*******Update:from Michael Lindsay(HPE News),Joe Sirera(N&R) and Coach Scott Davis(WES) on Twitter:
Wesleyan Christian Academy earns the #1 seed in NCISAA 3A state baseball tournament*****
Trojans defeat Cougars at Finch Field in Thomasville
by Kevin Reid at GreensboroSports.com
THOMASVILLE -The Wesleyan Christian Trojans defeated the Cougars of High Point Christian 8-3 Saturday afternoon at Finch Field.
HP Christian struck first. Luke Gesell, their pitcher, sent the second pitch of the game over the left-center field fence. Catcher Timmy Fischvogt then reached on an error by Wesleyan’s catcher, Patrick Bailey, followed by a single to left by first baseman Dylan Wilkinson. Right fielder Heath Hopkins sacrificed the runners to second and third and DH Josh Nilfong drove in Fischvogt with a sac fly.
In the third inning, HP Christian scored again, but coach Corey Gessel said, “I didn’t think three runs was enough to win the game.”
He was right, unfortunately for him and his Cougars,
In the fourth inning Wesleyan’s right fielder Nate Blakeney homered with shortstop Jacob Kohn on first with a single.
“Blakeney came through with one yesterday – and again today, which was a big one for us,” said Wesleyan coach Scott Davis. “In this big ballpark, we didn’t figure to hit home runs, but we clawed and scratched and put runners in there and figured a way to get them in.”
The biggest inning for the Trojans was the fifth. DH Mark Mclamb singled and made it to third on left fielder Matt Nusdeo’s double to right. Blakeley and Bailey drove in runs and were driven in themselves by third baseman Adam Lassiter’s double.
The next inning saw two more runs for Wesleyan. Mclamb doubled to left and Nusdeo drove him in with a double to right. He scored on a shortstop error and later a wild pitch for the final run.
“We had a big group of seniors this year, seven of them,” said Davis. “I’m just proud of those guys.”
He is proud of the whole team, as he expects it to get the top seed today.
“We should be the No. 1 seed, without question,” he said, “I feel real good about it,”
According to Coach Gesell, he feels his Cougars will be fourth.
“My guess is that they’ll (Wesleyan) be No. 1, Providence Day No. 2,, we’ll be No. 3 and Charlotte Christian No. 4,” he said. “We’ve got to go back to practice and work on some things.”
*****Wesleyan Christian Academy 2016 PACIS Champs*****