Baseball -- Rosewood's Carr shines in one-hitter

By David Williams
Published in Sports on April 2, 2004 2:00 PM

• Print
• Email

The Rosewood Eagles started the season behind the curve with pitching. Many of their reliable arms came into the season late, having played in the basketball playoffs.

Indications are that the pitching is starting to come around.

For evidence, look at Taylor Carr's one-hit shutout in Rosewood's 13-0 win over Carolina 1-A Conference rival North Duplin Thursday night at the Rosewood diamond.

Carr, a 6-foot 4-inch senior who was on the basketball team, struck out four and carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning until pinch-hitter Ryan Smith stroked a single into right field under a diving infielder for a one-out hit.

"He had great command of his curve ball," said Rosewood coach Scott Adams. "He did a good job to get ahead of the hitters. It was his best performance of the season."

"Big, tall guys get the ball going on a downward plane, and it's hard to hit," said North Duplin coach Rob Futch. "If that 6-foot-4 gets going ... He had a decent curve. I was impressed. He's the best pitcher I've seen so far in the conference."

Rosewood (5-4, 3-2) got all the runs it would need in the second inning. Matt Craft's three-run triple to right field broke the Rebels' backs, and a two-out fielding error paved the way for three more runs. Carr helped his own cause with a run-scoring triple.

"That was a big hit," Adams said of Craft's shot to right field. "He's been a little inconsistent lately, but he's hit it good in practice."

Futch said his outfielders had to come to the game from a track meet in nearby Princeton, and fatigue was probably a factor in the outcome.

"I had five guys at that track meet," Futch said. "They were dead, having run so hard at the meet. At least they did well at the meet."

Track athletes were in both dugouts. Rosewood sprinter Javon Williams, who also plays baseball, got back from the Eagles' meet in Farmville just in time to don his uniform and take Rosewood's final at-bat in the bottom of the fourth.

Futch said his team had "a major struggle at the plate and a major struggle in the field."

Rebels' starting pitcher Brad Lloyd got credit from his coach.

"He got a little flustered," Futch said. "But if my defense makes four errors behind me, I'd be a little flustered too."

Rosewood tacked on six more runs in the third inning as Micheal Render and Thad Hill opened the inning with hits. Josh Allen scored two runs on a hit, and two more errors led to more runs.

The final run came in the fourth inning as sub David Smeltzer scored off a wild pitch.

North Duplin (2-8, 0-6) will travel to Dixon Tuesday, and host Hobbton Wednesday before Dixon comes to Calypso on Friday. Rosewood will take on traditional rival Princeton on Tuesday in a game Adams called an "old school" matchup.

"They know us and we know them," he said. "We are all looking forward to it."

North Duplin 000 00 -- 0 1 4

Rosewood 066 1x -- 13 7 1

Leading hitters -- North Duplin -- Ryan Smith hit. Rosewood -- Matt Craft 1-2, 3B, 3 RBI; Taylor Carr 1-2, 3B, RBI; Micheal Render 2-3; Thad Hill 2-3.

IP H R ER BB SO

North Duplin

Brad Lloyd (L) 21Ú3 6 10 4 3 5

Sterling Grice 1 2 3 0 1 1

Daniel Howell 2Ú3 0 0 0 1 1

Rosewood

Taylor Carr (W) 5 1 0 0 3 4