and Moffett moved up to third and second, respectively. Albert plated McLean with a sacrifice fly, while Moffett scored on Smith’s second hit of the afternoon.
“We just started putting balls in play, laying down bunts and just kept doing it,” McLean said. “The more balls you put in play, good stuff happens.”
Culbreth allowed a one-out double in the seventh. He coaxed Cameron Burleyson into a comebacker to the mound and game-ending flyout, which gave him his first save of the season.
Gabe Adams emerged as the winning pitcher. The right-hander worked five innings, permitted an earned run on two hits, walked five and struck out two.
In addition to Smith, McLean provided two hits. Lassiter and Moffett supplied one hit apiece, while Braeden Collins stole one base.
“Gabe … very good,” WC Post 11 head coach Adam Pate said. “It was hot, he hasn’t started many games for us this summer, but he did exceptional, did what we asked him to do. He went after them [and] walked a couple more than he normally does.
“No doubt Casey did a great job … has done what we’ve asked and needed from him. “I’m proud of my guys. Both teams are really talented and it was a well-played game on both sides, luckily we did a couple of more things to get a couple of more runs.”
2023 NC Senior American Legion
State Baseball Tournament
(at Jim Perry Stadium, Campbell University)
Tuesday’s games
Game 1: Pitt County 2, Cleveland County 1
Game 2: High Point 5, Wilmington 1
Game 3: Wayne County 4, Rowan County 1
Game 4: Fuquay-Varina 3, Cherryville 1
Today’s games
Game 5: Cleveland County (24-10) vs. Wilmington (16-3), 10 a.m.
Game 6: Rowan County (36-6) vs. Cherryville (23-12), 1 p.m.
Game 7: Pitt County (17-9) vs. High Point (18-4), 4 p.m.
Game 8: Wayne County (31-6) vs. Fuquay-Varina (24-3), 7 p.m.
Thursday’s games
Game 9: Game 7 loser vs. Game 5 winner, 1 p.m.
Game 10: Game 8 loser vs. Game 6 winner, 4:30 p.m.
Game 11: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner, 7:30 p.m.
Friday’s games
Semifinals
Game 12: Game 11 loser vs. Game 10 winner, 4:30 p.m.
Game 13: Game 11 winner vs. Game 9 winner, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 29 games
Championship
Game 14: Game 12 winner vs. Game 13 winner, Noon
Game 15: If necessary, 3 p.m.
