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Harnett Central advances, South Johnston does not
By Dan Richards
Dunn Daily Record Brad Buske had two huge 10th-inning plays in his bag to help Harnett Central gain a wild 11-10 victory over Smithfield-Selma in the opening game of the 2008 Johnston County Easter Tournament Saturday. Buske led off the top of the inning with a home run over the fence in center field and that was the Trojans' margin of victory. In the bottom of the 10th, Buske made a diving catch of a Kevin Smith line drive to help reliever Glenn Frye retire the Spartans in order. In other first round games, defending champion South Johnston lost to Middle Creek, 8-3, Jack Britt shut out West Johnston, 3-0, and North Johnston edged Raleigh Gibbons in eight innings, 7-6. Harnett Central 11, Smithfield-Selma 10, 10 innings Harnett Central (7-3) was sailing along with a 9-4 lead with Jim Ealy pitching his best baseball of the season when Smithfield-Selma (3-5) cut the edge to 9-6 in the home sixth on a two-run homer by pinch-hitter Daniel Cahoon. Frye took over for Ealy, who had struck out nine SSS batters, and saw the Spartans score three times in the seventh to force extra innings when Kevin Rose bounced a two-run single over third base. In the bottom of the eighth, the Spartans loaded the bases, helped by two intentional passes, but on a missed squeeze bunt by Kevin Smith, Central catcher Matt Jones made a diving tag to nab Dylan Brown trying to score. The ninth inning saw both teams score a run. Central's Hunter Smith smashed a base hit to third base and Smithfield reliever Mark Samosky hit Jones and walked Frye, the bases were loaded. Preston Major appeared to have singled in two runs, but after Spartan head coach Mike Joyner protested that runner George Stewart had interfered with shortstop Kevin Smith fielding the ball, Stewart was called out and Hunter Smith sent back to third base. Despite strong disagreement from Central head coach Marc Morris, the ruling stood, and when Spartan Kevin Rose homered in the bottom of the ninth, another inning was in order. Buske's home run would settle the issue as he powered the ball deep to center against the third Smithfield-Selma pitcher, Matthew Evans. Frye got the win in relief. He walked seven men in three innings, but three of those were intentional passes. Ealy said that his curve ball was "As good as it has been all season." He survived a four-run first inning in which Will Stephenson and Evans hit back-to-back homers for the Spartans. Central came back against Stephenson to take a 5-4 edge in the top of the third. Ealy and Weslyn Clark singled, Stephen Hales singled home a run and Buske doubled in another. Jay Cannon was safe on an error with Hales scoring and after Cannon stole second, Hunter Smith singled him in. Central extended its lead with four runs in the top of the fifth. Chase Surles ripped a two-run homer to center, his third of the season. Singles followed off the bats of Hunter Smith, Jones, Ealy and Clark. Clark would hit a double in the eighth inning for his third hit of the game, giving him seven hits in his last eight at-bats. Brent Noteboom swung a 5-for-5 bat to lead the Spartans. "We went back and forth in those late innings in a terrific game," Morris said. Middle Creek 8, South Johnston 3 The Mustangs (4-5) hit seven doubles, three of which came in the top of the fifth inning. In that inning, Josh Powell, Trevor McKenzie and Landon Adams hit two-baggers and Middle Creek increased a 1-0 lead to 5-0. South Johnston (6-3) came back with three runs in its half of the fifth. Dee Walden lined a double to left for his second hit of the game and took third on a single by Andrew Carroll, who went 3-for-3. Hunter Langdon scored Walden with a sacrifice fly and Jerry Glover, who took the pitching loss, lined a two-run homer over the fence in right-center. But except for that outburst, the Trojans could not dent the plate against Middle Creek pitcher Leslie Blalock or Johnny Crouse, who came in to get the final two outs after a single by Carroll and walk to Langdon in the seventh inning. And the Mustangs added three runs in the sixth inning off Josh Finklestein in a two-run double by John Atkins and a double by pitcher Blalock, who also had contributed a bunt single in the previous inning. Carroll's three hits led the Trojans at bat. Walden had two hits and Glover, Steven Johnson, Perry Johnson and Jordan Adams added one each. Adams hit two doubles for Middle Creek in the leadoff spot to pace a 10-hit Mustang attack. Middle Creek scored in the first inning when Atkins delivered a hit-and-run single. Monday's Schedule Consolation Round 11 a.m.: Smithfield-Selma vs. Raleigh Gibbons 1:30 p.m.: South Johnston vs. West Johnston Championship Semifinals 4:30 p.m.: Harnett Central vs. North Johnston 7:30 p.m.: Jack Britt vs. Middle Creek.
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