Wayne County Post 11 designated hitter Daniel Kornegay celebrates a game-winning, walk-off single as teammates Wyatt Lassiter (11) and Davis Albert (2) rush toward him after a 7-6 win over High Point Post 87 in elimination-round play of the NC Senior American Legion state baseball tournament Friday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Wayne County Post 11’s Mason Moffett slides safely into third base after he connected on a lead-off triple in the bottom of the seventh inning against High Point Post 87 on Friday evening. Moffett eventually scored on Daniel Kornegay’s game-ending, walk-off single. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Wayne County Post 11’s Davis Albert looks back toward the umpire and is shocked at getting called out on a late-inning play against High Point Post 87 on Friday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
High Point Post 87 shortstop Landon Mowery catches Wayne County Post 11’s Nate Smith stealing second base on Friday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Wayne County Post 11 left-hander Sterling Bass worked three innings and earned a no-decision against High Point Post 87 on Friday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Wayne County Post 11’s Collin Woolard scores a second-inning run as High Point Post 87 catcher Bryce Hooker fields a late relay throw. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Wayne County Post 11 catcher Wyatt Lassiter tags out High Point Post 87 runner Bryce Hooker during third-inning action Friday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Wayne County Post 11 right-hander Carter Gipson hurled two innings of scoreless relief and earned the mound win during elimination-round play against High Point Post 87 at the NC Senior American Legion state baseball tournament in Buies Creek on Friday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Wayne County Post 11 Mason Moffett records a late-inning out at first base Friday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Wayne County Post 11’s Nate Smith, left, walks back to the dugout with his teammates after hitting a game-tying, two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning against High Point Post 87 on Friday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
BUIES CREEK — Burned out from high school baseball, Daniel Kornegay almost stored his bat, glove, helmet and cleats for the summer. He’s glad he didn’t.
So is Wayne County Post 11 head coach Adam Pate.
The recent Princeton High School grad delivered the game-winning, walk-off single and propelled Post 11 to a 7-6 triumph over High Point Post 87 on Friday evening.
The work isn’t done.
Wayne County (32-7 overall) faces another elimination-round game today against Rowan County, which turned back Fuquay-Varina 7-3. Game time is noon at Jim Perry Stadium on the Campbell University campus.
The survivor battles Fuquay-Varina for the NC Senior American Legion state baseball crown and a berth in the Southeast Regional at Asheboro. First pitch is 3:30 p.m.
Fresh — well maybe a little tired — after an emotional comeback win 24 hours earlier against Wilmington, Wayne County (32-7 overall) entered its final at-bat against High Point deadlocked at 6-6.
Mason Moffett laced a triple to center field. High Point left fielder Jake Little and center fielder Yates Sikes each dove for the ball, which bounced between them. Moffett safely slid into third and the Post 11 dugout erupted.
“Great hustle by Mason out of the box,” Pate said. “Their center fielder is a great ballplayer, made a great effort at it. Mason has good instincts. I was wanting to hold him at second with no outs to lead the inning off. The triple paid off.”
Nate Smith drew a walk and stole second.
One out later, Kornegay — in the designated hitter’s role — stepped into the box.
“He [Pate] just told me to swing the bat,” Kornegay said. “I missed the first fastball, was just looking for the second one. I wasn’t going to swing at anything off speed, was just trying to get it down the middle. He threw me a fastball middle out[side].”
Moffett touched the plate and immediately joined his teammates who mobbed Kornegay near first base. The game-clinching base knock moved Wayne County one step closer to its seventh appearance in the state final and first since 2011.
High Point (19-6) capitalized on timely hitting and a defensive miscue during a three-inning stretch. A 3-1 deficit turned into a 6-4 advantage after 4 1/2 innings of play.
Post 11 didn’t back down.
Nate McLean legged out an infield bunt. McLean stole second base and raced home on Davis Albert’s RBI single to right field. Post 87 threw out Albert, who attempted to take second on the play.
Moffett walked after a seven-pitch at-bat.
Ahead 3-1 in the count, Smith mashed a two-run bomb that easily cleared the left-field fence. The ball took one hop and rolled up the hill behind the stadium.
“I was late on my first fastball that I got and the next pitch, he threw me another one,” Smith said. “I focused on timing and it worked out for me. It felt really good [off the bat] and I knew it was gone after that.”
It was Smith’s lone hit of the game.
“That swing by Nate changed everything, obviously,” Pate said. “If that’s not a home run [but] a flyout, we might not be standing here talking in this same tune. That ball was absolutely crushed. There’s been a couple of home runs here this week, but I don’t know if any have been hit that far.
“That got our team back going.”
Reliever Carter Gipson earned the mound win. The right-hander held Post 87 scoreless during his two-inning stint and logged one strikeout in the scorebook.
High Point collected two earned runs on five hits and three walks against left-handed Sterling Bass, who worked the first three innings. Casey Culbreth yielded four runs (three earned) on four hits during his middle-innings appearance.
McLean emerged as the offensive leader with three hits, an RBI and two stolen bases. The program’s newly-minted career stolen-base leader, he boosted his total to 49.
Moffett, Collin Woolard (RBI) and Kornegay (RBI) each concluded the day with two hits apiece. Albert (RBI) provided one hit.
“Coach told us before the game that when a dog is caught in the corner, they get up on you and bite,” Smith said. “That’s what we did.”
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
Wednesday’s games
Game 5: Wilmington 13, Cleveland County 5 (Cleveland County eliminated)
Game 6: Rowan County 11, Cherryville 4 (Cherryville eliminated)
Game 7: High Point 12, Pitt County 1 (5 inn.)
Game 8: Fuquay-Varina 10, Wayne County 4
Thursday’s games
Game 9: Rowan County 6, Pitt County 2 (Pitt County eliminated)
Game 10: Wayne County 9, Wilmington 7 (Wilmington eliminated)
Game 11: Fuquay-Varina 6, High Point 1
Friday’s games
Semifinals
Game 12: Wayne County 7, High Point 6 (High Point eliminated)
Game 13: Rowan County 7, Fuquay-Varina 3
Today’s games
Semifinal elimination
Game 14: Wayne County (32-7) vs. Rowan County (39-8)
Championship
Game 15: Game 14 winner vs. Fuquay-Varina (26-4)
