Spring Break Notebook: Johnston County Easter Invitational - Days 1-3
April 13, 2022
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JOHNSTON COUNTY EASTER INVITATIONAL- DAY 1
HOSTED AT BRUCE COATES FIELD ON THE CAMPUS OF SOUTH JOHNSTON HIGH SCHOOL
GAME 1- CLAYTON 7 , HARNETT CENTRAL 5
The majority of the game saw a 1-1 score after both teams scored in the 1st inning. Harnett Central scored 2 in the top of the 6th inning to take a 3-1 lead but the Clayton Comets came back with 6 of their own in the bottom of the 6th inning to take a 7-3 lead. The Harnett Central Trojans then scored 2 in the top of the 7th and had their chance but were denied of the win.
GAME 2- SOUTH GRANVILLE 13 , SMITHFIELD-SELMA 8
This game has it all. South Granville rolling for the field 4 innings with a 4-0 score before SSS used the bottom of the 6th inning and a Jonathon Langdon 2 run homer to take the lead 6-4. That was short lived as the Vikings decided to answer back with 5 of their own in the top of the 5th led by a 2 RBI double by Charlie Westal to retake the lead 9-6. The Spartans were held at bay the rest of the game and South Granville added on 4 in the top of the 7th inning led by Coppin State commit, Keith Gardner, leaving the yard with some distance to spare to finish off the Spartans who had a last stitch effort go away.
GAME 3- WEST JOHNSTON 7 , TRITON 4
This game featured a lot of BBs and 3 ball counts. It was a 4-run bottom of the 5th inning that launched the Wildcats to the 7-4 victory. WJ scored their runs in the 5th inning off walks and some timely 2 out hits. The Hawks tried to answer back but left guys on base in the top of the 6th inning after putting 2 on the board.
GAME 4- CLEVELAND 11 , SOUTH JOHNSTON 4
Good pitching was in order for this game. The South Johnston Trojans held the lead 4-2 going into the 7th inning and Cleveland answered with 2-runs to send the game into extra innings after the Rams staved off the Trojans chances to score in the bottom of the 7th inning. The Rams would then pour it on with a combination of walks, errors, and timely hitting to score 7 runs in the top of the 8th inning.
GAME 1- SMITHFIELD-SELMA 8 , HARNETT CENTRAL 7
This game was a back-and-forth affair from the beginning. With the Harnett Central Trojans taking the lead early only to give it up to the Smithfield-Selma Spartans in the middle and again taking the lead late before Allen Brown hit the 2nd of his 2 run homers to put the Spartans ahead to stay.
South Johnston used Triton’s mistake to get the win. Trojan pitcher Paul Olive kept the Triton Hawks to only 2 hits on the day while pitching a complete game shutout. The Trojans scored the majority of their runs on Hawk errors and wild pitches.
GAME 3- CLAYTON 7 , SOUTH GRNAVILLE 4
The South Granville Vikings gave the Clayton Comets all they wanted in this game. South Granville a lead during this game before the Comets surged ahead in the bottom of the 5th. This game featured the Comets showing off some of their big arms against a Viking team that does not go down without a fight.
GAME 4- CLEVELAND 4 , WEST JOHNSTON 2
This was a pitcher’s duel until Skyler Locklear decided to take over in the 6th inning at the plate and on the bump. The score was tied a 1 after 2 innings and then West Johnston scored to take a 2-1 lead. Cleveland tied it in the 5th and Skyler Locklear hit one deep into the Johnston County night in the bottom of the 6th to give Cleveland the lead and the win over West Johnston. Locklear has just taken over pitching duties in the top of the 6th inning.
JOHNSTON COUNTY EASTER INVITATIONAL- DAY 3
GAME 1- WEST JOHNSTON 1 , TRITON 0
This game had more of the making of a Championship game than a noon consolation game. The “High Noon” start provided some drama for these two foes. With little to no movement on the bases for either team throughout most of the contest, it was a lead-off baserunner, a bunt, and two wild pitches that allowed the winning run to score for the Wildcats in the bottom of the 7th inning.
The Smithfield-Selma Spartans put up runs on the South Johnston Trojans early and often. This contest ended in 5 innings with the Spartans putting up big numbers in every inning except the second. Going in to the 3rd inning, the score was tied at 3 until SSS erupted with huge number to seal the deal and the win.
GAME 3- SOUTH GRANVILLE 20 , HARNETT CENTRAL 10
This game was hard to keep track of. Runs were being score by the handfuls. Harnett Central scored a run in every inning (played 6 innings) but it was 9 run 2nd and the 8 run 4th that helped the South Granville Vikings overcome the Trojans
GAME 4- CLEVELAND 6 , CLAYTON 0 (CHAMPIONSHIP GAME)
The end of the tournament saw 2 Johnston County rivals square off. With two big competitors on the mound- Daniel Morgan for Clayton and Skyler Locklear for Cleveland. It was the Cleveland Rams who hit the ball early and often to stack themselves to the Johnston County Easter Invitational Tournament Championship victory.
**SCOUT BLOG COMING SOON**