Wesleyan Christian blasts Page, 12-0
GREENSBORO — Wesleyan Christian did what it needed to do to keep rolling and contend in a big mid-season tournament.
The Trojans amped up their offense over the middle innings and, behind a complete-game shutout by Caleb Cozart, steamrolled Page 12-0 in five innings in the opening round of the Farm Bureau Invitational baseball tournament Thursday at the Greensboro Grasshoppers’ First National Bank Field.
“It was a good win. I thought we played well,” Wesleyan coach Scott Davis said. “We swung the bats early and scored a bunch of runs, and we got everybody in the ballgame. So, it was a good win for us.
“We had a couple safety squeezes that we executed well. And we had some guys go backside to move runners, which I like to see. So, I was thrilled. We were going to go with Caleb the whole way, because we’re trying to save some other guys for the rest of the tournament, and he was able to close us out.”
Mark McLamb went 2 for 2 with a double and two RBIs to lead the Trojans (15-0), who will face Southeast Guilford, which defeated East Montgomery 5-0 on Thursday, in the semifinals today at 4 p.m. Matt Nusdeo also went 2 for 2 with an RBI, while Patrick Bailey, Jackson Prillaman and Cozart each had two hits.
Logan Sylvester, Nick Caldwell and Brett Kerry, who doubled, also had a hit and an RBI. Wesleyan, which won the event in 2015, took a 2-0 lead in the second on a squeeze play and a wild pitch, added four runs in the third on an error, an RBI groundout and a pair of RBI doubles to lead 6-0, and tacked on six runs while batting around in the fourth to lead 12-0.
“It was a good team win,” McLamb said. “Just all-around, everybody put everything together. … We got runners on, and then we got hits when we needed to. It was good to execute stuff that we’ve practiced since January — just to see that stuff come to fruition.”
The Trojans loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth before scoring runs on three walks, an infield error, a sacrifice fly and an RBI single. Wesleyan had four hits and four walks in the inning, in which 12 batters came to the plate. Jacob Kohns, Koty Proctor and Kit Curtis also finished with an RBI each.
Cozart (4-0) limited the Pirates to just four hits while walking three and striking out four. He allowed multiple baserunners in the third, fourth and fi fth innings but worked free unharmed with the help of his defense, including a nice diving catch by Nusdeo in center field to end the third.
“It was a great start (to the tournament),” Davis said. “Anytime you play in a tournament like this, you want to win it. We’ve got Brett for tomorrow and Luke (Davis) for the championship, and we’ll have everybody rested for that. So, we’re pretty much set on that front.”
Starting pitcher Jack Ratliff (2-3) took the loss in 2 2-3 innings, allowing six runs on nine hits and one walkwhile striking out three, for Page (6-9).
Garrett Willet, John Small, Jake Knapp and Jordan Slaughter each had one hit at the plate.
GREENSBORO — Wesleyan Christian did what it needed to do to keep rolling and contend in a big mid-season tournament.
The Trojans amped up their offense over the middle innings and, behind a complete-game shutout by Caleb Cozart, steamrolled Page 12-0 in five innings in the opening round of the Farm Bureau Invitational baseball tournament Thursday at the Greensboro Grasshoppers’ First National Bank Field.
“It was a good win. I thought we played well,” Wesleyan coach Scott Davis said. “We swung the bats early and scored a bunch of runs, and we got everybody in the ballgame. So, it was a good win for us.
“We had a couple safety squeezes that we executed well. And we had some guys go backside to move runners, which I like to see. So, I was thrilled. We were going to go with Caleb the whole way, because we’re trying to save some other guys for the rest of the tournament, and he was able to close us out.”
Mark McLamb went 2 for 2 with a double and two RBIs to lead the Trojans (15-0), who will face Southeast Guilford, which defeated East Montgomery 5-0 on Thursday, in the semifinals today at 4 p.m. Matt Nusdeo also went 2 for 2 with an RBI, while Patrick Bailey, Jackson Prillaman and Cozart each had two hits.
Logan Sylvester, Nick Caldwell and Brett Kerry, who doubled, also had a hit and an RBI. Wesleyan, which won the event in 2015, took a 2-0 lead in the second on a squeeze play and a wild pitch, added four runs in the third on an error, an RBI groundout and a pair of RBI doubles to lead 6-0, and tacked on six runs while batting around in the fourth to lead 12-0.
“It was a good team win,” McLamb said. “Just all-around, everybody put everything together. … We got runners on, and then we got hits when we needed to. It was good to execute stuff that we’ve practiced since January — just to see that stuff come to fruition.”
The Trojans loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth before scoring runs on three walks, an infield error, a sacrifice fly and an RBI single. Wesleyan had four hits and four walks in the inning, in which 12 batters came to the plate. Jacob Kohns, Koty Proctor and Kit Curtis also finished with an RBI each.
Cozart (4-0) limited the Pirates to just four hits while walking three and striking out four. He allowed multiple baserunners in the third, fourth and fi fth innings but worked free unharmed with the help of his defense, including a nice diving catch by Nusdeo in center field to end the third.
“It was a great start (to the tournament),” Davis said. “Anytime you play in a tournament like this, you want to win it. We’ve got Brett for tomorrow and Luke (Davis) for the championship, and we’ll have everybody rested for that. So, we’re pretty much set on that front.”
Starting pitcher Jack Ratliff (2-3) took the loss in 2 2-3 innings, allowing six runs on nine hits and one walkwhile striking out three, for Page (6-9).
Garrett Willet, John Small, Jake Knapp and Jordan Slaughter each had one hit at the plate.
