Knights neutralize Cyclones 25-1 behind Woodard’s one-hitter
By Jimmy Lewis jlewis@wilsontimes.com | 265-7807 | Twitter: @JimmyLewisWT
Although out of its control, the scheduling quirks associated with nonconference play conspired to put the Community Christian School varsity baseball team in a precarious position Tuesday afternoon.
With crosstown foe Greenfield scheduling the Cyclones as their only game this week, that gave the Knights the latitude to trot out junior right-hander Nathan Woodard against a CCS lineup that featured just one substitute.
While the high-velocity Woodard battled command issues in the opening inning, he settled down in the second and went on to strike out eight of the 11 remaining batters he faced. Throw in a CCS defense that continued its struggles in making the most routine of baseball plays, and the Knights followed a six-run third with a mammoth 16-run display in the fourth, mercifully ending the day’s proceedings with a 25-1 Greenfield triumph in four innings.
The Knights, 1-A members of the split 1-A/2-A Coastal Plain Independents Conference, climbed to 2-1. CCS, playing out of the 1-A/2-A Coastal Independents Conference, stayed winless through five games.
“We talked about how we wanted to play the game and not necessarily play against an opponent,” Greenfield head coach Daniel Johnson said. “We wanted to be aggressive, and the first couple of innings, I thought we were being aggressive, but just couldn’t make anything happen. The third inning, it kind of erupted there. But I was proud of them for coming out and taking care of business today.”
Generally, any time a Greenfield runner reached base spelled major issues for the Cyclones defensively. Stolen bases, totaling eight, were rampant before the Knights had amassed enough a lead to end the contest early via the mercy rule. In the midst of the Knights’ 16-run third where the CCS defensive struggles reached their peak, the visitors became content with station-to-station baseball and declined to take the extra base.
The Cyclones were hit with errors ranging from misjudged fly balls, ground balls, failed pickoff attempts and even catcher’s interference.
“We’re struggling to field the ball,” CCS head coach Andy Jackson summarized. “It’s been kind of rough. We’re pretty new at baseball, and it’s showing.”
The middle-to-bottom part of Greenfield’s order showed promise with the bat, with senior Zeke Ferrell and sophomore catcher Alex Johnson each racking up three hits. Johnson and Ferrell each drove in runs as part of a 3-for-3 effort, while freshman Harrison Batchelor came off the bench and went 2 for 2 in securing his first varsity hits. Woodard tripled in the first to score sophomore Jacob Wiggs, who walked.
CCS did scratch against Woodard in the bottom of the first. Sophomore catcher Landon Beaman walked, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on senior Thomas Lane’s double that tailed away from Greenfield right fielder Nick Sessoms. It was the only hit given up by Woodard.
“I saw he had some good speed and he had a good curveball, so I was just looking for a fastball I could hit and put somewhere deep in right field,” Lane said.”
Woodard, who struggled with his arm slot in the opening inning, struck out nine and walked one in his four-inning outing. He struck out the last five CCS batters he faced. Junior Lawson Summerlin took the loss for CCS, working three innings and giving up 11 runs.
“After the first inning or two, it’s always like that,” Woodard said. “I’ve got to focus in, get my stuff right. It’s my arm slot mainly. I’ve got to focus on that, especially in the early innings. It seemed like the third inning, my arm was kind of tight. I came out there, loosened it up, and it just started to flow after that.”
Score by innings:
Greenfield 216 (16) — 25
CCS 100 0 — 1
WP-Nathan Woodard 4 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 SO. LP-Lawson Summerlin 3 IP, 11 R, 4 ER, 6 BB, 4 SO.
LEADING HITTERS — Greenfield: Zeke Ferrell 3-3, 3 RBI, Alex Johnson 3-4, 2 RBI, William Smith 2-3, 2 RBI, Nathan Woodard 2-3, 3B, 3 RBI, Harrison Batchelor 2-2, 2 RBI, CCS: Thomas Lane 1-2, 2B, RBI.
By Jimmy Lewis jlewis@wilsontimes.com | 265-7807 | Twitter: @JimmyLewisWT
Although out of its control, the scheduling quirks associated with nonconference play conspired to put the Community Christian School varsity baseball team in a precarious position Tuesday afternoon.
With crosstown foe Greenfield scheduling the Cyclones as their only game this week, that gave the Knights the latitude to trot out junior right-hander Nathan Woodard against a CCS lineup that featured just one substitute.
While the high-velocity Woodard battled command issues in the opening inning, he settled down in the second and went on to strike out eight of the 11 remaining batters he faced. Throw in a CCS defense that continued its struggles in making the most routine of baseball plays, and the Knights followed a six-run third with a mammoth 16-run display in the fourth, mercifully ending the day’s proceedings with a 25-1 Greenfield triumph in four innings.
The Knights, 1-A members of the split 1-A/2-A Coastal Plain Independents Conference, climbed to 2-1. CCS, playing out of the 1-A/2-A Coastal Independents Conference, stayed winless through five games.
“We talked about how we wanted to play the game and not necessarily play against an opponent,” Greenfield head coach Daniel Johnson said. “We wanted to be aggressive, and the first couple of innings, I thought we were being aggressive, but just couldn’t make anything happen. The third inning, it kind of erupted there. But I was proud of them for coming out and taking care of business today.”
Generally, any time a Greenfield runner reached base spelled major issues for the Cyclones defensively. Stolen bases, totaling eight, were rampant before the Knights had amassed enough a lead to end the contest early via the mercy rule. In the midst of the Knights’ 16-run third where the CCS defensive struggles reached their peak, the visitors became content with station-to-station baseball and declined to take the extra base.
The Cyclones were hit with errors ranging from misjudged fly balls, ground balls, failed pickoff attempts and even catcher’s interference.
“We’re struggling to field the ball,” CCS head coach Andy Jackson summarized. “It’s been kind of rough. We’re pretty new at baseball, and it’s showing.”
The middle-to-bottom part of Greenfield’s order showed promise with the bat, with senior Zeke Ferrell and sophomore catcher Alex Johnson each racking up three hits. Johnson and Ferrell each drove in runs as part of a 3-for-3 effort, while freshman Harrison Batchelor came off the bench and went 2 for 2 in securing his first varsity hits. Woodard tripled in the first to score sophomore Jacob Wiggs, who walked.
CCS did scratch against Woodard in the bottom of the first. Sophomore catcher Landon Beaman walked, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on senior Thomas Lane’s double that tailed away from Greenfield right fielder Nick Sessoms. It was the only hit given up by Woodard.
“I saw he had some good speed and he had a good curveball, so I was just looking for a fastball I could hit and put somewhere deep in right field,” Lane said.”
Woodard, who struggled with his arm slot in the opening inning, struck out nine and walked one in his four-inning outing. He struck out the last five CCS batters he faced. Junior Lawson Summerlin took the loss for CCS, working three innings and giving up 11 runs.
“After the first inning or two, it’s always like that,” Woodard said. “I’ve got to focus in, get my stuff right. It’s my arm slot mainly. I’ve got to focus on that, especially in the early innings. It seemed like the third inning, my arm was kind of tight. I came out there, loosened it up, and it just started to flow after that.”
Score by innings:
Greenfield 216 (16) — 25
CCS 100 0 — 1
WP-Nathan Woodard 4 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 SO. LP-Lawson Summerlin 3 IP, 11 R, 4 ER, 6 BB, 4 SO.
LEADING HITTERS — Greenfield: Zeke Ferrell 3-3, 3 RBI, Alex Johnson 3-4, 2 RBI, William Smith 2-3, 2 RBI, Nathan Woodard 2-3, 3B, 3 RBI, Harrison Batchelor 2-2, 2 RBI, CCS: Thomas Lane 1-2, 2B, RBI.
