Kirby, Taylor back-to-back HRs give Knights first win
Area Roundup
From staff reports
GOLDSBORO — Greenfield School won its first varsity baseball game in dramatic fashion Saturday as Cedric Kirby and Jake Taylor drilled back-to-back solo home runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to beat Halifax Academy 10-9 in the Greenfield Invitational, played at Wayne Country Day School.
The Knights (1-2), the defending North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association 1-A champions, trailed 6-0 before scoring six runs in the bottom of the third inning. However, Halifax forged ahead 9-8 entering the seventh. With two outs, Kirby belted a two-strike delivery over the left-field fence. Taylor followed by smacking a 1-1 pitch over the right-field fence for the walk-off win and making himself the winning pitcher in the process.
Taylor went all seven innings, giving up nine runs, but only five earned, on 14 hits and a walk while striking out five.
“Very gutty win for our guys today,” Knights head coach Daniel Johnson said. “They battled all day and pulled it out in the seventh.
“Jake Taylor did an outstanding job on the mound pitching out of trouble in several occasions and we did a little better defensively today. We got better in the later innings today. ... Very proud of the effort and the result today from this team.”
Kirby drove in four runs, including a two-run single to cap the six-run third for Greenfield. Hunter Stokely also had a two-run single while Taylor and Stefan Lemaire each singled in a run.
Gabriel Torres’ doubled plated Stokely in the sixth after Stokely had doubled.
Greenfield will host Grace Christian on Sanford on Friday in Fleming Stadium.
Score by innings:
Halifax 024 120 0 — 9
Greenfield 006 011 2 — 10
WP-Jake Taylor 7 IP, 14 H, 9 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO. LP-Karl Liles.
LEADING HITTERS — Halifax: Ryan Mizzelle 4-5; Brandon Moodey 2-4. Greenfield: Cedric Kirby 3-5, 2B, HR, 4 RBIs; Jake Taylor 2-5, HR, 2 RBIs; Hunter Stokely 2-4, 2B, 2 RBIs; Gabriel Torres 2-4, 2B, RBI; Stefan Lemaire 3-4, RBI; Ashley Jump 2-3.
Area Roundup
From staff reports
GOLDSBORO — Greenfield School won its first varsity baseball game in dramatic fashion Saturday as Cedric Kirby and Jake Taylor drilled back-to-back solo home runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to beat Halifax Academy 10-9 in the Greenfield Invitational, played at Wayne Country Day School.
The Knights (1-2), the defending North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association 1-A champions, trailed 6-0 before scoring six runs in the bottom of the third inning. However, Halifax forged ahead 9-8 entering the seventh. With two outs, Kirby belted a two-strike delivery over the left-field fence. Taylor followed by smacking a 1-1 pitch over the right-field fence for the walk-off win and making himself the winning pitcher in the process.
Taylor went all seven innings, giving up nine runs, but only five earned, on 14 hits and a walk while striking out five.
“Very gutty win for our guys today,” Knights head coach Daniel Johnson said. “They battled all day and pulled it out in the seventh.
“Jake Taylor did an outstanding job on the mound pitching out of trouble in several occasions and we did a little better defensively today. We got better in the later innings today. ... Very proud of the effort and the result today from this team.”
Kirby drove in four runs, including a two-run single to cap the six-run third for Greenfield. Hunter Stokely also had a two-run single while Taylor and Stefan Lemaire each singled in a run.
Gabriel Torres’ doubled plated Stokely in the sixth after Stokely had doubled.
Greenfield will host Grace Christian on Sanford on Friday in Fleming Stadium.
Score by innings:
Halifax 024 120 0 — 9
Greenfield 006 011 2 — 10
WP-Jake Taylor 7 IP, 14 H, 9 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO. LP-Karl Liles.
LEADING HITTERS — Halifax: Ryan Mizzelle 4-5; Brandon Moodey 2-4. Greenfield: Cedric Kirby 3-5, 2B, HR, 4 RBIs; Jake Taylor 2-5, HR, 2 RBIs; Hunter Stokely 2-4, 2B, 2 RBIs; Gabriel Torres 2-4, 2B, RBI; Stefan Lemaire 3-4, RBI; Ashley Jump 2-3.
