ECBL: Goldsboro rallies past CBA White

By Justin Hayes
Published in Sports on June 28, 2016 1:48 PM

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Details, details, details.

Goldsboro High exhibited command of the game's finer points when they mattered most during its come-from-behind, 4-3 victory over Eastern Carolina Baseball League juggernaut Charles B. Aycock White at Mina Weil Park on Monday evening.

The early going, however, appeared typical.

CBA opened in characteristic fashion, turning a Chandler Patrick walk of Blake Dilda into an RBI single by Trey Smith in the second inning. The opportunistic turn was part of a rough outing for Goldsboro's Patrick, who struggled with control issues in three swift innings of work.

In total, the righty allowed two runs on two hits. He also fanned three batters.

Aycock struck again in the third on a fielder's choice RBI from shortstop Tyree Artis. The Golden Falcons put two more runners on base in the frame, only to see the rally stifled by Patrick'' final strikeout of the contest.

Which is precisely when the Cougars' tide began to turn.

Patrick launched an RBI single to the fence in left-center field to cap Goldsboro's half of the inning, plating Brody Morton and making the score 2-1.

Then Matthew Lewis happened.

The dimunitive righty entered the game for Patrick in the fourth, and was efficient over a spotty, two-frame timecard. He confused Aycock batters with a variety of pitches, allowing just one run on a single hit. Patrick closed the Aycock fifth with a strikeout and an assisted putout at first base.

"We didn't swing the bats well," said Aycock head coach Nelson Cunningham. "But credit Goldsboro's pitchers. They did what they're supposed to do."

Specifically Lewis, who was far from done.

With no outs and runners on first and second, the middle reliever helped his own cause by piercing a Clay Matthews offering to the gap in right field. The single -- part of a 2-for-33, 2-RBI showing -- tied the contest at three and started an inning of small-ball mania by the Cougars.

Two bunts by Patrick and Josh Hartsfield, a throwing error from third base and a hail of dust later, Lewis crossed home, giving Goldsboro a 4-3 lead.

The breakout session was the final Cougar salvo on an evening when they touched four Aycock pitchers for eight hits -- three of which arrived in the monumental fifth stanza.

It was all the support needed for Hartsfield, who was excellent in relief of Lewis. Save a dropped third strike that resulted in Aycock's Rowan Watt taking two bases, the right-hander worked two clean innings. He retired six batters in short order with a mixture of routine ground balls and pop flies.

Goldsboro's win -- a gritty, band-of-brothers team effort -- was praised by skipper Tony Patrick.

"These guys, down 2-0, showed a lot of heart," he said. "And Matthew -- he can spray the middle better than a lot of kids I've seen."