Cougars advance with 3-2 victory over Bishops

BURLINGTON, N.C. – A fourth inning home run by Averett's T.J. Bray turned out to be the difference in the ball game on Thursday, as the fourth seeded Cougars defeated North Carolina Wesleyan College, the third seed, 3-2 in the opening round of the USA South Conference Baseball Tournament at Burlington Athletic Park.

With Averett (31-10) ahead one run, the Bishops threatened in the bottom of the ninth inning, putting a pair of runners in scoring position. Tyler Goarck singled to center field with one out and appeared to be in a pick off situation for out number two. However, Cougars shortstop Jake Loye dropped the ball on the tag for the second AU error of the game. Nathan West followed with a single and advanced to second base on a groundout, with Goarck on third. The table was set for Chris Pecora, however, he grounded out to Loye to end the game.

Averett struck first in the second inning, when Justin Brown hammered his second home run of the season over the right field wall to claim a 1-0 AU advantage. The Cougars extended their lead 2-0 in the top of the third on an RBI single by Eric Sibrizzi. Loye led off the inning with a double down the right field line and was sacrificed over to third base by Jeremiah McMillan. Sibrizzi followed with a single up the middle to run AU's advantage to 2-0. However, the Bishops would answer.

In the bottom of the third inning N.C. Wesleyan (23-14) would put one run across. West led off the inning with a single and was sacrificed to second base by Luke Williford. A groundout by Pecora took Williford to third and he eventually scored on a single by Mark Wooten. That run pulled the Bishops to within 2-1.

In the fourth inning, T.J. Bray belted a lead off homer to centerfield for a 3-1 AU advantage, but the Bishops were able to answer in the bottom half of the fourth. Jason Webb doubled to put a runner in scoring position and crossed the plate after a Goarck single. However, that was the final run of the contest, as Averett's Shelton and Wesleyan's Pearson pitched scoreless frames over the last five innings.

Sibrizzi led the Cougars with a 2-for-4 performance, while Goarck went 2-for-4 with one RBI to lead the Bishops. It was the pitchers that shined in this game, as Shelton went the distance allowing only nine hits, while improving to 9-0. Pearson also went the complete game with three strikeouts, allowing eight hits. He fell to 6-2 with the loss.

Averett advances to play at 9 a.m. against the winner of game three between Ferrum and Christopher Newport. Wesleyan will play at 12 p.m. against Shenandoah at Graham High School.

Box Score

Averett's Ahmed Shelton tossed a complete-game. He allowed two runs on nine hits and one strikeout.

NC Wesleyan's Nathan West (7) finished 2-for-3 with a run scored.