Waccamaw Conference champions

Wolfpack overtakes South Brunswick in 9th

Whiteville’s Michael Wright arrives safely at third base after clouting a game-tying triple in the fifth inning. Wright later drove in the game-winning run with a ninth-inning double to lift the Wolfpack to a 3-2 extra-inning victory over South Brunswick.

Staff photo by Mark Gilchrist

By DAN BISER
Sports Editor

It was Senior Night for the Whiteville High baseball team Tuesday at Legion Stadium, and senior Michael Wright stepped up in a big way.

The East Carolina University signee came through with a strong relief pitching performance and drilled three key hits, including the game-winner in the bottom of the ninth inning, as the Wolfpack edged South Brunswick 3-2 for the outright Waccamaw Conference championship.

“Michael is that kind of player,” said WHS coach Brett Harwood, whose Wolfpack has won three consecutive conference titles. “We had hoped we wouldn’t have to pitch him much tonight, but with the game going extra innings and being the type game it was, we left him out there. Had it gone another inning, we would have taken him out since the playoffs start Friday.”

Wright came to the mound with no outs and two runners on base in the top of the seventh inning. He held the Cougars hitless over the next three innings.

With the Wolfpack trailing 1-0 in the fifth inning. Wright ripped a triple to score Sprandon Mahoney, who had reached on a single to tie the score.

With WHS trailing 2-1 with two outs in the seventh, Beret Proctor drew a walk and Wright followed with a line drive hit to right-center. An error on the throw-in allowed Proctor to score the tying run.

With the score knotted at 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth, Ian Hooks sent a lead-off double down the rightfield line and Mahoney was intentionally walked. After Hooks was forced out at third on a bunt attempt by Proctor, Wright followed with a double to rightfield to bring home Mahoney with the winning run.

Whiteville closed the regular season with a 10-2 conference record and a 13-6 season mark. Twelve of the WHS wins have come in their last 14 outings.

The Wolfpack will go against North Brunswick Friday night at 7 at Whiteville’s Legion Stadium in the opening round of the state 2A baseball playoffs.

South Brunswick closed conference play with an 8-4 record and finished in a tie with South Columbus and East Columbus for the conference runnerup spot.

South Brunswick got the game’s first run in the top of the fourth inning when Cougar starting pitcher Ryan Waldrep singled and his courtesy runner, Ellison Brothers, later scored from second following a throwing error and an error in the outfield.

The Cougars went ahead again in the top of the seventh when a bases-loaded ground ball by Waldrep was misplayed, allowing a run to score.

Chase Rhodes was the starting pitcher for Whiteville and he was relieved by Mahoney in the fifth inning.

Mahoney hit the first two batters he faced in the seventh inning and Harwood brought Wright to the mound.

Whiteville had a big opportunity to gain the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning when Zach Stanley led off the sixth inning with a single. Pinch runner Jake Bush advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Chris Harris and a wild pitch. With one out, Ben Deans hit a deep fly out to centerfield, but Bush had already headed home and had to rush back to second instead of tagging up on the play.

South Brunswick took advantage of the miscue and retired the next batter.

Waldrep was relieved by Ryan Morgan in the fifth inning and Jake Morehouse relieved Morgan in the ninth to get tagged with the loss.

The Cougars left 13 runners on base.

In the earlier conference meeting between the Wolfpack and Cougars at South Brunswick, Whiteville took a 1-0 win on the one-hit, 13-strikeout pitching of Wright. Wright also drove in the lone run of that game with a sacrifice fly.

Last season, Whiteville advanced to the Eastern N.C. 2A finals, where it fell in a best-of-three series to North Lenoir.

In Harwood’s four seasons as WHS head coach, the Wolfpack has a record of 70 wins, 29 losses and three conference titles.

Prior to the game, WHS seniors Michael Wright, Lloyd Enzor, Zach Stanley, Chris Harris, Ben Deans, Parks Godwin and Ian Hooks were recognized with their parents.

Waldrep, Morgan (5), Morehouse (9) and Swain; Rhodes, Mahoney (5), Wright (7) and Proctor.