BASEBALL: Walker's first plate appearance sparks Saints

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on March 11, 2017 11:39 PM

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DUDLEY -- Confidence in the batter's box has been an early-season mantra for Southern Wayne baseball's team.

That self belief showed Friday evening -- in the first inning.

Manny Walker laced a two-RBI single up the middle and sparked the Saints to a 6-0, non-conference triumph over South Lenoir on a chilly Friday evening.

It was Walker's lone hit of the night.

"That's what we talk about, feeling comfortable in the box and hitting with men in scoring position," SW head coach Trae McKee said. "That got us jump-started for sure. Set the tone."

Lance Wise scored a third-inning run on an SL error.

Aryc Chrisman delivered a two-RBI single in the fourth inning. He raced home on the Blue Devils' fourth defensive miscue of the game.

SW led 6-0.

"I just know we played a good game defensively, a good game offensively and we played a good game on the mound," said McKee, whose team extended its win streak to three.

Jack Casbarro started on the bump.

The right-hander yielded four hits and posted three strikeouts in five scoreless innings of work. Wise permitted two hits and retired two Blue Devils on strikeouts over the final two innings.

SL batted 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and stranded five men at either second or third base over the final four innings. Casbarro retired the Blue Devils in order in the third.

"He was sharp," McKee said of Casbarro. "He was fastball was on both sides of the plate, was down on a good plane. He got ahead of a lot of hitters (and) was able to put some hitters away with two strikes.

"We made some really good plays behind him."

Southern Wayne (3-2 overall) opens its Eastern Carolina 3-A/4-A Conference schedule at home Tuesday against New Bern. Game time is 6 p.m.