BASEBALL -- CBA vs. Gibbons

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on April 16, 2017 12:03 AM

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WILSON -- For 5 1/3 innings, Charles B. Aycock pitcher Blake Gipson and Cardinal Gibbons counterpart Pete Bloomberg staged a duel on the hill inside venerable Fleming Stadium on Saturday.

Gipson, in his first start, puzzled the Crusaders with off-speed pitches that consistently danced around the plate.

Ranked as one of the state's top prep right-handers, Bloomberg delivered the gas -- which could have easily prompted catcher Gray Betts to request a fire extinguisher after each inning to douse the smoke after every heater popped into his glove.

The gritty -- but competitive -- hurlers battled to 1-1 tie.

Until the sixth inning.

Gibbons benefited from Gage Trenum's RBI single and a throwing error on a dropped third strike to seize a 3-1 lead. Bloomberg had no trouble protecting the advantage on opening day of the fourth annual Golden Leaf Invitational.

"I can't say enough about the job Blake did today," gushed CBA head coach Charles Davis. "He did a heckuva job. That team is hitting about freaking .400 and we knew if he could get his change-up and off-speed (pitches) over -- they were a fastball-hitting team ... I couldn't ask no more out of Blake.

"I'm proud of the way he threw the ball."

Gipson permitted three runs (two earned) on seven hits, walked two and struck out three in 51/3 innings of work. He retired the Crusaders (12-1 overall) in order in the third inning -- part of a stretch of when he sat down nine of 10 gray-shirted batters.

Gibbons stranded six runners against Gipson, and a total of 10 for the game.

The Golden Falcons struck first.

Gipson connected on a single to right-center field and raced home on Chris Turner's RBI double to the power alley in the bottom of the third inning.

The Crusaders knotted the game at 1-1 on Noah Fitzgerald's grounder that bounced past the out-stretched glove of CBA second baseman Tyler Daniels one inning later.

Bloomberg continued to command the zone and delivered a backdoor curveball on occasion that frustrated the Golden Falcons, who struck out 11 times on the day -- five with runners in scoring position.

"That's tough to win a ballgame with 11 strikeouts," Davis said. "You're putting no pressure on the defense then. The defense only has to get 10 outs. We're going to see arms like that in the playoffs. Hopefully, today's game will help us prepare for that."

Tied at 1-1, Michael Burns poked a single into shallow left field to start the Crusaders' sixth. Eric Farley drew a walk and Trenum connected on a run-scoring single.

Dane Stewart swung at a dropped third strike and Turner opted to gun Farley down at the third. The throw sailed into right field and Farley trotted to the plate.

Cardinals 3, CBA 1.

"It's what I want to do in that situation," Davis said. "The ball just slipped out of his hand. I trust Chris on all of the decisions he makes. That ball just slipped out of his hand and got away right there.

"We competed. We played hard against a very good team. You never want to lose, but I'm also happy with our effort."