Sports - May 2003

East title hopes shattered

Published May 19, 2003

Ashbrook pitching overpowers Mustangs

By JOHN MARK BROOKS, LTN staff writer

GASTONIA — The song “What Might’ve Been” by Little Texas could have been the theme song for East Lincoln on Friday after they lost a hard-fought Big South 3 A championship game.

East Lincoln, after jumping out to a 2-0 lead on Thursday before rain suspension, fell victim to great pitching, losing to Ashbrook 4-2 on Friday.

East Lincoln started out quickly. With one out, David Rue singled. Josh Hamby then knocked him in with a double. Danny O’Brien followed suit with a double of his own making the score 2-0. That’s when the floodgates opened up.

When play resumed on Friday, a Michael Brigg’s single scored the first run making the score 2-1 going into the fifth.

That was Ashbrook’s big inning as they added two runs on two hits. That made the score 3-2.

East Lincoln had a chance to answer in the fifth, as they advanced runners to second and third. However, they could not get them in.

For Ashbrook, it was pitching that stifled East Lincoln all game long. Right-hander Josh Duncan, undefeated on the year, allowed only one hit over six innings. He also recorded six strikeouts holding the Mustangs at bay.

The Green Wave then tacked on one more run in the sixth to give them a 4-2 lead.

East was unable to produce any runs in the seventh losing the championship — despite a championship effort.

Hamby in his first start of the season pitched valiantly for the Mustangs striking out four. Coming into the game he hadn’t allowed an earned run in fourteen innings.

A disappointed Bruce Bolick was still very pleased to have coached this Mustang team.

“We had a great season winning 18 ball games. We were led by a great group of seniors,” Bolick said. “This season was very satisfying because it was unexpected.

“Ashbrook is a very talented team which could go a long way in the playoffs.”

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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