Wesleyan nips Liberty Christian, 3-2
BY MICHAEL LINDSAY
ENTERPRISE SPORTS WRITER
HIGH POINT — Wesleyan Christian once again faced a difficult challenge and came through with a big win.
The Trojans scored the first three runs of the game, then, behind the pitching of Brett Ker r y, held on in the late innings to beat visiting Liberty Christian 3-2 in a meeting of interstate baseball powers Saturday at Westchester Country Day.
“We love playing against those guys,” Wesleyan coach Scott Davis said. “We went up there last year and played them at the end of the season, lost on a walk-of f home run. They’re always really good — Coach Tomlin’s got a great club up there.
“So, it definitely helped us. This was a state championship-caliber atmosphere. So, it tested our kids and I’m sure it tested his kids. They have some really good players. It’s a beautiful day to play, so we’re happy to get the win.”
Caleb Cozart went 2 for 3 with a home run and two RBIs for the Trojans (12-0), the reigning NCISAA 3A state champions.
Patrick Bailey also had two hits and an RBI, while Nick Caldwell added a double. Wesleyan, which also beat NCHSAA 4A state champion North Davidson and NCISAA 2A Northside Christian earlier this season, scored once in the first on an RBI single by Bailey, once in the fourth on Cozart’s home run to center, and once in the fifth on an RBI single by Cozart to left-center to lead 3-0.
“It felt really, really good,” Cozart said of the win. “This team’s championship caliber
Midway through the season, things are starting to come together and it really showed today. Brett threw a great game, we scratched away in the middle innings and came out with a win.”
Kerry (5-0) got the complete-game win, allowing five hits while striking out nine and walking none. He worked with relative ease through the first five innings — facing just two more than the minimum — before the Bulldogs (4-1), the Virginia High School League 4A runners-up last year, rallied for two runs in the fifth.
They put two on with no outs before scoring on infield grounders and moved the tying run to third with two outs. But Kerry, who struck out six of the first 10 batters he faced that included three straight to start the game, got a strikeout to end the inning and worked a 1-2-3 seventh to seal the win.
“It felt great,” Kerry said. “We were 11-0 coming into this one and we definitely knew they were coming for us. So, I definitely had to be good on the mound and my teammates were great behind me. I couldn’t ask for a better effort from all of them. ...
“To get through (the sixth) was big. My teammates were behind me. When they scored those two runs, I knew I couldn’t give up a third because I didn’t want to put the pressure on my teammates to get another run. So, it was just a major relief.”
Noah Robbins went 2 for 2 to lead Liberty Christian, while Kyle Horton and Quade Tomlin each doubled, and Noah Cook and Wesley Clarke each had an RBI. Starting pitcher Christian Gordon took the loss in four innings, giving up two runs on five hits while walking none and striking out four.
The Trojans will visit SouthLake Christian on Monday before hosting NCISAA 2A power Westchester Country Day on Tuesday at the High Point Athletic Complex’s Ed Price Field.
“We’re 12-0 and we’ve played very, very well,” Davis said. “We’re hitting the ball extremely well. We’ve got excellent pitching – we’ve got three starters in Kerry, (Luke) Davis and Cozart, and then we’ve got some relievers that are getting some innings.
“So, we’re starting to come into form here about midseason. It always takes us about 12 or 13 games to decide how we’re going to finish down the stretch with personnel and positions. So, we’re in a good rhythm right now.”
BY MICHAEL LINDSAY
ENTERPRISE SPORTS WRITER
HIGH POINT — Wesleyan Christian once again faced a difficult challenge and came through with a big win.
The Trojans scored the first three runs of the game, then, behind the pitching of Brett Ker r y, held on in the late innings to beat visiting Liberty Christian 3-2 in a meeting of interstate baseball powers Saturday at Westchester Country Day.
“We love playing against those guys,” Wesleyan coach Scott Davis said. “We went up there last year and played them at the end of the season, lost on a walk-of f home run. They’re always really good — Coach Tomlin’s got a great club up there.
“So, it definitely helped us. This was a state championship-caliber atmosphere. So, it tested our kids and I’m sure it tested his kids. They have some really good players. It’s a beautiful day to play, so we’re happy to get the win.”
Caleb Cozart went 2 for 3 with a home run and two RBIs for the Trojans (12-0), the reigning NCISAA 3A state champions.
Patrick Bailey also had two hits and an RBI, while Nick Caldwell added a double. Wesleyan, which also beat NCHSAA 4A state champion North Davidson and NCISAA 2A Northside Christian earlier this season, scored once in the first on an RBI single by Bailey, once in the fourth on Cozart’s home run to center, and once in the fifth on an RBI single by Cozart to left-center to lead 3-0.
“It felt really, really good,” Cozart said of the win. “This team’s championship caliber
Midway through the season, things are starting to come together and it really showed today. Brett threw a great game, we scratched away in the middle innings and came out with a win.”
Kerry (5-0) got the complete-game win, allowing five hits while striking out nine and walking none. He worked with relative ease through the first five innings — facing just two more than the minimum — before the Bulldogs (4-1), the Virginia High School League 4A runners-up last year, rallied for two runs in the fifth.
They put two on with no outs before scoring on infield grounders and moved the tying run to third with two outs. But Kerry, who struck out six of the first 10 batters he faced that included three straight to start the game, got a strikeout to end the inning and worked a 1-2-3 seventh to seal the win.
“It felt great,” Kerry said. “We were 11-0 coming into this one and we definitely knew they were coming for us. So, I definitely had to be good on the mound and my teammates were great behind me. I couldn’t ask for a better effort from all of them. ...
“To get through (the sixth) was big. My teammates were behind me. When they scored those two runs, I knew I couldn’t give up a third because I didn’t want to put the pressure on my teammates to get another run. So, it was just a major relief.”
Noah Robbins went 2 for 2 to lead Liberty Christian, while Kyle Horton and Quade Tomlin each doubled, and Noah Cook and Wesley Clarke each had an RBI. Starting pitcher Christian Gordon took the loss in four innings, giving up two runs on five hits while walking none and striking out four.
The Trojans will visit SouthLake Christian on Monday before hosting NCISAA 2A power Westchester Country Day on Tuesday at the High Point Athletic Complex’s Ed Price Field.
“We’re 12-0 and we’ve played very, very well,” Davis said. “We’re hitting the ball extremely well. We’ve got excellent pitching – we’ve got three starters in Kerry, (Luke) Davis and Cozart, and then we’ve got some relievers that are getting some innings.
“So, we’re starting to come into form here about midseason. It always takes us about 12 or 13 games to decide how we’re going to finish down the stretch with personnel and positions. So, we’re in a good rhythm right now.”
