Chargers squander opportunities in loss to Bulldogs
By Andrew Schnittker—Wilson Times
The Wilson Christian baseball team had opportunities to forge a closer fight against Princeton on Thursday night, but too many errors both on the diamond and the base paths sunk the Chargers in a 7-1 defeat.
Wilson Christian (8-10-1) committed five errors and surrendered two unearned runs in the loss to the Bulldogs (14-3).
“We’re playing some bad baseball,” said Wilson Christian head coach Ty Bissett. “Right now our minds aren’t right. We’re coming off spring break, and that’s no excuse, but we’re in a bad mental state of baseball. Hopefully we can get it turned around before the playoffs. I’ve never had a team go through the struggles that we’re going through right now. Just fundamentals, making the routine plays and doing what you’re supposed to at the plate. Pitching, overall, we were fine. We pitched our way in, it should have been a 2-1, 3-2 ball game. ... When you make errors and you don’t do the routine things on the bases, you run yourself out of the inning twice. You miss some fly balls and don’t what you’re supposed to do, that’s why it’s 7-1. We’ve got to turn around or it’s going to get ugly before the season’s over with.”
Apollos Horrell took the loss on the mound for Wilson Christian, allowing three runs on three hits while striking out four and walking three in 3 1/3 innings.
Princeton’s Landon Murphy pitched five shutout innings for the victory, allowing five hits while striking out three and walking none.
“I just we competed hard,” said Princeton head coach Noah Edens. “We played really well defensively. We pitched the ball really well. Landon made some big pitches early. We scored a few runs, started to run the bases pretty well. But overall, we hit it well, we played pretty good behind our pitchers and ran the bases well.”
Princeton’s Daniel Kornegay finished 3 for 4 with three runs scored, and AJ Fitzmorris drove a solo home run over the left-field wall in the fourth inning.
For Wilson Christian, Horrell went 3 for 3 with a pair of doubles and run scored, and Tyler Pegram notched two hits. The Chargers, however, left eight runners on base as they squandered numerous opportunities to make it a closer game.
“We had the wrong approach at the plate,” Bissett said. “We were trying to hit the ball out of the park instead of hitting the ball backside and scoring the guys that were on second and third. That’s just what we talked about. Baseball is a simple game when you keep it simple and you do the right things.
But when you go up there and try to hit a home run, when all you’ve got to do is put the ball in play with two men on and no outs, you’re going to score runs. We don’t have that mentality right now. Hopefully it’ll change.”
After a scoreless first two innings, the Bulldogs took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third, and built a 6-0 advantage before Wilson Christian scratched across its lone run in the bottom of the sixth.
“They have more of a competitive edge than we do,” Horrell said. “Talent wise, I think we can go head to head with just about anybody. But they just wanted to win more. We just got down early and never could recover.”
The Chargers will host Wake Christian in another nonconference matchup Friday night.
P 002 112 1 — 7
WCA 000 001 0 — 1
WP-Landon Murphy (2-0) 5 IP, 5 H, 0 R. 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K. LP-Apollos Horrell (0-2) 3 1/3 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K.
LEADING HITTERS — Princeton: Daniel Kornegay 3-4, 3 R; AJ Fitzmorris 1-4, HR, R, RBI. Wilson Christian: Apollos Horrell 3-3, 2 2B, R; Tyler Pegram 2-3.
By Andrew Schnittker—Wilson Times
The Wilson Christian baseball team had opportunities to forge a closer fight against Princeton on Thursday night, but too many errors both on the diamond and the base paths sunk the Chargers in a 7-1 defeat.
Wilson Christian (8-10-1) committed five errors and surrendered two unearned runs in the loss to the Bulldogs (14-3).
“We’re playing some bad baseball,” said Wilson Christian head coach Ty Bissett. “Right now our minds aren’t right. We’re coming off spring break, and that’s no excuse, but we’re in a bad mental state of baseball. Hopefully we can get it turned around before the playoffs. I’ve never had a team go through the struggles that we’re going through right now. Just fundamentals, making the routine plays and doing what you’re supposed to at the plate. Pitching, overall, we were fine. We pitched our way in, it should have been a 2-1, 3-2 ball game. ... When you make errors and you don’t do the routine things on the bases, you run yourself out of the inning twice. You miss some fly balls and don’t what you’re supposed to do, that’s why it’s 7-1. We’ve got to turn around or it’s going to get ugly before the season’s over with.”
Apollos Horrell took the loss on the mound for Wilson Christian, allowing three runs on three hits while striking out four and walking three in 3 1/3 innings.
Princeton’s Landon Murphy pitched five shutout innings for the victory, allowing five hits while striking out three and walking none.
“I just we competed hard,” said Princeton head coach Noah Edens. “We played really well defensively. We pitched the ball really well. Landon made some big pitches early. We scored a few runs, started to run the bases pretty well. But overall, we hit it well, we played pretty good behind our pitchers and ran the bases well.”
Princeton’s Daniel Kornegay finished 3 for 4 with three runs scored, and AJ Fitzmorris drove a solo home run over the left-field wall in the fourth inning.
For Wilson Christian, Horrell went 3 for 3 with a pair of doubles and run scored, and Tyler Pegram notched two hits. The Chargers, however, left eight runners on base as they squandered numerous opportunities to make it a closer game.
“We had the wrong approach at the plate,” Bissett said. “We were trying to hit the ball out of the park instead of hitting the ball backside and scoring the guys that were on second and third. That’s just what we talked about. Baseball is a simple game when you keep it simple and you do the right things.
But when you go up there and try to hit a home run, when all you’ve got to do is put the ball in play with two men on and no outs, you’re going to score runs. We don’t have that mentality right now. Hopefully it’ll change.”
After a scoreless first two innings, the Bulldogs took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third, and built a 6-0 advantage before Wilson Christian scratched across its lone run in the bottom of the sixth.
“They have more of a competitive edge than we do,” Horrell said. “Talent wise, I think we can go head to head with just about anybody. But they just wanted to win more. We just got down early and never could recover.”
The Chargers will host Wake Christian in another nonconference matchup Friday night.
P 002 112 1 — 7
WCA 000 001 0 — 1
WP-Landon Murphy (2-0) 5 IP, 5 H, 0 R. 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K. LP-Apollos Horrell (0-2) 3 1/3 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K.
LEADING HITTERS — Princeton: Daniel Kornegay 3-4, 3 R; AJ Fitzmorris 1-4, HR, R, RBI. Wilson Christian: Apollos Horrell 3-3, 2 2B, R; Tyler Pegram 2-3.
