Sports - May 2003

Thunderstorms wash out conference game

Published May 16, 2003

From staff reports

GASTONIA — With East Lincoln up 2-0 over Ashbrook in the top of the first, severe thunderstorms put a quick end to Big South 3A and Midwest 2A conference tournament play Thursday night.

The game will resume at Ashbrook at 7 tonight.

With one out, a series of doubles put East on the scoreboard. David Rue led off, scoring on Josh Hamby’s double. Danny O’Brien brought Hamby in with the third double of the game.

An East Lincoln (18-6) win tonight would earn it East Gaston’s slot it the state playoffs. Win or lose, Ashbrook (20-4) will play as the leagues No. 1 seed. Playoffs get underway Tuesday.

Coach Bolick and his baseball team advanced to the Big South championship game with a 4-2 win over East Gaston Wednesday.

East Gaston held a 1-0 lead up until the sixth inning. Danny O’Brien was hit by a pitch then was sacrificed over to second by Grayson Schram. That’s when Mathew McIntosh tied the game singling in O’Brien.

Three batters later freshman Josh Belk got the biggest hit of his young career — a three run homer. The blast made the score 4-1 and the Mustangs never looked back.

East Gaston scored a run in the bottom of the sixth, but it was too little too late.

The main cog on defense was Mustangs’ catcher Patrick Benfield. Benfield gunned down three attempted base stealers in the second inning, fourth inning and sixth innings respectively.

David Rue picked up his seventh victory for the  Mustangs striking out four Warriors. Josh Hamby relieved him, and did just as well, not allowing a hit for the remainder of the game picking up his fifth save of the year.

The Mustangs got their revenge on East Gaston. Last Friday they placed the Mustangs in a difficult predicament. The only way the Mustangs could reach the state playoffs was to win the conference tournament.

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

Terms and Conditions