Golden Falcons post shutout

By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on April 27, 2008 2:03 AM

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DUDLEY -- Talk about bouncing back with vengeance.

Two days after dropping a pivotal game for first place on the Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference baseball scene, Charles B. Aycock responded with an 11-0 thumping of Southern Wayne on Friday evening.

Eric DuBose tossed his second consecutive shutout and the Golden Falcons roughed up Saints starter Raymond Vazquez for seven runs (three earned) in just 41/3 innings of work.

Vazquez had all but wiggled out of a first-inning jam until center fielder Jordan Hood dropped Zach Wright's two-out pop fly. The error allowed Will Edgerton and Connor Narron to score.

Jordan Carr's RBI single to left in the top of the third plated Narron and stretched Aycock's lead to 3-0.

"After coming off a tough loss on Wednesday night and then having to come over to Southern Wayne, I thought we came out ready to play tonight and I thought we were focused again," said Golden Falcons head coach Charles Davis. "Vazquez is throwing the ball from underneath and you just have to pick up the ball out of his hand. We were able to put a few hits together and score some runs."

After retiring the Golden Falcons (16-6, 8-2 ECC) in order in the fourth, Vazquez found himself in more trouble in the fifth. Jonathan Taylor's single drove home Narron, extending the margin to 4-0.

An error allowed courtesy runner Jesse Randolph to score and Jackson Wooten was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Southern Wayne coach Trae McKee called on reliever Phil Howell.

"Ray wasn't real sharp tonight," said McKee. "I didn't think he was sharp. He's got to get ahead in the counts and any pitcher that falls behind in the count is hittable."

Tyler Ruffin greeted Howell with an RBI single to cap the four-run fifth.

Wright (3-for-4) scored on a triple and an error in the sixth. Stephen Strouse's solo homer stretched the cushion to 9-0. Strouse and Carr both finished 2-for-4.

Narron completed Aycock's scoring with a long, two-run homer in the seventh. The sophomore shortstop ended the night 3-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored.

"Connor plays this game hard and he's been around it all his life, but Connor also works at this game," said Davis. "That's where people see the result but you also have to see what he does on the practice field away from everybody else."

A week after throwing a one-hit shutout in a five-inning contest against Wilson Hunt, Dubose was equally as dominant. The sophomore left-hander changed speeds all night, scattering five hits while striking five and walking just one in six innings of work.

With pitching being one of several questions surrounding the Golden Falcons at the beginning of the season, DuBose has developed into a second reliable arm alongside Randolph.

"Eric came out again and gave us six solid innings," said Davis. "As a sophomore, he's getting more and more confidence in himself. The great thing about it is our kids have confidence in our pitchers now."

Jimmy Kearney worked a scoreless seventh in relief of DuBose.

Tyler Davis was the lone Saint to tally two hits.

Aycock hosts Greene Central on Monday evening, while Southern Wayne entertains Wilmington Ashley.