RAMSEUR — Nathan Cockman handcuffed Carolina on two hits while his Deep River teammates took advantage of 10 walks and some timely hits en route to harnessing the Coyotes 7-0 in Old North State League action July 16 at I. Fletcher Craven Stadium.
Posting their sixth victory in their last seven outings, the Muddogs raised their league record to 12-9-1, while Carolina sank to 9-12.
Hurling his third complete game and second shutout of the season, Cockman allowed a leadoff single to Tyler Myers in the top of the first and a two-out base hit to Jordan Blalock in the visitors’ fifth while gaining the win. The hard-throwing right-hander only went to a three-ball count on one batter and fanned nine while throwing a total of 86 pitches, including 59 (69 percent) for strikes.
Cade Culberson continued his recent hot streak at the plate for Deep River, going two-for-two at bat with a pair of walks while accounting for three RBIs.
“Nate uses his whole body to increase his pitching strength and throws a great breaking ball while keeping his pitches low in the strike zone,” said Muddogs’ coach Michael Milian. “Offensively I thought we had good approaches at the plate tonight, showed patience while waiting for the pitch we wanted and hit the ball hard when we put it in play.”
Coyotes’ starter and loser Gerard Chamra went three and one-third innings on the hill, surrendering five hits and six earned runs while issuing five free passes and whiffing one.
Tyler Myers tossed the final two and two-third innings, giving up one earned run on no hits while walking five and striking out two.
“I felt like we didn’t compete at all this evening,” said Carolina coach Riley Nelson. “While Myers did a good job in relief, they knocked our starter out when he couldn’t throw strikes, and issuing 10 walks overall didn’t help.”
Deep River took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Noah Handy belted a leadoff double to left and scored when Easton Jones lined an opposite-field single to right.
Jones moved to second on a one-out walk to Jordan Cassell and came in to score on Culberson’s single up the alley in right-center.
The Muddogs picked up a solo run in the home third as Jones was hit by a pitch leading off the frame and advanced to second on a wild pitch before scoring on Culberson’s two-out opposite-field triple off the left field fence.
Deep River stretched its advantage to 6-0 in the bottom of the fourth as Jordan Moss and Trevohn Jeffery drew back-to-back leadoff walks prior to Walter Parham stroking a double up the gap in right-center to bring in Moss and send Jeffery to third.
After Jeffery came in to score on a one-out wild pitch, walks to Jones and Clay Richardson loaded the bases before Culberson coaxed a two-out free pass to force in Parham.
The Muddogs added their final run in the home sixth as Richardson was plunked by a pitch with two away, went to second when Cassell received a free pass, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a wild pitch.