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| East Columbus baserunner Demetrice McKelvie (left) dives back to first base on a pick-off attempt in the Gators’ Waccamaw Conference baseball game with host Whiteville on Tuesday. The low throw got past WHS first baseman Michael Wright (12) and McKelvie advanced to second. Whiteville won 6-1. |
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| Whiteville designated hitter Tyrone McKoy connects for a run-scoring double in the Wolfpack’s 6-1 win over East Columbus on Tuesday. Coach Brett Harwood’s Wolfpack, now carrying a 6-0 seasson record will travel to play West Bladen today in a 5 p.m., non-conference game. On Friday, the Wolfpack will travel to Burgaw to take on Pender in a 5 p.m. Waccamaw Conference game.
Staff photos by Mark Gilchrist |
By DAN BISER
Sports Editor
Senior Robbie Penny pitched a one-hitter in a 6 1/3-inning mound appearance Tuesday as the undefeated Whiteville Wolfpack opened Waccamaw Conference baseball action with a 6-1 victory over the visiting East Columbus Gators at Legion Stadium.
Penny struck out 12 batters and carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning when the Gators’ Demetrice McKelvie unloaded on a 0-2 pitch for a two-out double. Penny was relieved with one out in the seventh and Michael Wright came on to get the final outs on a double-play grounder.
“This probably isn’t the best game Robbie has pitched this year, but it was good enough,” said WHS head Brett Harwood, whose Wolfpack improved to 6-0. “He got a little tired in the seventh, so we brought Michael in to finish it up. It was a good effort.
“Holding a team like East Columbus to only one hit is a pretty big accomplishment.
Leftfielder Quan Gaddy and designated hitter Tyrone McKoy each had two of the Wolfpack’s six hits. The WHS infield pulled two double plays.
Whiteville took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning when McKoy and Trey Nye each scored from third base on a wild pitch and a passed ball.
Whiteville added another run in the fifth inning when McKoy doubled home Wright. The Wolfpack added three runs in the sixth inning on singles by Penny and Zack Stanley and two costly East Columbus errors.
“We let our own mistakes beat us,” ECHS coach Karl Bracey said. “We went against a good pitcher today, but more than anything, our mistakes are what affected us the most.”
Lefthander Caleb Andrews took the pitching loss. He was relieved by C.J. Ganus in the fourth inning.
Penny’s bid for a no-hitter was doused in the top of the seventh inning when a grounder by Gator first-baseman Forrest Steed was misplayed at third base. Steed later scored from third base on a wild pitch.
East Columbus now has a 4-3 season record. The Gators will take on North Brunswick Saturday morning at 9:30 in a Waccamaw Conference game at Coastal Federal Field at Myrtle Beach.
| East Columbus |
000
|
000
|
1
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
3 |
| Whiteville |
000
|
213
|
x
|
-
|
6
|
6
|
2 |
Andrews, Ganus (4) and Malpass; Penny, Wright (7) and Enzor.