Southern Wayne’s Brayden McKee steals second base as West Johnston second baseman Landon Dunlow applies the late tag while teammate Jackson Hood backs up the play Thursday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
DUDLEY — Southern Wayne had its chances early to knock Quad County 3A baseball foe West Johnston from the unbeaten ranks Thursday evening.
The Saints just couldn’t solve Dean Capelletti.
The sophomore right-hander retired the final nine batters he faced and preserved the Wildcats’ 2-1 victory on the Doyle Whitfield Athletic Complex diamond.
Capelletti scattered three hits and filed 11 strikeouts in the scorebook during his first complete game of the season.
“The first couple of innings I thought we had some really good at-bats, even in some of the outs we had were better at-bats,” SW head coach Trae McKee said. “Through the middle [of the game], I think he kind of settled down and threw the ball where he was looking, that’s for sure.
“He did a really good job of spotting his breaking ball and spotting that fastball exactly where he was looking. I tip my cap to that pitcher. He did a really good job.”
Southern Wayne touched Capelletti early.
Brayden McKee reached base, stole second and scored on Drew Sweet’s double that just missed clearing the center-field fence.
Wildcat junior Kolby Jarman knotted the contest at 1-1 with a solo bomb in the third.
The Saints put runners on first and second with one out in the bottom half of the third. Capelletti induced an infield pop-up and notched an inning-ending strikeout.
West Johnston attempted to seize command the next inning.
With runners in scoring position, Saints center fielder Hayden Waller hauled in a fly ball. His relay throw to Sweet was on point and the senior tagged the runner to cap the double play.
Sweet caught runners stealing in the fifth and seventh innings.
“Defensively, I thought we really did a good job,” coach McKee said. “The guys made some plays … big plays. We hung around and played good enough defense, pitched well enough to stay right there and couldn’t get anything going offensively.
“We couldn’t get anybody on base safely to manufacture anything to even try a bunt, hit-and-run … anything to get us going. That was the tough part.”
Braden Sanders provided the Wildcats’ game-winning RBI — a one-out, fifth-inning single.
West scratched out seven hits against the Saints’ Brayden McKee, who toed the rubber for five innings. The right-hander issued a walk and retired seven Wildcats on strikeouts.
Waller tossed two innings of no-hit relief.
“With Tyler O going down, their roles have changed [and] both are having to step up,” coach McKee said. “I thought Brayden had a quality start. I’m surprised he had as many strikeouts as he did. He spotted everything up well, too. That’s a really good-hitting team.
“He had all three pitches he was able to throw for a strike. That was a good to see because we’re going to have to lean on both of them in the future. Hayden is coming off a left-wrist injury he had in basketball, so he’s still not at 100 percent.”
Odom, a left-hander, watched from the dugout due to a left-shoulder injury. The southpaw hopes to receive positive news on his MRI and return to the lineup soon.
Southern Wayne (5-4 overall, 1-3 QCC) visits Hunt next Tuesday. Weather permitting, the Wildcats (9-0, 6-0) face Southeastern Athletic 2A member Midway today.
