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Stallions fall to First Flight 9-3
Southwest allows six runs in sixth inning
KILL DEVIL HILLS - The effort was there and so was the momentum. Southwest had the state's top-ranked 2-A team sweating.
Unfortunately for the Stallions, First Flight proved why it is indeed No. 1 as the Nighthawks pulled away from Southwest 9-3 in the first round of the NCHSAA 2-A playoffs on Saturday.
The Stallions, the fifth seed from the East Central 2-A Conference, tied the game at 3-3 with a trio of sixth-inning runs. First Flight, the top seed from the Northeastern Coastal would answer with six in the bottom half.
"They were shell-shocked when we tied it up," said Stallions head coach Dave McLeod. "Here we are being competitive against the No. 1 team in the state, but they showed they have earned that ranking because they were patient at the plate and hit the ball with runners on base.
"We were in this game, we just came up short."
Reagan Peedin was 2-for-3 with a run while Richard Campolong's two-run triple tied the contest in the top of the sixth. Robert Parker had a hit, run and RBI, Nick Hunter had a hit and run; and Will Alston and Mike Zamora each had a hit.
"I am so proud and pleased with the way we played today," McLeod said.
Ben Franceschi earned the win after yielding seven hits in a complete-game effort. He allowed three earned runs and struck out seven without walking a batter.
Trey Luke went 3-for-4 with three RBIs for FFHS. He was a home run shy of the cycle.
Southwest 000 003 0 - 3 7 4
First Flight 101 016 x - 9 9 1
WP-Franceschi 7 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 7 K. LP-Tyler Jackson 5 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 7 BB, 4 K. LEADING HITTERS-SWO: Peedin 2-3, run; Campolong 1-3, 3B, 2 RBI; Hunter 1-3, run; Alston 1-3; Zamora 1-3; Parker 1-4, run, RBI. FF: Luke 3-4, 2B, 3B, 3 RBI, run; J.J. Allen 2-2, 2B, 3B, 2 runs fran 1-2, run. RECORDS-SWO: 14-9, season complete. FF: 22-0, hosts Croatan in second round.
