North Duplin senior right-hander Richard Noble warms up in the bullpen prior to Monday’s regular-season finale against Hobbton. Noble recorded seven strikeouts and allowed an unearned run in four innings. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin head coach Colton Chrisman talks with his team after a 12-3 victory over Hobbton in the Carolina 1A regular-season finale for both teams Monday evening. The Rebels secured a share of the regular-season crown - the program’s second straight and fourth overall since 2011. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
— North Duplin head coach Colton Chrisman, middle, stands with his four seniors, from left, Tyler Johnsey, Erik Rosas, Richard Noble and Billy McCoy. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
CALYPSO — One box is checked.
North Duplin clinched a share of the Carolina 1A Conference regular-season baseball crown with a 12-3 conquest of Hobbton on Monday evening.
Next is box two.
The Rebels and Wildcats meet again today in Newton Grove for a semifinal-round game in the season-ending conference tournament. First pitch is 7 p.m.
In the other semifinal, co-champ Rosewood meets Lakewood.
Should North Duplin and Rosewood both advance, they’ll meet Thursday to determine the conference’s automatic qualifier to the N.C. High School Athletic Association playoffs.
“We’re definitely happy to be back-to-back champs,” said ND head coach Colton Chrisman, who guided the program to its fourth league title since 2011. “[After the Rosewood loss] our backs were against the wall. Tonight we showed up when we felt the pressure. We dug deep and found a way to blow it open late.”
North Duplin clung to a 4-3 lead through 4 1/2 innings.
A defensive break opened the floodgates in the bottom of the fifth.
Senior Tyler Johnsey reached safely when his infield pop-up dropped just inches from the outstretched glove of Wildcat third baseman Aiden Grimes. Johnsey stole second and third, and scored on a wild pitch with two outs.
Wesley Holmes walked and moved to third base on Hunt Pate’s infield single. Holmes scampered home on a passed ball, while Pate crossed on Richard Noble’s RBI single to right-center field.
Tanner Kornegay plated Noble with an RBI base knock.
“That was big,” Chrisman said. “The way we done it was very scrappy. That made me proud of my guys.”
The Rebels sealed the outcome with a four-run sixth.
Noble (4-0) emerged as the winning pitcher in his 11th mound appearance of the season. The right-hander logged seven strikeouts and permitted an unearned run in four innings.
Johnsey tossed one inning of two-hit, two-strikeout relief.
Esteban Santos Clark recorded one strikeout during his two innings of work behind Johnsey.
“Richard knew he was going out there with a pitch count and handled business,” Chrisman said. “Tyler came in and got three big outs. Somehow, he found a way because he hadn’t pitched in a long time. We relied on Esteban to get six outs. I’m extremely proud of our pitching.
“I’m also proud of my guys at the plate. They battled.”
North Duplin (18-3 overall, 9-1 Carolina) cranked out 13 hits. Noble led the charge with four hits and three RBI in five at-bats. Holmes, Kornegay (two RBI) and Johnsey (RBI) contributed two hits apiece.
Clark (two RBI), Pate and Brady Byrd each provided one hit.
Noble, Johnsey, Erik Rosas and Billy McCoy — the Rebels’ four seniors — were recognized prior to the first pitch. Each player received an engraved baseball bat after the game.
