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Clayton High School’s varsity baseball team battled back
from a pair of deficits against Garner Friday night in a
Greater Neuse River 4A Conference game at home.
The Comets trailed 2-0 and tied it in the second, then cut
a three-run Trojans lead to one run after five innings.
In the end, one bad inning on the mound and the lack of a
big hit when it counted allowed Garner to escape Andy
Pleasant Field with a 6-4 win, dropping CHS to 1-1 in the
league and 2-5 overall.
Clayton, who earlier in the week lost to Fuquay-Varina
after defeating Southeast Raleigh for its first conference
victory, got behind 2-0 in the top of the first inning after
a single and a one-out, two-run homer.
But one of the Comets’ Achilles heels all season – leaving
runners on base – showed its ugly head again.
CHS put runners on first and second with two outs in the
bottom of the first when Jeffrey Joyner doubled and
Patrick Reynolds walked, but a strikeout ended the
potential rally.
The Comets did tie the score in the bottom of the second.
Alex Hadding walked, and after consecutive strikeouts,
Evan Harbinson came through with a single to move
Hadding to third. Leadoff batter Brian Forbes then ripped
a double into the left centerfield gap that plated Hadding
and Harbinson, making it 2-2.
Garner took the lead for good with a three-run fourth
inning. The Trojans amassed the runs without a hit, as
CHS starting pitcher Will Henschel issued six walks,
including four in a row with the bases loaded that
produced the three runs. Left-hander David Carpenter got
out of a bases-loaded jam by coaxing a fly out to
Reynolds at first base, making it 5-2.
The Comets continued to fight back. In the bottom of the
fourth, Hadding and Logan Smitherman singled, and
Adam Daniels’ fielder’s choice erased Thatcher Houser
(Smitherman’s courtesy runner) at second. Harbinson, the
No. 9 hitter, smacked a triple to right center, bringing
home Hadding and Daniels to cut the lead to 5-4 with just
one out.
But Harbinson was left stranded at third following a
strikeout and a groundout on a close play at first base,
leaving Garner with a 5-4 lead.
The Trojans scored their final run in the top of the sixth
on an error, a walk and three singles. The damage could
have been much worse, but Carpenter coaxed a fielder’s
choice with two outs to end the inning. Prior to that, the
Comets executed a perfect throw from Harbinson in left to
Smitherman at the plate to retire the potential second run
of the frame.
Garner again was adventurous on the basepaths in the
seventh after putting a runner at second with no outs. But
a slow roller on a bunt resulted in a double play, as
Carpenter threw to Reynolds at first, who in turn fired to
Smitherman for the second out. A flyout ended the inning.
Clayton threatened in the bottom of the seventh when
Ryan Eason singled with one out and moved to second on
a two-out single by Reynolds, but a groundout to first
ended the game.
“I was proud of the guys for battling back the way they
did,” CHS coach Stacey Houser said. “They fought back
and were in a position to make something happen, but we
didn’t.
“Again, we couldn’t get the big hit when we really needed
it. In the fifth, Jeffrey doubles and we leave him at third
after two strikeouts. We can’t do that when we have a guy
in scoring position.”
March 12 Game
Fuquay 10, Clayton 0
Kevin Brandt shut down the Comets on one hit and
Fuquay-Varina slammed four home runs – including two
by Cameron Conner – as the Bengals rolled to a five-
inning non-conference win.
Conner led off the game with a solo homer, then added
another one in the second inning for the Bengals, who
feature eight senior starters. Aaron Olive smacked a
three-run homer in the five-run first, while Daniel Terry
lofted a solo shot in the third.
Brandt struck out the Clayton side in the third and fifth
frames to pick up the win on the mound.
The only hit for Clayton was a single by Evan Harbinson in
the third inning. Alex Hadding (walk) was the Comets’
only other baserunner.
March 11 Game
Clayton 7, Southeast 1
A four-run first inning, 13 hits on offense and a sparkling
performance by Patrick Reynolds on the mound helped
Clayton earn a victory over Southeast Raleigh in its Greater
Neuse River Conference opener.
Reynolds gave up just one hit, a single in the first, and
finished with a complete-game masterpiece, striking out
nine while walking two.
The Comets got going offensively in the first when Ryan
Eason doubled with one out, followed by singles from
Jeffrey Joyner and Reynolds. After a fielder’s choice, Alex
Hadding doubled and Logan Smitherman singled.
“We hit the ball well and Patrick gave us a real good
outing on the mound,” CHS coach Stacey Houser said.
Brian Forbes led off the fourth with a solo home run for
the Comets, who added two more in the fifth on singles
by Matt Bunn, Hadding, Smitherman and Evan Harbinson
and two Southeast errors.
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