by Derek “Big D” Nash
DigitalSports Correspondent
In the first of two Central Region baseball semifinals, the Hanover Hawks defeated the Mills Godwin Eagles 11-7.
After a 90-minute rain delay both teams finally took the field.
Hanover (21-1) wasted no time knocking out a pair of two run homers for an early 4-0 lead, the first by Jake Mayers, the second from Laine Denton.
Godwin struck back to cut the lead 4-2, but after that the teams just exchanged runs here and there throughout the contest.
Godwin (18-5) going into the bottom of the sixth was down 11-4 before putting a 3-spot on the scoreboard to cut the lead to 11-7, but relief pitcher Mayers, who is the normal ace, put an end to the Godwin comeback.
Three of Godwin’s five losses came to the Hawks this season. The other scores in the regular season were 3-2 and 6-5.
Hanover will make its second trip to the state tournament. But the Hawks will first face Deep Run in the region final Saturday at 1 p.m. back at RF&P Park.
The Wildcats ousted Thomas Dale 5-3 behind pitchers Seth Greene and R.C. Orlan. Greene was credited the win and UNC-bound Orlan picked up the save in the contest that didn’t begin until 10 p.m.
In a first inning where the Knights would probably like to have back, Deep Run scored three runs on a two-out rally.
Knights starting pitcher freshman Gabe Togna loaded the bases with two outs giving up a walk, hit by pitch and another walk. Togna then walked the next batter to push a run across the plate giving the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.
Relief pitcher Ryan Moore gave up a two-RBI single to Greene, the first batter he faced on the night. Moore only gave up two more runs over the next five innings.
Taking a 5-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth the Wildcats seemed to have a lock on a state playoff berth. However, the Knights were not finished.
Junior second basemen Jake Wiseman led off with an infield single.
Following a deep pop out to the warning track by Bill Cullen, the number 4 hitter in the lineup, Moore blasted a double over the center fielder’s head to put runners on second and third.
Senior shortstop Taylor Britt hit a deep sacrifice to advance the runners and cut the score 5-2. Senior catcher Ryan Carter followed with a bloop single to left scoring Moore, but Carter tried to stretch it out to a double and was thrown out at second base.
Cullen pitched a perfect 7th inning for the Knights, but so did Orlan for the Wildcats.
The winner of the region title has bragging rights as being the champion, but also hosts a state quarterfinal playoff game against the Northern Region runner-up. The loser will travel.
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