Saints top Kinston 6-2

By Ryan Hanchett
Published in Sports on May 1, 2008 3:03 PM

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DUDLEY -- Survive and advance.

Southern Wayne is taking that approach during the 2008 Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference baseball tournament, which began Tuesday. The fourth-seeded Saints took their first step with a 6-2 victory over fifth-seeded Kinston on the Doyle Whitfield Athletic Complex diamond.

Forced to shuffle his lineup because of injuries and suspensions, Southern Wayne head coach Trae McKee heaped praise on his team.

"It was good to see Cameron Wiggins get his first win on the mound," McKee said. "He did a nice job for us, and for the most part we played good defense behind him."

Wiggins allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits and notched three strikeouts in a four-inning stint. Lanky Phil Howell provided three innings of two-hit, four-strikeout relief.

Scott Holloman's first-inning, RBI double put the Saints in front to stay.

Jordan Hood and Ryan Messimer led off the second inning with back-to-back singles against Kinston starter Sergio Duarte, who was pulled in favor of reliever Blake Herring.

The Saints' Robert Herring ripped an RBI single and Mathew Holmes delivered a base hit. Two batters later, Holloman capped the scoring with an RBI single.

"Our guys had some good at-bats," McKee said. "We know that we need to go up to the plate and attack the ball. When we get guys on base we have to be ready to hit, and not take first pitch strikes when we see them."

Kinston battled back in the fifth.

Cleveland Banks and Josh Lovick cranked out consecutive base hits. Anthony Clark reached on an error, which allowed Banks to score. Landon Debrul finished the Vikings' rally with a perfectly-executed, suicide-squeeze bunt.

The Saints answered.

Jordan Williams walked and trotted home on Holloman's triple. Holloman, who finished a home run shy of hitting for the cycle, eventually crossed the plate on a wild pitch.

Southern Wayne continues tournament play today at regular-season champion Eastern Wayne. First pitch is 7 p.m.