Carolina Athletic Park, Goldsboro —– Wayne County Post 11 would need every inning of Game 2 to claw their way back to win 8-7 after falling behind by as much as 7-3 against a very tough Post 39 squad.
Pitt County would send all nine men to the plate in the first against starter Braxton Toler on just 1 hit and 5 walks and led 3-0 after one. Post 39 starter Camden Wilson would allow only 1 Post 11 baserunner through 2.
Pitt made it 4-0 in the third on a lead off double by Ethan Simmons and a RBI ground out by Max Mason.
Toler was able to keep Pitt from breaking the game open striking out 6 through 3.
Wayne County would get on the board in the third when with 2 outs Cameron Aycock would reach on a well placed bunt and score on back to back singles from Carter Adams and Lawson Tyndall.
Post 39 would extend the lead to 5-1 when leadoff hitter Rahkeem Williams was hit by the pitch and went to third on a bad throw on a pickoff attempt to first. Williams would score on a Joyner Haddock ground ball. Reliever Jackson Brown would take over for Toler and get a much needed double play ball and strikeout to end the threat.
But the defending champs would not quit. In the Post 11 4th, Carson Tew led off with a single to third. Baines Raynor would wear one on the shoulder to put runners on first and second with nobody out. After a double steal, Thad Parker walked to load the bases. Cameron Aycock grounded to 1st plating Tew and Adams singled to left to close the Pitt lead to 5-3 after 4.
Post 39 would extend the lead in their half of the fifth to 7-3 on 4 hits.
Brown would strikeout the final 2 Pitt batters in the fifth and retire the side in order in the 6th to keep Pitt County in check and allow Post 11 to mount their comeback.
In the Wayne 5th, Joseph Buckley would get things started with a 1 out walk and steal 2nd. A ground ball to short off the bat of Charlie Scott would get misplayed putting runners at the corners. Tew would then ground to third but the throw would sail high allowing Buckley to score making it 7-4. After Raynor walked to load the bases, clutch back to back singles by Parker and Aycock would make it a 7-6 game after 5 complete.
Wayne County took the lead for good off reliever Joyner Haddock in the 6th when Tyndall led off with a walk, followed by a Buckley hit by pitch. Charlie Scott would then lift the bloop single to shallow right to tie the game at 7. A wild pitch then sent Buckley home to make it 8-7 Good Guys.
The Bells would then toll when closer Ayden West would need just 19 pitches to earn the save, while striking out the side.
Game 3 of the best of five series continues tonight in Winterville with Game 4 at home Thursday and game 5 if necessary Friday at Pitt.
