Red Devils Roll
May 20, 2009 By Denis Vass of Graham High School
In a game played at Zachary Field tonight, playoff fevor reigned supreme, as host Graham (22-1) romped over visiting North Lenoir 10-6 tonight.
The visitors from LaGrange brought a loud and vocal crowd, as they had a say about every pitch and play in the field.
The Hawks soared high for five innings. North Lenoir scored all their runs through the air, as they hammered 4 pitches from Graham's starting pitcher Ty Osborne over the fence. Mike Wetherington, Benji Harris, Spencer Bass, and Spencer Moye all slugged home runs. Harris and Moye connected with runners on base.
The Red Devils displayed extreme patience at the plate, as they forced the Hawk's starting pitcher Benji Harris to throw 71 pitches the first two innings. Harris escaped a jam with the bases loaded in the bottom of the first, but could not escape in the second inning, as Blake Throneburh slapped a 2 RBI single. Geronki Coble scored on a wild pitch, and Seth Caison knocked Throneburg in with another single as Graham grabbed a 4-1 lead after four innings. Mike Wetherington had put the Hawks ahead 1-0 with a solo home run in the top of the first inning.
While the Hawks depended on the long ball to score all their runs, the Red Devils settled
for 10 singles and a win. "Whatever wins the game, we'll take it," said Graham senior shortstop Geronki Coble, who had two singles. "As long as we keep battling and don't let them get ahead."
"They took care of the home runs, we'll take the win," Graham coach Chad Holland said. "We got on base. We put pressure on the defense." "It doesn't matter (that we didn't have an extra-base hit)," Senior Seth Caison said. "I just try to put the ball in play. If you're putting the ball in play, there's nothing else you can do."
The Hawks were able to tie the game in the 4th inning as Spencer Bass led off the inning with a solo home run, and Moye followed with a 2-run homer.
The Red Devils countered in the bottom of the inning, scoring 2 on 2 hits to grab a 6-4 lead. Geronk Coble scored on a wild pitch, and Blake Throneburg was driven in by Seth Caison.
The Hawks refused to go away, as pitcher Benji Harris slugged a 2-run home run to tie the game at 6-6 in the top of the fifth inning.
The visitors from LaGrange had plenty to vocalize about in the bottom of the 5th inning. Tyer Wiles led off with a single. Shannon Watkins sacrificed him to second. Matt Holley struck out. The #9 batter Cody Dix hit a slow roller to short. The Hawk's Tyler Potter had a bad throw at first, allowing Dix to reach. Wiles got caught in a run down between third and home. The Hawk's attempted to tag Wiles out at third, and catcher Rob Harrell's throw bounced off the third baseman Spencer Moye's glove into left field, as Wiles plowed into him, allowing Wiles to score the go-ahead run.
The Hawk's coach and fans protested intensely and loudly, which drew a warning from the home plate umpire. Graham fans got into the game at that point, backing the team with loud vocal support. Geronki Coble then drove in Dix with a single to stretch the Red Devils lead to 8-6.
The Hawks still refused to break, loading the bases in the top of the 6th inning on three straight walks by Graham pitcher Cody Dix. Dix escaped the inning by striking out Spencer Bass.
The Red Devils added to their lead in the bottom of the 6th. Matt Roberts and Seth Caison were hit by pitches (by two different Hawks pitchers). After Rigeberto Mendoza popped up, Tyler Wiles was also hit by a pitch by the Hawk's third pitcher of the ininng to load up the bases. Shannon Watkins struck out, but Matt Holley delivered a 2-run single to drive in Roberts and Caison to give the Red Devils a 10-6 lead and some breathing room.
The Hawks were not about to get on the bus the LaGrange quickly, as they got the first two batters on by base on balls. But pitcher Cody Dix settled in, striking out Spencer Moye and forcing DeJuan Gray and Tyler Potter to pop up to end the game.
Graham's starting pitcher Ty Osborne, while giving up 6 runs on 4 home runs, struck out 10 Hawks batters, walked 3, and hit one. Cody Dix pitched the final two innings, striking out 2, walking 5 batters in a shaky relief performance, and hit one. Dix was able to make the pitches he needed to escape the jam he got in.
Geronki Coble led the Red Devils at the plate, going 3-for4 with an RBI and scoring two runs. Seth Caison was 2-for-3 with 2 RBI. Tyler Wiles was also 2-for-3. Blake Throneburg had 2 RBI, while Matt Holley also had 2 RBI.
Graham will play at home Friday May 22nd in the Sectional Finals. Graham will host McMichael, who defeated Tarrboro 7-6 tonight. McMichael knocked Graham out of the playoffs in 2008.
To read the Times-News article, click HERE |
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