Eagles, Chargers eliminated from NCISAA playoffs

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on May 9, 2004 2:02 AM

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ROCKY MOUNT -- The 2003 finalists from the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association Class 1-A baseball tournament eliminated Wayne Christian and Wayne Country Day from state-title contention Friday afternoon.

Faith Christian of Rocky Mount, last year's runner-up, eliminated the Eagles 9-1 behind the strong pitching of Steve Weeks. Weeks scattered four hits in a complete-game effort, striking out 12 and yielding just one walk. The fourth-seeded Patriots (11-4) face fifth-seeded Greenfield School, which stopped Hobgood Academy 12-2.

Weeks also slapped a home run in four plate appearances. Teammate Joe Laner provided three hits, including a double, and two RBI on the afternoon.

Wayne Christian's Billy Smith batted 2-for-3 and drove in the Eagles' lone run. T.A. Brannan and Jordan Yelverton rapped back-to-back singles in the third. Smith plated Brannan to make it 3-1.

Costly errors plagued the Eagles.

Wayne Christian, which returns all 12 players next year, concluded its 2003 campaign with an 11-5 worksheet.

Meanwhile, Wayne Country Day (2-13) traveled down to Whiteville for a battle against defending state champion Waccamaw. The top-seeded Warriors posted an 8-0 shutout en route to their 23rd victory this season.

Waccamaw banged out three hits and posted two runs in the bottom half of the first. The state's top-ranked team, the Warriors added three runs in the second two in the third against losing pitcher Kevin Logan.

Logan surrendered eight runs (six earned) on nine hits in a five-inning stint, struck out one and walked. Travis Davis added one inning of two-hit, no-strikeout relief.

The Chargers' Ben Strickland provided two hits in three at-bats.

Shivar Person, Daniel Whitley and Max Weaver -- all seniors -- played in the final game for the Chargers. It was Wayne Country Day's second straight postseason appearance with head coach Michael Taylor.

In other first-round games, Northeast ousted Norlina Christian 14-12; Lawrence Academy defeated Community Christian of Wilson; Halifax topped Flora MacDonald 10-1; Rocky Mount Academy routed Village Christian 24-2 and Ahoskie Ridgecroft nipped Cape Fear Academy 9-5.

The quarterfinal games are Northeast at Waccamaw, Greenfield at Faith Christian-RM, Halifax at Lawrence and Ridgecroft at Rocky Mount Academy. Those games are scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.

The semifinals and first game in the best-of-three championship series will be played next Friday at Fleming Stadium in Wilson. The title game is scheduled for Saturday afternoon.

Waccamaw Academy has won two of the last three NCISAA crowns.