NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION STATE 3-A BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES—GAME THREE

LAKE NORMAN OUTLASTS EASTERN WAYNE 8-7 IN THRILLER

ZEBULON – Lake Norman built a big lead and then held off Eastern Wayne 8-7 on Saturday in the third and final game of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 3-A baseball championship series on Saturday at Five County Stadium.

Senior pitcher-outfielder Nick Lomascolo was named the Most Valuable Player of the championship with a multitude of contributions. On Friday night he picked up a complete game pitching victory in the opener of the series, and then in the final game went one for three with two RBI, threw a runner out at the plate from his outfield position in the third, and then came on to pitch in the seventh, preserving the win and recording the save.

Lake Norman raced to a 5-0 lead with a five-run rally in the second inning, with a key blow Lomascolo’s two-run single. But Eastern Wayne kept battling back, scoring two runs in each of the second, third and sixth innings to tie the game at 6-6.

Lake Norman grabbed an 8-6 lead in the top of the seventh without benefit of a hit, parlaying three walks, a hit batsman an error and a couple of wild pitches to plate two runs.

But John Wooten, Eastern’s top hitter, blasted a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh, his 18th homer of the year, to pull the Warriors to within 8-7, before Lomoscolo settled down to retire the side.

Taylor Thurber, who came on in the fourth in relief of Ross Whitley, got the win.Mozingo, the game two winner, who came on relief of starting pitcher Wooten, was the loser.

Josh Hennessee had three singles in five at bats for the Wildcats, while Eric Manzer and Joe Faist each had two hits, including a single and a double.

Colton Fulghum paced Eastern Wayne with a double and two singles in four trips while Mozingo collected two hits and two RBI and Wooten had two hits, including the home run.

The Wildcats had grabbed the series lead on Friday night with a 9-2 victory in the opener. Eastern Wayne evened the series earlier on Saturday with a 3-0 win as freshman pitcher Zach Mozingo and John Wooten combined for a one-hit shutout.

Lake Norman, which had a sub-.500 record at 13-14 a year ago, was in its first NCHSAA baseball championship series in the seventh year the school has been open and finished 28-3 overall. Eastern Wayne, seeking its first state title since 1986, wound up 26-6.

The Raleigh Sports Consortium and Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau are serving as host city sponsors for this championship series. Wendy’s is the presenting sponsor of the NCHSAA sports program.

NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

STATE 3-A BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES—GAME THREE

Five County Stadium, Zebulon

Lake Norman 0 5 0 1 0 0 2 — 8 9 0

Eastern Wayne 0 2 2 0 2 0 1 — 7 12 2

WP—Taylor Thurber. Save—Nick Lomascolo. LP—Zack Mozingo. HR—Eastern Wayne, John Wooten in 7th with none on.