Local digest

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on March 7, 2007 2:44 PM

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Grantham's two-run HR sparks Saints' late offensive surge

Lynn Grantham smacked a two-run, sixth-inning home run and Southern Wayne captured a 5-3, non-conference victory over county rival Rosewood on Tuesday afternoon.

Grantham's round-tripper highlighted the late-inning surge for the Saints, who remained unbeaten in four outings. Brianna Lofton stole three bases and drove in a run, while Katlyn Thornton added an RBI single.

Lauren Darden, Rachel Reynolds, Lindsey Pearsall and Meredith Davis each delivered a hit for Southern Wayne. Darden tossed three innings of no-hit shutout ball and struck out six Eagle batters. Morgan Davis threw the final four innings and surrendered three earned runs on five hits.

Haile Meadows suffered the pitching loss for Rosewood.

Jessica Price led the Eagles with two hits. Christina Bruton, Jennifer Hall (RBI) and Courtney Hill notched one hit apiece.

Southern Wayne entertains Greene Central at 4 p.m. Thursday, while Rosewood (0-3 overall) plays host to Farmville Central today.

D.H. Conley

escapes Aycock

PIKEVILLE -- D.H. Conley collected two runs in the top half of the eighth inning and slipped past Charles B. Aycock 5-3 on a bone-chilling Tuesday evening.

The Golden Falcons created a 3-3 deadlock with a three-run, sixth-inning uprising. With two outs, Brittany Ford and Jazzmine Lee each singled. Leigh Best drew a walk to load the bases. Catcher Rusti Talton followed with a game-tying, three-RBI double to the left center-field gap.

Aycock senior Shelly Lancaster doubled to lead off the seventh, but was left stranded.

Senior right-hander Julia Lancaster struck out six Conley batters, but surrendered eight hits and seven walks in the early-season, non-conference matchup.

Viking right-hander Brittany Sutton fanned 13 Aycock batters and scattered four hits in a complete-game effort.

The Golden Falcons (1-2 overall) entertain Clayton on Thursday.

Rebels remain

unbeaten on year

CALYPSO -- North Duplin played flawless defense and banged out 12 hits in a 12-2, non-conference victory over Lakewood.

Brittany Carr led the Rebels with three hits, including a triple, and an RBI in three at-bats. Jessica Pridgen batted 2-for-2, while Jodie Williamson contributed two hits and an RBI.

Heather Hudson doubled and tripled, and drove in three runs.

Pridgen fanned 10 Leopard batters and yielded two hits in a four-inning stint. Kristin Jones surrendered one run on two hits in the fifth inning.

"I'm very pleased with the effort the girls gave today," said North Duplin head coach Danny Blackburn. "We played a very solid game all the way around."

North Duplin (2-0 overall) entertains Arendell-Parrott Academy on Friday.

North Lenoir

notches first win

KINSTON -- Conner Jordan scattered two hits in a complete-game effort and North Lenoir thumped Kinston, 10-0, in non-conference action Tuesday evening.

Jordan recorded eight strikeouts and surrendered two walks for the Hawks, who improved to 1-1 overall. Offensively, Jordan provided three hits and two RBI in four plate appearances.

Lauren Hudson batted 2-for-3 with two RBI. Nichole Howard doubled and drove in two runs during a 2-for-4 effort.

North Lenoir travels to archrival South Lenoir today. The Blue Devils, the 2006 state runners-up to North Pitt, won the first meeting 1-0 on a late-inning error.

Spring Creek

remains winless

SNOW HILL -- Greene Central right-hander Elizabeth Webb recorded nine strikeouts and yielded one hit in the Rams' 11-1, non-conference victory over Spring Creek.

Jordan Coor doubled and scored the lone run for the Gators.

Blair Carraway doubled and plated three runs for the Rams, the reigning Eastern Plains 2-A Conference tournament champions. Ashley Oakes tripled and Jessica Moore provided two hits in three plate appearances.

Spring Creek (0-4 overall) returns to action Friday at Midway, while Greene Central (2-1) entertains Wilson Fike today.

Baseball

South Central

upends Warriors

WINTERVILLE -- Eastern Wayne stranded 10 base runners and endured a 5-2, non-conference loss at South Central on Tuesday afternoon.

"We played extremely hard, but came up short," said Eastern Wayne head coach Jabo Fulghum. "We left a lot of base runners on with our big hitters up. We just didn't punch anything across."

The Warriors (1-2 overall) left runners at second and third, in the first and third innings, respectively. A line-drive, double-play ball killed a fourth-inning rally with the bases loaded.

"They made some good plays," Fulghum said of South Central's defense.

John Wooten paced Eastern Wayne's offense with two hits, including a double. Taylor Sutton supplied an RBI double in the fifth inning. Tyler Wicks added an RBI single during the fifth inning, also.

Billy Walling led the Falcons with three hits, while Tyrell Worthington batted 2-for-4 with a triple.

Wooten suffered the mound loss, his second of the season. Logan Hessert threw three innings of shutout ball for South Central and collected the mound win.

Eastern Wayne entertains J.H. Rose at 5 p.m. Thursday.

E. Wayne 000 020 0 -- 2 8 3

South Central 102 020 x -- 5 10 1

Leading hitters -- Eastern Wayne -- John Wooten 2-3, 2B; Taylor Sutton 1-4, 2B, RBI; Tyler Wicks 1-3, RBI. South Central -- Tyrell Worthington 2-4, 3B; Billy Walling 3-3.

IP H R ER BB SO

Eastern Wayne

Wooten (L, 0-2) 4 9 3 1 1 1

Otellio 1 1 2 2 1 0

Gourley 1 0 0 0 0 2

South Central

Hessert (W) 3 1 0 0 3 6

Anderson 3 6 2 2 2 1

Holton (S) 1 1 0 0 0 1

Gators handed

first defeat

SNOW HILL -- Less than 24 hours after its come-from-behind victory over Union, Spring Creek surrendered five unearned runs in a 6-1, non-conference loss at Greene Central.

The Rams managed just four hits against Spring Creek right-hander Kevin Prunest, who took the mound loss. Trey Beaman and Will McLawhorn led Greene Central's offense with two hits apiece.

Michael Speedy claiming the pitching win.

Alex Casey, Ray Grady (RBI) and Lee Coates each had a hit for Spring Creek.

Greene Central, which snapped a two-game losing streak, entertains Ayden-Grifton at 4 p.m. Friday. The Rams' contest with Kinston has been moved to noon Saturday due to the Vikings' basketball team playing for the state 3-A men's championship later that evening.

Spring Creek (3-1 overall) is the guest of Midway on Friday.

West Johnston

no-hits Princeton

PRINCETON -- Grayson Ferrell threw a no-hitter and Johnathan McLamb rapped an eight-inning home run in West Johnston's 1-0, non-conference victory over Princeton.

McLamb's game-winning rip came against Bulldogs reliever Colin Parker, who struck out three and walked two in a two-inning stint. Parker replaced right-handed starter Ryan Daughtry, who threw six innings of five-strikeout, five-hit ball.

Princeton (1-2 overall) travels to C.B. Aycock on Friday.

North Lenoir

shuts out KHS

LaGRANGE -- Brandon Sutton and C.C. Croom combined for a one-hitter and North Lenoir dismantled Kinston 11-0 on Tuesday afternoon.

Sutton fanned 10 Viking batters and walked one in four innings of work. Croom supplied one inning of one-hit, two-strikeout relief.

Sutton emerged the Hawks' offensive leader with three hits, including a triple, and three RBI in four plate appearances. Sthil Sowers doubled and drove in a run, while Bryce Grady batted 1-for-2.

Andrew Manning and George Walters recorded one hit apiece. Croom belted a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth, which induced the 10-run mercy rule after five innings.

North Lenoir (3-1) puts its three-game win streak on the line at home today against archrival South Lenoir.

North Duplin

pounds Leopards

CALYPSO -- Chris Graham fired a two-hitter and North Duplin posted a 13-0, five-inning victory over Lakewood on Tuesday afternoon.

Graham fanned five Leopards in the non-conference contest, halted after five innings due to the 10-run mercy rule.

Doug Lloyd and Trey Beavers (four RBI) had three hits apiece for the Rebels. Will Lewis and Billy Mello, who scored three runs, each contributed a hit.

North Duplin (2-0 overall) entertains Wayne Country Day on Thursday.

Tennis

Rams edge

Warren County

SNOW HILL -- Greene Central's third-seeded doubles of Jason Perry-Andrew Harrison fended off five match points and led the Rams to a 5-4, non-conference victory over state-ranked Warren County.

Perry-Harrison trailed 5-3 and stayed within one game of the Eagles' Zachary Bender-Greg Mulchi. Perry-Harrison triumphed 12-10 in the tiebreaker en route to the 9-8 win.

Banks Nimmo, Spencer Dail and Harrison each picked up a straight-set victory in singles. Third-seeded Trey Cash dropped the opening set, but turned back Allen Roberson 4-6, 6-3, 10-3.

Warren County entered the match ranked No. 4 in the preseason N.C. High School Tennis Coaches Association Class 2-A poll. The Eagles claimed two singles wins and rallied from behind to take Nos. 1 and 2 doubles.

"This is obviously a big win for our team," said Greene Central head coach Brad Sauls. "I was really proud of my guys. They stayed positive throughout the match, regardless the score and handled some tight situations with confidence.

"This win is the best win my team has had in two years."

Greene Central (2-1 overall) entertains Wilson Hunt today.

Greene Central 5

Warren County 4

Singles -- No. 1 Matt Short (WC) d. Travis Moore 4-6, 6-0, 10-6; No. 2 Banks Nimmo (GC) d. Taylore Tharrington 6-3, 6-4; No. 3 Trey Cash (GC) d. Allen Roberson 4-6, 6-3, 10-3; No. 4 Spencer Dail (GC) d. Mike Mercy 6-3, 6-2; No. 5 Zachary Bender (WC) d. James Kersey 7-6 (6), 6-3; No. 6 Andrew Harrison (GC) d. William Handley 6-0, 6-1.

Doubles -- No. 1 Short-Tharrington (WC) d. Moore-Nimmo 9-8 (4); No. 2 Roberson-Mercy (WC) d. Dail-Cash 8-6; No. 3 Perry-Harrison (GC) d. Bender-Greg Mulchi 9-8 (10).

Eastern Wayne

knocks off Hawks

SNOW HILL -- Eastern Wayne swept the doubles matches and handed North Lenoir a 7-2, non-conference defeat on the Snow Hill Tennis Complex courts Tuesday afternoon.

The Warriors' tandems of Ben Wines-Christian Pfuhl, Jared Stone-David Benton and Eric Barnes-Ken Lam had no trouble on the doubles scene. Stone-Benton posted a shutout, while Barnes-Lam dropped just one game.

Stone, Pfuhl, Barnes and Will Kastner each prevailed in their respective singles matches.

Eastern Wayne entertains New Bern today.

Eastern Wayne 7

North Lenoir 2

Singles -- No. 1 Jared Stone (EW) d. Clinton O'Dell 6-2, 6-1; No. 2 Taylor Holmes (NL) d. Ben Wines 6-3, 6-3; No. 3 Christian Pfuhl (EW) d. Steven Warren 6-1, 6-2; No. 4 Eric Barnes (EW) d. Ryan Kramer 7-5, 6-4; No. 5 Jacob Maready (NL) d. Ken Lam 6-2, 7-5; No. 6 Will Kastner (EW) d. Trey Grady 6-3, 6-1.

Doubles -- No. 1 Wines-Pfuhl d. O'Dell-Grady 8-5; No. 2 Stone-David Benton (EW) d. Chandler Phillips-Ethan Dail 8-0; No. 3 Barnes-Lam (EW) d. Forrest Griffin-Zeth Lee 8-1.

Gryphons double

up Golden Falcons

PIKEVILLE -- Rocky Mount triumphed in two of three doubles matches and seized a 6-3, non-conference victory over C.B. Aycock on Tuesday afternoon.

Golden Falcon freshman Blake Vail prevailed at No. 1 singles, while teammate Blake Cooper claimed a third-set tiebreaking win at No. 3 singles.

Cooper-Ben Nichols posted the Golden Falcons' lone doubles victory.

C.B. Aycock (0-3 overall) entertains Wilson Fike today and travels to North Lenoir on Thursday.

Rocky Mount 6

C.B. Aycock 3

Singles -- No. 1 Blake Vail (CBA) d. Travis Kirkpatrick 6-1, 6-0; No. 2 Alex Durham (RM) d. Ben Evans 6-1, 6-1; No. 3 Blake Cooper (CBA) d. Trey Sprye 6-3, 4-6, 11-9; No. 4 Sameer Prasada (RM0 d. Ben Nichols 6-2, 6-0; No. 5 Sahil Prasada (RM) d. Dylan Quinn 6-2, 6-3; No. 6 Nate Pope (RM) d. Cooper Johnson 6-4, 6-3.

Doubles -- No. 1 Kirkpatrick-Durham (RM) d. Evans-Quinn 8-5; No. 2 Sprye-Sam. Prasada 8-5; No. 3 Cooper-Nichols (CBA) d. Sah. Prasada-Pope 8-5.

Soccer

Aycock, Rose

battle to draw

PIKEVILLE -- Senior Lizzie Sodoma tallied a pair of first-half goals and C.B. Aycock battled to a 2-2, non-conference draw against J.H. Rose on Tuesday afternoon.

Caroline Schlaeppi assisted on Sodoma's first goal.

The Golden Falcons (2-1-1) entertain Princeton today.

Track

Warriors squeeze

out road victory

SNOW HILL -- Eastern Wayne swept the 200-meter dash and emerged victorious in the 3,200 relay during a 74-62, non-conference victory over Greene Central on Monday afternoon.

The Warriors' Dwight Ulmer crossed the finish line in 22.95 seconds in the 200. Teammates Garrick Dawson and Will White ended up second and third, respectively.

Eastern Wayne edged the Rams by five seconds in the 3,200 relay.

White, Tim Wright, Bryan Coltrane, Steven Henricks and Chris Jones each captured an individual win. The Warriors also won the 800- and 400-meter relays.

Curtis Braswell and Brooks Best each picked up two individual wins for the Rams. Teammates Robert Taylor, J.J. Thompson and Justin Wellington.

Eastern Wayne improved to 3-0 overall.

Eastern Wayne 74

Greene Central 62

Individual event winners

3,200 relay -- Eastern Wayne 9 minutes, 38 seconds; 110 hurdles -- Will White (EW) 16.35 seconds; 100 -- Curtis Braswell (GC) 11.75; 800 relay -- Eastern Wayne 1:37.9; 1,600 -- Tim Wright (EW) 5:45; 400 relay -- Eastern Wayne 45.54; 400 -- Braswell (GC) 54.36; 300 hurdles -- Robert Taylor (GC) 42.84; 800 -- Bryan Coltrane (EW) 2:19.91; 200 -- Dwight Ulmer (EW) 22.95; 3,200 -- Steven Henricks (EW) 12:51; 1,600 relay -- Greene Central 3:47; Long jump -- Brooks Best (GC) 19 feet, 9 inches; High jump -- Chris Jones (EW) 5-8; Shot put -- J. Thompson (GC) 42-6; Discus -- Justin Wellington 121-11.

Golf

Walnut Creek

Ladies Association

Novella Zambelli emerged the play-of-the-day winner in the season-opening golf tournament at Walnut Creek Country Club.

Josie Ottaviani took low gross. Linda Cannon claimed low net and Faye Franklin took low putts.

Middle schools

Brogden baseball 17, Dillard 5 -- Jarman Holmes threw a no-hitter and recorded seven strikeouts. Jesus Sandoval batted 2-for-2 with three runs scored. Lance White, Chris Gagne and Clarence Faire provided two RBI apiece. Brogden (1-0, 1-0 Wayne County Middle School Athletic Conference Division I) entertains Rosewood on Thursday.

Norwayne baseball 30, Rosewood 2 -- Pitchers Derek Limbaugh, Aaron Champion and Cameron Taylor combined for a one-hitter. Champion collected three doubles and four RBI. Nine other Cobras had two hits apiece. Will Winslow had Rosewood's lone hit. Norwayne (1-0) entertains Mount Olive on Thursday.