Baseball -- PHS falls to Farmville

Published in Sports on April 21, 2004 2:03 PM

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PRINCETON -- The Carolina 1-A Conference baseball standings have a whole new look after Tuesday's games. Ayden-Grifton saw to that after using most of 13 extra-base hits to batter homestanding Princeton 16-6 at the Bulldogs' diamond.

The victory, combined with Rosewood's upset of Farmville Central, puts the Chargers and Bulldogs in a first-place tie with 5-2 league marks. Spring Creek and Rosewood come next at 4-3.

Ayden-Grifton avenged a home-opening loss to Princeton. Coach Chris Ross' team, which lost seven players off a state-runner-up club last season, hit the ball as if no one has messed a beat.

Senior right fielder Robbie Johnson led the offense, falling a single short of hitting for the cycle, scoring four times and driving in four RBI.

Ayden posted 16 hits in all. The Chargers went down in order only once, and scored in every inning but two.

"Golly, day, did they hit the ball," said Princeton coach Bruce Proctor.

Princeton had their chances, recording 10 hits of their own. They just couldn't string the hits together to score, streanding nine.

After Ayden scored two runs in the first, Princeton came right back. Dustin Myers walked and Brandon Pate singled, but both were left stranded. Both players had three hits on the night.

The Bulldogs finally broke into the scoring column with two runs in the bottom of the third. With one out, Colin Parker doubled. Myers and Pate followed with triples.

A similar pattern followed in the fifth. Parker walked. Singles by Myers, Pate, and Daniel Gerrell brought in two more runs.

Princeton's final runs came in the seventh.

Myers led off with a homer down the left-field line. Reliever Josh Wilson hit Moore and Gerrell. Pinch-hitter Robert Gurley singled in Moore for the final run.

"Tonight wasn't our night," said Proctor. "But we didn't give up. Our history is that we improve as the season goes on. We need to continue to improve, or we'll be going home early."

Princeton will entertain Spring Creek Friday night. Ayden-Grifton travels to Rosewood.

Ayden-Grifton 230 205 4 -- 16 16 0

Princeton 002 020 2 -- 6 10 1

Leading hitters -- Ayden-Grifton -- Robbie Johnson 3-3, 2B, 3B, HR, 4 RBI; Alex McCarter 3-3, 2B, 3 RBI; Hunter Carnes 2-3, 2B, HR, 3 RBI; Matt Broon 2-3, HR, 3 RBI; Rickie Turner 2-3, 2B, HR, RBI. Princeton -- Dustin Myers 3-3 HR, 3B, 3R, 2 RBI; Brandon Pate 3-3, 2B, 2 RBI; Colin Parker 2B; Daniel Gerrell 2 RBI.

IP H R ER BB SO

Ayden-Grifton (5-2, 11-7)

Carnes (W) 6 8 4 4 2 5

Wilson 1Ú3 1 1 1 0 0

McCarter 2Ú3 1 1 1 0 2

Princeton (5-2, 11-6)

Parker (L, 3-2) 2 5 5 5 0 3

Myers 3 5 5 4 1 3

Thompson 11Ú3 4 4 3 0 2

Harmon 2Ú3 2 3 3 1 1