THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, April 13, 1996 TAG: 9604130367
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY JEFF ZEIGLER, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: EDENTON LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines
Perquimans County rapped out nine hits including two home runs as the Pirates pounded Camden County 14-3 in the championship game of the Albemarle Area Easter Baseball Tournament Friday night at Hicks Field. The game was shortened to 4 1/2 innings by the 10-run rule.
The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI double off the left-field wall by Paul Hunter.
Camden countered in the top of the second. Ryan Allen led off the inning with a bloop single to right. He stole second and later scored on a two-out single to left by Brian Gamet. Gamet was caught in a rundown to end the inning.
Perquimans (7-2) erupted for seven runs in the second, taking advantage of three Camden errors. Leary Winslow led off the inning with a walk. A.J. Miller's grounder to short was thrown away by Gamet. Jason Clark's groundout moved the runner to third. Drew Byrum drove in a run with a liner to right. Mark Clinkscales hit a grounder which was thrown away by Camden third baseman Doug Leary. Clinkscales moved to second on a passed ball and scored on a wild pitch. Carson Stallings walked and was moved to third on a double by Brock Nixon. Hunter drove in a run with a fielder's choice and Clint Eley added another run with an RBI single. Hunter later scored on a throwing error by Gamet.
Again, Camden countered in the top of the third. Brad Johnson and Kevin Dodson both singled and scored on a dropped fly ball by Byrum. The Bruins could have had more but winning pitcher Jason Clark struck out Allen and forced Nick Williams to line out to center.
The Pirates added five more runs in the third on a home run to left-center by Byrum, an RBI single by Hunter, an RBI walk by Clark, a run-scoring wild pitch, and an error by Camden second baseman Andre Butts.
Perquimans added a final run in the fourth on a solo home run to right-center by Clinkscales.
Clark went the distance for the win, scattering nine hits and striking out nine.
Perquimans head coach Phil Woodell said his team was just waiting to explode.
``We've felt like we had a pretty good hitting team,'' Woodell said. ``It was just a matter of time. It seemed like we were all over the ball tonight. Hopefully this will carry over to the conference season. It's easy coaching when they hit the ball like this. ``
Woodell said Clark, a junior, has been a surprise to the Pirates pitching staff. ``He throws strikes and that's what it's all about.''
In the third-place game on Friday, Currituck County pounded Edenton-Holmes 17-2.
In Thursday's games, Camden knocked off Edenton 7-3, Manteo dumped Hertford County 11-1, Perquimans got passed Currituck 7-5, and Manteo smacked Northeastern 14-2. by CNB