| Pack, Vikes, Stallions get opening round victories VINEGAR HILL – The Whiteville Wolfpack rebounded from a 10-1 third-inning deficit to overtake the North Stanly Comets 12-10 in Monday’s opening round action of the Jiggs Powers Memorial Baseball Tournament at the South Columbus High School field. In Monday’s other first-round games, West Bladen thumped East Columbus 14-4 in six innings.West Columbus edged past Concord 4-3, and host South Columbus defeated Harrells Christian Academy 5-3 on a 14-strikeout performance by junior righthander Ethan Ward. West Bladen 14 West Bladen pounded out 16 hits, including home runs by Jonathan Benson and Jonathan Locklear. Andy Coates had three hits and drove in three runs for the Knights, who avenged a 6-4 loss to the Gators earlier this season. East Columbus held a 3-1 lead after two innings, but West Bladen exploded for five runs in the third inning and brought home five more in the fifth. The Knights tallied three runs in the sixth to bring an early halt to the game by way of the 10-run rule. Yandall was the winning pitcher. East Columbus had nine hits, including a 3-for-4 effort by Alex Williamson.
Malpass, Patrick (3), Ganus (5) and Williamson, Malpass (3); Yandall, Sykes (5) and Davis.
Whiteville survived a near-disastrous eight-run first inning by North Stanly with a steady relief pitching performance by Trey Nye and a 15-hit attack to claim the comeback win. Nye came on in the fourth inning to hold the Comets scoreless. Robbie Penny pitched the seventh inning to gain the save. Zach Stanley took the starting nod on the mound in place of Michael Wright, who was sidelined by an illness. Beret Proctor came on in the first inning and pitched through the third. A bases-loaded triple by Quan Gaddy in the third inning cut the deficit to 10-5 and the Wolfpack gained the momentum with six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Gaddy, Penny, Lloyd Enzor and Parks Godwin each had three hits for the Wolfpack. Penny knocked three doubles while Enzor connected for two doubles. Charlie Gore also doubled and Chris Harris ripped a two-run single. Tyrone McKoy added a single.
Shepherd, Helms (5), Austin (6) and Sells; Stanley, Proctor (1), Nye (4), Penny (7) and Enzor.
Senior righthander Stephen Nealy carried a shutout into the seventh inning when the Spider squad battled back to within run. Nealy struck out nine batters in the complete-game effort. West Columbus, which scored all its runs in the fifth inning , was held to three hits, including a double by Kenyarta Smith.
Gorman and Stoop; Nealy and Duncan.
Ward out-dueled Harrells pitcher Matthew Hinkle to gain his fifth mound win of the season, pitching his way out of a big jam in the final inning when the Crusaders had the tying runs on second and third with one out.
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