Local digest

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on March 16, 2007 2:39 PM

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DUDLEY -- Southern Wayne wanted revenge -- and got it.

Lindsey Pearsall smacked a two-RBI double in the third inning and helped lead the Saints to a 3-0 upset of state-ranked D.H. Conley on Thursday evening.

The victory erased Tuesday's disappointing one-run loss to the Vikings, who entered the week ranked No. 10 in the N.C. Fastpitch Coaches Association Class 3-A poll. Conley suffered its first loss in six outings.

"That's a big win for our program," said Southern Wayne head coach Brad Matthews. "The girls played hard and that's all you can ask for. Lauren (Darden) pitched another outstanding game."

Darden yielded two hits and recorded seven strikeouts in a complete-game effort. It was Darden's third shutout in her last four outings.

Pearsall's double broke a scoreless tie. Lynn Grantham added an RBI single off losing pitcher Suzanne Riggs, who surrendered five hits in six innings of work.

Rachel Reynolds and Morgan Davis each singled, while shortstop Alyssa Bradshaw doubled.

Southern Wayne (7-1 overall) opens its Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference schedule Tuesday at Eastern Wayne.

D.H. Conley 000 000 0 -- 0 2 2

So. Wayne 003 000 x -- 3 5 1

Leading hitters -- D.H. Conley -- Lindsay Roebuck 1-3, 2B; Allison Brown 1-2. Southern Wayne -- Lindsey Pearsall 1-3, 2B, 2 RBI; Lynn Grantham RBI; Rachel Reynolds 1-3; Morgan Davis 1-3, Alyssa Bradshaw 2B.

IP H R ER BB SO

D.H. Conley

Riggs (L) 6 5 3 3 1 5

Southern Wayne

Darden (W) 7 2 0 0 4 7

Eagles' Davis

hurls no-hitter

HOBGOOD -- Traci Davis threw a no-hitter and posted eight strikeouts in Wayne Christian's 13-0, five-inning thrashing of Hobgood Academy.

The Eagle defense turned two double plays behind Davis.

Davis provided four hits in four at-bats, while Sara McCullom doubled in a 3-for-4 showing. Cynthia Burroughs tripled and walked twice in a 2-for-2 effort.

Wayne Christian (3-0 overall) is ranked No. 2 in the latest N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association 1-A poll. The Eagles travel to Faith Christian-Rocky Mount next Tuesday.

North Duplin

suffers road loss

NEWTON GROVE -- Hobbton right-hander Alex Bass recorded 17 strikeouts in the pitching circle and the Wildcats nipped North Duplin 2-1 on Thursday afternoon.

Bass scattered three hits and surrendered three walks in a complete-game performance. It was the Rebels' second consecutive loss after a 4-0 start.

Brittney Carr led North Duplin's offense with two hits in three at-bats. Elizabeth Lane recorded the Rebels' lone RBI, while Brittney Coley cranked out one hit in three plate appearances.

Left-handed hurler Jessica Pridgen, who recorded eight strikeouts, allowed five hits in six-plus innings. Hobbton scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh.

North Duplin travels to Union on Monday.

Baseball

J.H. Rose rallies

past E. Wayne

GREENVILLE -- There's no place like home.

Andrew Cain and Gray Garner each slapped a home run, and J.H. Rose rallied past Eastern Wayne 12-7 at historic Guy Smith Stadium on Thursday evening. The Rampants (3-3 overall) snapped a three-game skid and presented 59-year-old head coach Ronald Vincent with career win No. 700.

Cain finished 3-for-3 with two RBI, while Garner batted 2-for-4 with three RBI. Matt Steele doubled and plated a run in a 2-for-4 effort. Carter Gagnon (2 RBI) and Akeem Thomas (RBI) contributed to the Rampants' late-inning comeback.

The Warriors (2-5) endured their third straight loss in four days.

"It's been a tough week," said Eastern Wayne head coach Jabo Fulghum. "Playing three games in four days kind of taxed our pitching a little bit. Taylor (Sutton) threw the ball well; just got tired.

"(Walker) Gourley left it up a little bit and that's the way it's going to be sometimes. The kids have played hard and they're going to do nothing but get better."

Sutton gave up three earned runs on four hits in a four-inning stint. Gourley surrendered eight runs (six earned) on seven hits. Southpaw Anthony Otellio threw one inning of relief.

Offensively, Sutton smacked a two-RBI double and three-run home run as Eastern Wayne built a 7-1 lead through 41/2 innings. Sutton ended the night with a career-high six RBI. Chad Gurley, Gourley and Nolan Lancaster (RBI) registered two hits apiece.

Eastern Wayne opens its Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference schedule at home Tuesday against archrival Southern Wayne. Game time is 5 p.m.

E. Wayne 303 010 0 -- 7 8 2

J.H. Rose 000 183 x -- 9 11 2

Leading hitters -- Eastern Wayne -- Chad Gurley 2-2; Walker Gourley 2-4, 2B; Taylor Sutton 2-3, 2B, HR, 6 RBI; Nolan Lancaster 2-3, 2B, RBI. J.H. Rose -- Andrew Cain 3-3, HR, 2 RBI; Gray Garner 2-4, HR, 3 RBI; Matt Steele 2-4, 2B, RBI; Carter Gagnon 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI; Akeem Thomas RBI.

IP H R ER BB SO

Eastern Wayne

Sutton 4 4 3 3 1 2

Gourley (L) 1 7 8 6 2 0

Otellio 1 1 1 1 0 0

Rams handed

non-league loss

KINSTON -- Josh Lovick delivered a three-hit outing and Kinston turned back Greene Central 4-3 in non-conference action Thursday afternoon.

Anthony Carter added two hits for the Vikings, while Alex Spence emerged the winning pitcher.

Alex Brann and Tyler Chase each batted 2-for-3 for the Rams. Teammate Chris Nethercutt took the pitching loss.

Greene Central (2-6 overall) is the guest of South Central next Wednesday.

Southern Wayne

thumps Bulldogs

DUDLEY -- Brady Wiggins collected a season- and career-high five RBI in Southern Wayne's 8-1, non-conference triumph over Wallace-Rose Hill on the Doyle Whitfield Athletic Complex diamond.

Wiggins doubled in a 2-for-3 outing as the Saints improved to 3-4 overall.

Doogie Niemond rapped an RBI double, while Garrett Barfield and Dave Overman (RBI) provided two hits apiece. Byron Powell and Scott Holloman each contributed a hit.

Tyler Edwards claimed the mound win, striking out five and yielding three hits in six-plus innings. Powell tossed the final two-thirds innings with one strikeout.

Southern Wayne kicks off its Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference schedule next Tuesday at archrival Eastern Wayne.

W.-Rose Hill 000 000 1 -- 1 3 2

So. Wayne 111 014 x -- 8 9 1

Leading hitters -- Southern Wayne -- Doogie Niemond 1-3, 2B, RBI; Garrett Barfield 2-3; Dave Overman 2-3, 2B, RBI; Brady Wiggins 2-3, 2B, 5 RBI; Byron Powell 1-3; Scott Holloman 1-3, 2B.

IP H R ER BB SO

Southern Wayne

Edwards (W) 61/3 3 1 1 1 5

Powell 2/3 0 0 0 1 1

Hobgood Academy

shuts out Eagles

HOBGOOD -- Wayne Christian pitchers Doug Johnson and Jeremy Jefferson combined for eight strikeouts on the mound, but Hobgood Academy escaped 2-0 in non-conference action Thursday afternoon.

Johnson threw four innings, while Jefferson tossed three innings in relief.

Adam Brannan paced the Eagles' offense with two hits, while Johnson doubled.

Weather permitting, Wayne Christian (2-1 overall) is scheduled to entertain Norlina Christian in a Carolina Christian 1-A Conference game today.

Faith Christian

takes opener

Faith Christian claimed a season-opening, 14-0 five-inning win over Trinity Christian on Wednesday afternoon.

Pitcher Jay Hanson (1-0) picked up the victory for the Crusaders by giving up two hits and striking out eight in five shutout innings.

Phillip Hardy went 3-for-4 with three RBI, Nick Gurley went 2-for-3 with two RBI and Taylor Stocks went 2-for-3 with an RBI to lead Faith Christian.

Tennis

Saints double

up Wayne Christian

Southern Wayne collected two doubles points and knocked off Wayne Christian 6-3 on the John Allen Farfour Courts at Herman Park.

The Saints' No. 2 tandem of Chris King-John Stedman blitzed the Eagles' Daniel Glover-Christopher Easom 8-0. Teammates Sterling Blackman-Graham Price slid past Kenneth Giordano-Matthew Thompson 8-6 at the No. 3 slot.

King, Stedman, Price and Jimmy Poandl produced pro-set (eight-game) singles wins for Southern Wayne.

Thompson picked up the Eagles' lone singles point. The No. 1 doubles of Taylor Gray-Woody Sasser prevailed 8-4.

Wayne Christian fell to 2-1 overall.

Southern Wayne 6

Wayne Christian 3

Singles -- No. 1 Taylor Gray (WC) d. Jonathan Hartley 9-7; No. 2 Jimmy Poandl (SW) d. Woody Sasser 8-5; No. 3 Chris King (SW) d. Daniel Glover 8-2; No. 4 John Stedman (SW) d. Christopher Easom 8-5; No. 5 Matthew Thompson (WC) d. Sterling Blackman 8-6; No. 6 Graham Price (SW) d. Dylan Smith 8-1.

Doubles -- No. 1 Gray-Sasser (WC) d. Hartley-Poandl 8-4; No. 2 King-Stedman (SW) d. Glover-Easom 8-0; No. 3 Blackman-Price (SW) d. Kenneth Giordano-Thompson 8-6.

Rams knock off

Aycock netters

SNOW HILL -- State-ranked Greene Central captured two of three doubles matches and upended C.B. Aycock 6-3 on the Snow Hill Tennis Complex courts Thursday afternoon.

The Rams' No. 1 tandem of Travis Moore-Banks Nimmo stopped the freshman duo of Blake Vail-Addison Westbrook 8-4. Vail-Westbrook lost for just the second time in six outings.

Trey Cash-Spencer Dail claimed an 8-2 decision over the Golden Falcons' Ben Evans-Dylan Quinn at the No. 2 slot. Cash and Dail each earned a singles point along with teammates James Kersey and Andrew Harrison.

Vail improved to 8-0 on the singles scene, while Westbrook triumphed at No. 2. Aycock's third-seeded doubles of Blake Cooper-Ben Nichols shut out Kersey-Harrison 8-0.

C.B. Aycock (4-4 overall) begins Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference play next Tuesday at Wilson Beddingfield. Greene Central (6-2), ranked No. 5 in the N.C. Tennis Coaches Association 2-A poll, visits Warren County on Monday.

Greene Central 6

C.B. Aycock 3

Singles -- No. 1 Blake Vail (CBA) d. Travis Moore 6-2, 6-4; No. 2 Addison Westbrook (CBA) d. Banks Nimmo 6-0, 6-2; No. 3 Trey Cash (GC) d. Blake Cooper 6-4, 6-4; No. 4 Spencer Dail (GC) d. Ben Evans 6-2, 6-3; No. 5 James Kersey (GC) d. Ben Nichols 6-3, 6-4; No. 6 Andrew Harrison (GC) d. Dylan Quinn 6-4, 6-3.

Doubles -- No. 1 Moore-Nimmo (GC) d. Vail-Westbrook 8-4; No. 2 Cash-Dail (GC) d. Evans-Quinn 8-2; No. 3 Cooper-Nichols (CBA) d. Kersey-Harrison 8-0.

Records: C.B. Aycock 4-4, Greene Central 6-2.

Golf

G. Central records

school-record round

MACCLESFIELD -- Greene Central carded a school-record 297 and prevailed in a four-team, non-conference match Thursday afternoon at Maccripine Country Club.

Colby Murphy paced the Rams with a 1-under par 70, while Josh Morris provided a 2-over 73. Josh Elmore and Blake Sutton posted identical 18-hole rounds of 77.

D.H. Conley, led by Jared Taunton's medalist round of 3-under 68, took second overall with a 316. SouthWest Edgecombe, the meet host, ended up third at 320. Tarboro High finished a distant fourth at 371.

Vinson, Aycock

turn back Comets

CLAYTON -- Senior Will Vinson seized medalist honors with an even-par 36 in C.B. Aycock's 160-177, non-conference victory over Clayton.

Junior Austin Forrest contributed a 40. Seniors Jordan Elmore and Lee Carter supplied nine-hole scores of 41 and 43, respectively. Heyward Jeffreys and Charles Cranford also participated in the dual match.

C.B. Aycock begins defense of its Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference regular-season title Tuesday at Southern Wayne Country Club.

Soccer

Taylor notches

hat trick, assist

Natalie Taylor recorded a hat trick and one assist in Eastern Wayne's 4-0, non-conference thrashing of North Lenoir at Little Big Horn.

Taylor broke the scoreless tie in the 25th minute off an assist from Sam Frazer. She added goals in the 60th and 69th minute off passes from Kelsey Griffith and Frazer, respectively.

Kasie Edwards scored in the second half off Taylor's assist.

Eastern Wayne (2-5 overall) entertains Jacksonville White Oak today.

Rosewood drills

Spring Creek

SEVEN SPRINGS -- Led by six first-half goals and a hat trick by Rachel McCormick, Rosewood defeated Spring Creek 9-0 in the Carolina/Eastern Plains 1-A/2-A Conference opener for both teams Wednesday.

McCormick, Kelsey Wolfe, Gabrielle Cornman, Mary Jo Moore and Karli Beasley all tallied goals in the first half for the Eagles. McCormick added two more scores in the second half and Kathryn Seymour tallied the final goal of the night for Rosewood.

Rosewood's defense was led by Kailey Adams who did not give up a shot to the Gators.

Track

Warrior boys

sweep ECC meet

KINSTON -- Eastern Wayne emerged victorious in seven events and swept a three-team, Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference boys' meet Thursday afternoon at Kinston.

Will White (110 hurdles), Lynwood Dees (300 hurdles), Dwight Ulmer (200) and Brandon Johnson (shot put) each picked an individual win. The Warriors, who captured three of four relays, accumulated 80.5 points. County rival C.B. Aycock ended up second with 55.5 points and the host Vikings collected 39 points.

Montez Ham (100), Carson Sasser (1,600 and 800), Daniel Pennington (400) and Nik Frederick (3,200) recorded first-place finishes for the Golden Falcons. Ham was second in the long jump behind Kinston's Jaquin Johnson.

Aycock took three of the top four spots in the 1,600.

Eastern Wayne 80.5

C.B. Aycock 55.5

Kinston 39

Individual event winners

3,200 relay -- Eastern Wayne, 9 minutes, 27 seconds; 110 hurdles -- Will White (EW) 17.59 seconds; 100 -- Montez Ham (CBA) 10.92; 800 relay -- Eastern Wayne, 1:31; 1,600 -- Carson Sasser (CBA) 5:04; 400 relay -- Eastern Wayne, 44.75; 400 -- Daniel Pennington (CBA) 53.86; 300 hurdles -- Lynwood Dees (EW) 43.1; 800 -- Sasser (CBA) 2:20; 200 -- Dwight Ulmer (EW) 22.4; 3,200 -- Nik Frederick (CBA) 11:39; 1,600 relay -- C.B. Aycock, 3:42; Long jump -- Jaquin Johnson (K) 19 feet, 31/4 inches; Triple jump -- Johnson (K) 38-111/2; High jump -- Trudell Hamilton (K) 5-10; Shot put -- Brandon Johnson (EW) 40-53/4; Discus -- Sherrod Croom (K) 113-5.

EW's Kelly qualifies

for eastern regionals

KINSTON -- Eastern Wayne's Noelle Kelly posted regional-qualifying times in two events and helped the Warriors sweep a three-team, Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference meet Thursday afternoon at Kinston.

Overall, Kelly gained berths in four eastern regional events -- the 400-meter run (1 minute, 2 seconds), 200 (27 seconds), 800 relay and 1,600 relay. Kelly finished second behind teammate Eugenia Baker in the 200. Baker also won the 100.

Alicia Stevens captured first in the 300 hurdles (53.69 seconds) and 100 hurdles (18.45). Richelle Butler won the shot put with a throw of 30 feet, 11/2 inches.

The Warriors piled up 88 points. The host Vikings amassed 52 points, while county rival C.B. Aycock was third with 34.

Eastern Wayne entertains Rocky Mount and Goldsboro on Monday.

JV soccer

E. Wayne girls

shut out Hawks

Brandi Dean tallied the game-winning goal in Eastern Wayne's 1-0, non-conference conquest of North Lenoir at Little Big Horn.

Warrior keeper Emily Crawford notched four saves.

Weather permitting, Eastern Wayne (2-3 overall) entertains Jacksonville White Oak today.

JV softball

Eagles edge

Hobgood Academy

HOBGOOD -- Cynthia Burroughs delivered a 20-strikeout effort, but Wayne Christian needed 13 innings to defeat Hobgood Academy 10-8 on Thursday afternoon.

Kayla Kennedy and Sara McCullom combined for three innings of five-hit relief until Burroughs returned in the sixth inning. Burroughs added an extra-base hit on offense.

Kennedy, McCullom and Reagan Hinton also provided key hits for the Eagles.

Wayne Christian (1-0 overall) entertains C.B. Aycock for a doubleheader on March 26.

Middle schools

Spring Creek baseball 17, Greenwood 3 -- Hunter Barnett batted 3-for-3 with a triple and drove in four runs for the Gators. Teammate Chris Boseman added two hits and three RBI. Dwayne Gurganus (double, 3 RBI) and Corey Howell (two hits, double) contributed to the win. Boseman and Gurganus combined for eight strikeouts on the mound. Spring Creek (2-1 overall) travels to Norwayne on Monday.

Norwayne baseball 12, Grantham 2 -- Aaron Champion, Derek Limbaugh and Christian Pate combined for a three-hitter. Jon Taylor contributed three hits and three RBI on offense, while Nick Walker cranked out two hits. Norwayne (4-0 overall) entertains Spring Creek on Monday.