Post 11 rallies to beat Kinston

By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on June 24, 2008 1:50 PM

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DUDLEY -- Thomas Pilkington needed another chance.

After committing two errors, Pilkington delivered an eighth-inning, game-winning home run as Wayne County Post 11 edged Kinston 11-10 in Area I East South Division play.

The victory snapped Post 11's three-game skid.

Kinston Post 43 trailed 10-5 heading into the eighth until Grant Williams connected on a three-run homer off Wayne County reliever John Wooten. Billy Budding's RBI triple closed the gap to 10-9.

Budding scored when Pilkington misplayed a routine ground ball

Post 43 had runners at second and third with two outs, but Pilkington made a throw on the run to his left to retire Carter Capps and end the inning.

He made up for the mistake in his next at-bat. Pilkington drove a one-out homer over the left-field fence off Post 43 reliever Shane Flynn to put Wayne County (7-3 overall, 2-3 South) ahead for good.

"Thomas had a couple of plays he should of made tonight and he knew that," said Post 11 head coach Brad Reaves. "I told him, 'Thomas it's always going to come back to you.' That's the great thing about this game you're always going to get another chance."

Wooten (3-for-4, two RBI, three stolen bases) ripped the first of four Post 11 home runs in the first inning. Tyler Edwards, Walker Gourley and Wooten each had RBIs as Wayne County pushed its advantage to 4-0 in the second inning.

Kinston climbed within 4-3 on Trey Beamon's third-inning, three-run homer. Nolan Lancaster's solo bomb, Jay Rose's RBI hit and a wild pitch helped Wayne County stretch its lead to 7-3 after four innings. Rose finished with three hits.

A bases-loaded walk, Gourley's RBI single and Zach Wright's solo homer provided a seven-run cushion until Post 43 began its late-inning comeback. Edwards, Gourley, Wright, Pilkington and Lancaster cranked out two hits apiece.

Southern Wayne hurler Michael Douglas started and permitted four runs on eight hits, recorded four strikeouts and walked one batter in five-plus innings. Wooten earned the win in relief.

Errors and base-running mistakes plagued Wayne County. Post 11 had one runner picked off first base, two thrown out at second base, a suicide squeeze play gone wrong and a mental lapse caused another base running miscue.

"We had a different attitude tonight and it showed everywhere except running the bases," said Reaves. "I don't know what we were thinking."

Wayne County plays host to Apex on Wednesday. Game time is 7 p.m.