Westchester sweeps Salem Baptist
BY MICHAEL LINDSAY
ENTERPRISE SPORTS WRITER
HIGH POINT — Westchester Country Day hit well and pitched well. And when it does that, it’s very difficult to beat.
The Wildcats hit four home runs in the first game, tallied 20 hits in the second game and allowed just seven hits combined in beating Salem Baptist 16-1 and 19-0, both in five innings, in TAC 1A/2A baseball Tuesday at Westchester.
“It’s good to see,” Westchester coach Mickey Williard said. “We got two big wins over the weekend, and we’re trying to roll off that. What we like is that from everybody who came off the bench to the guys who started have been working on something.
“And today’s one of those days where lightning struck. It’s not like that every day. Some days hitting is hard and not everyone has it that day.
But it was good to see ever yone understanding it and keep building on that success.”
Will Shields went 2 for 2 with a triple, a home run and five RBIs to lead the Wildcats in the first game. Aubrey Smith and Devin Lumley each added two hits, including a home run, while Gavin Tippett also homered.
Smith also went 5 for 5 with two RBIs for Westchester in the second game, while Jeremiah Foster went 3 for 5 with five RBIs. Tyrese Hearst and John Andrews each added two hits and two RBIs.
“We played really well,” said Shields, a senior outfielder. “We did really well with situational hitting. We did really well with two outs getting solid hits and did really well with squaring up balls. It’s really good, and I think it’s a statement to the hard work we’ve done in the cage. We’ve put in work, and I think it showed.
“I think it’s coming along well,” he said of the start to the season. “We have a lot of team chemistry, whereas last year we had some bits and pieces that didn’t really fall into place. But I feel like this year we’re all really moving together at a faster pace.”
In game 1, the Wildcats (6-2 overall, 2-0 TAC), ranked No. 1 among NCISAA 2A teams, scored three runs in the first inning, four in the second, five in the third and four in the fourth — hitting three home runs in the third and batting around in the fourth.
In game 2, Westchester, which was the visiting team on the scoreboard, scored two in the first, seven in the second, eight in the third and two in the fourth — sending 12 batters to the plate in the second, tallying seven hits, and 13 to the plate in the third, totalling eight hits.
Alec Hunter and Foster each earned a complete-game win on the mound. Hunter (1-0) allowed one run on five hits while striking out five and walking none in the first game, while Foster (2-0) scattered two hits while striking out nine and walking one.
“I don’t want to say that we’re very happy just yet, but we like where we are right now,” said Williard, in his second season at his alma mater. “We have a lot tough games coming up, so I think we’re going to learn some things in the next two weeks. It’s not going to be this easy.
“But with a game like this, from our standpoint, we still have goals we want to reach — quality at-bat average, solid contact, how do we play the field. So, it’s not a day to get worse; it’s a day to get better. If we don’t work on things today, then we won’t be ready when we need to be good.”
The Wildcats, who made numerous substitutions in the latter half of each game, play again Thursday at home against Calvar y Baptist before taking on 3A power and crosstown rival Wesleyan Christian on Monday at home.
BY MICHAEL LINDSAY
ENTERPRISE SPORTS WRITER
HIGH POINT — Westchester Country Day hit well and pitched well. And when it does that, it’s very difficult to beat.
The Wildcats hit four home runs in the first game, tallied 20 hits in the second game and allowed just seven hits combined in beating Salem Baptist 16-1 and 19-0, both in five innings, in TAC 1A/2A baseball Tuesday at Westchester.
“It’s good to see,” Westchester coach Mickey Williard said. “We got two big wins over the weekend, and we’re trying to roll off that. What we like is that from everybody who came off the bench to the guys who started have been working on something.
“And today’s one of those days where lightning struck. It’s not like that every day. Some days hitting is hard and not everyone has it that day.
But it was good to see ever yone understanding it and keep building on that success.”
Will Shields went 2 for 2 with a triple, a home run and five RBIs to lead the Wildcats in the first game. Aubrey Smith and Devin Lumley each added two hits, including a home run, while Gavin Tippett also homered.
Smith also went 5 for 5 with two RBIs for Westchester in the second game, while Jeremiah Foster went 3 for 5 with five RBIs. Tyrese Hearst and John Andrews each added two hits and two RBIs.
“We played really well,” said Shields, a senior outfielder. “We did really well with situational hitting. We did really well with two outs getting solid hits and did really well with squaring up balls. It’s really good, and I think it’s a statement to the hard work we’ve done in the cage. We’ve put in work, and I think it showed.
“I think it’s coming along well,” he said of the start to the season. “We have a lot of team chemistry, whereas last year we had some bits and pieces that didn’t really fall into place. But I feel like this year we’re all really moving together at a faster pace.”
In game 1, the Wildcats (6-2 overall, 2-0 TAC), ranked No. 1 among NCISAA 2A teams, scored three runs in the first inning, four in the second, five in the third and four in the fourth — hitting three home runs in the third and batting around in the fourth.
In game 2, Westchester, which was the visiting team on the scoreboard, scored two in the first, seven in the second, eight in the third and two in the fourth — sending 12 batters to the plate in the second, tallying seven hits, and 13 to the plate in the third, totalling eight hits.
Alec Hunter and Foster each earned a complete-game win on the mound. Hunter (1-0) allowed one run on five hits while striking out five and walking none in the first game, while Foster (2-0) scattered two hits while striking out nine and walking one.
“I don’t want to say that we’re very happy just yet, but we like where we are right now,” said Williard, in his second season at his alma mater. “We have a lot tough games coming up, so I think we’re going to learn some things in the next two weeks. It’s not going to be this easy.
“But with a game like this, from our standpoint, we still have goals we want to reach — quality at-bat average, solid contact, how do we play the field. So, it’s not a day to get worse; it’s a day to get better. If we don’t work on things today, then we won’t be ready when we need to be good.”
The Wildcats, who made numerous substitutions in the latter half of each game, play again Thursday at home against Calvar y Baptist before taking on 3A power and crosstown rival Wesleyan Christian on Monday at home.
