ECBL: North Duplin, WCDS split doubleheader

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on June 18, 2016 11:18 AM

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By BEN COLEY

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In the first game of their Eastern Carolina Baseball League doubleheader against North Duplin on Thursday afternoon, Wayne Country Day head coach Will Lane decided to play most of his junior varsity players -- a team composed of mostly eighth- and ninth-graders.

They were no match for the Rebels in a 9-6 loss.

Lane brought out his "big" boys for game two.

Predictably, the results were different. Jaxon Anderson and Case Kermode combined for a no-hitter in the Chargers' 5-0 victory.

The Rebels scored at least one run in each inning, and the younger Chargers could not keep up with the pace. North Duplin's David Price had two hits and two RBI.

Dylan Jones smashed a fourth-inning home run.

"They were being aggressive and looking for something to hit and something to drive," North Duplin head coach Brian Rhodes said. "And that's what we teach. We don't have a take sign. This is an instructional league, and we want them swinging the bats."

The second game of the doubleheader was much less successful for Rhodes and the Rebels. After notching one run in the third inning, the Chargers exploded for four runs in the fourth frame -- including a solo home run by Mitch Turnage and a RBI triple by Kermode.

Meanwhile, Anderson and Kermode controlled the game on the mound. Anderson pitched three innings, and struck out two batters. Kermode tossed the remaining two frames, striking out four batters and allowing only one walk.

"I was really impressed with Case," Lane said. "He's mainly our catcher. But for us to put him on the mound today and see what he's got -- I was impressed. Jaxon threw the ball well. He dug himself out in the first inning with the bases loaded by getting the double play.

"And he came back in the second inning rocking fire."

Dylan Jones and Tanner Gehron handled the pitching duties for North Duplin in the second matchup. In three innings of work, Jones gave up two hits and one run while Gehron allowed the Chargers to get four runs off of five hits.

Despite the disappointing performance, Rhodes said he remains proud of his team, and he is excited for what the future holds.

"I thought we played good defense, and Wayne Country Day is just a solid team," Rhodes said. "To come out of here with a split -- we're proud of that. We're young and have a couple of eighth graders. But I couldn't be more tickled with him."