Wesleyan advances to semifinals
By GREER SMITH ENTERPRISE SPORTS WRITER
IGH POINT — Once able to break through against Wake Christian, Wesleyan kept striking Saturday.
Keyed by two two-run hits from Grant Aycock and solid pitching from Hunter Lance and Grayson MacDonald, the Trojans downed Wake Christian 11-1 in the quarterfinals of the NCISAA 4A baseball playoffs at Wesleyan’s field.
Top-seeded Wesleyan (15-4) trailed 1-0 when Aycock laced a two-run single with two outs in the second.
He drove in two more runs with a two-out ground-rule double that bounced over the right field fence and was the big blow in a five-run third.
The Trojans added two more in the fourth, and Will Papciack closed the game out with a two-run single in the fifth that triggered a 10-run mercy rule.
“We didn’t play our best,” Wesleyan coach Mo Blakeney said. “But this time of year, a win is a win and you advance. Their pitcher had us off balance a little bit, throwing slower. We made some adjustments, put people on base and put some pressure on them
“We did not do a good job of situational hitting with two runners on base and less than two outs. We had that situation twice in the first and second innings. We have to do a better job of that to advance and beat the good teams.”
Wesleyan had failed to score with two on when Aycock singled with two outs in the second.
“He’s just been a stud for us,” Blakeney said. “(His hit) put us up 3-1 and broke the ice for us, and then we were able to keep putting pressure on them.”
Aycock said he was looking for a fastball in the second and also when he belted the ground-rule double in the third.
“I was just looking for anything I could drive,” Aycock said.
The Trojans failed to at least tie in the first after putting two on with a triple and a walk.
“That was just us being young and complacent,” Aycock said. “Once we broke through that barrier, some of these guys haven’t played varsity before this year, we got contributions from everyone.”
A series of walks, a base hit and a sacrifice fly helped produce Wesleyan’s other runs in the third.
Wesleyan pushed two across in the fourth on a bases-loaded grounder and a bases-loaded walk.
In the fifth, a walk and a single set the stage for Papciack’s walk-off two-run hit that secured the Trojans’ 12th win in a row and a semifinal game at home on Tuesday at 5 p.m.
“This is some of our baseball I’ve been a part of,” Aycoack, a junior, said. “We’re heating up at the right time. I think we’re playing great.”
Lance went four innings as the starter in getting the win.
He gave up a run-scoring single in the first, after the Bulldogs put two runners on thanks to a single and an error.
Lance, who struck out five, shut down Wake Christian in order in the second and third, then gave up his only walk and single in the fourth before getting out of the jam with an inning-ending double-play. MacDonald pitched a perfect fifth.
“Hunter is a freshman and all he does is pound the (strike) zone,” Blakeney said. “We have total confidence in him. He gave us the opportunity to make plays and we did that. MacDonald came in and closed the door. He’s a freshman, too, so the future is bright.”
With a win on Tuesday, the Trojans would advance to a best-of-three championship series Friday and Saturday.
gsmith@hpenews.com | 336-888-3519 | @HPEGreer
By GREER SMITH ENTERPRISE SPORTS WRITER
IGH POINT — Once able to break through against Wake Christian, Wesleyan kept striking Saturday.
Keyed by two two-run hits from Grant Aycock and solid pitching from Hunter Lance and Grayson MacDonald, the Trojans downed Wake Christian 11-1 in the quarterfinals of the NCISAA 4A baseball playoffs at Wesleyan’s field.
Top-seeded Wesleyan (15-4) trailed 1-0 when Aycock laced a two-run single with two outs in the second.
He drove in two more runs with a two-out ground-rule double that bounced over the right field fence and was the big blow in a five-run third.
The Trojans added two more in the fourth, and Will Papciack closed the game out with a two-run single in the fifth that triggered a 10-run mercy rule.
“We didn’t play our best,” Wesleyan coach Mo Blakeney said. “But this time of year, a win is a win and you advance. Their pitcher had us off balance a little bit, throwing slower. We made some adjustments, put people on base and put some pressure on them
“We did not do a good job of situational hitting with two runners on base and less than two outs. We had that situation twice in the first and second innings. We have to do a better job of that to advance and beat the good teams.”
Wesleyan had failed to score with two on when Aycock singled with two outs in the second.
“He’s just been a stud for us,” Blakeney said. “(His hit) put us up 3-1 and broke the ice for us, and then we were able to keep putting pressure on them.”
Aycock said he was looking for a fastball in the second and also when he belted the ground-rule double in the third.
“I was just looking for anything I could drive,” Aycock said.
The Trojans failed to at least tie in the first after putting two on with a triple and a walk.
“That was just us being young and complacent,” Aycock said. “Once we broke through that barrier, some of these guys haven’t played varsity before this year, we got contributions from everyone.”
A series of walks, a base hit and a sacrifice fly helped produce Wesleyan’s other runs in the third.
Wesleyan pushed two across in the fourth on a bases-loaded grounder and a bases-loaded walk.
In the fifth, a walk and a single set the stage for Papciack’s walk-off two-run hit that secured the Trojans’ 12th win in a row and a semifinal game at home on Tuesday at 5 p.m.
“This is some of our baseball I’ve been a part of,” Aycoack, a junior, said. “We’re heating up at the right time. I think we’re playing great.”
Lance went four innings as the starter in getting the win.
He gave up a run-scoring single in the first, after the Bulldogs put two runners on thanks to a single and an error.
Lance, who struck out five, shut down Wake Christian in order in the second and third, then gave up his only walk and single in the fourth before getting out of the jam with an inning-ending double-play. MacDonald pitched a perfect fifth.
“Hunter is a freshman and all he does is pound the (strike) zone,” Blakeney said. “We have total confidence in him. He gave us the opportunity to make plays and we did that. MacDonald came in and closed the door. He’s a freshman, too, so the future is bright.”
With a win on Tuesday, the Trojans would advance to a best-of-three championship series Friday and Saturday.
gsmith@hpenews.com | 336-888-3519 | @HPEGreer
