By By BRIAN HAINES
Sports Writer
Patience at the plate combined with an aggressive approach on the base paths allowed Terra Ceia to walk past its Tar Heel Independent Conference rival Pungo 12-2 in six innings on Monday.
The Knights drew 18 walks and stole 17 bases en route to their third straight win and a perfect 3-0 record
Terra Ceia produced only five hits, but runs were brought home on four of them.
Lindsey Smith, Katie Jackson, Morgan Boyd and Kristen Alons each tallied one hit and an RBI, with the exception on Alons who had two RBIs.
Winning pitcher Paige Roberson had the Knights’ fifth hit, while racking up five strikeouts in three hitless innings.
While Terra Ceia appeared to be clicking on all cylinders, assistant coach Tim Jackson said he was just happy to get a win.
“It feels great, any win is a good win,” Jackson said.
After Roberson’s three solid innings, Boyd came on in relief and allowed two runs in three innings while striking out two batters.
Jackson was pleased with both his pitchers’ performances.
“They both pitched pretty well,” Jackson said. “We wanted to get some work in for both of them. Paige was in a groove and Morgan pitched well too. It was great to be able to get both of them some work.”
On the other side of the diamond things weren’t going as smooth. Recently converted starting pitcher Tess Smithwick was having trouble adjusting to her new position. Smithwick allowed 16 walks and eight runs in 4 1/3 innings.
“We just came out struggling at pitching, it’s tough coming out here with a young group and not having a pitcher,” Pungo’s first-year coach Melody Williams said.
For the last few seasons the Raiders (0-3) have benefited from great pitching by Brinkley Johnson, but Johnson has graduated leaving Pungo with some large shoes to fill on the mound.
Smithwick struggled with her command all game, but Williams said there was no problem with her pitcher’s delivery.
“I’m not going to say it’s mechanics because she has never pitched before,” Williams said. “It’s the fact that we lost Brinkley and she was our pitcher and there is nobody else that came in.”
Carrissa Cahoon came entered the game in relief of Smithwick and let up four runs in 2 2/3 innings, but only allowed two walks.
At the plate Pungo struggled as well, tallying only four hits.
Jordan Dunbar, Allison Armstrong, Hannah Mutschler and Smithwick accounted for all the Raiders’ hits.
Armstrong smashed an RBI single in the fourth that drove in Dunbar and Smithwick.
Both teams will be back in action today as Pungo will host Albemarle and Terra Ceia will host Ridgecroft.
Raiders squeeze past Knights
Zack Cradle had a fantastic day for Pungo Monday as he pitched seven all seven innings, allowed only three hits, struck out five and gave up one earned run to lead the Raiders to a 6-5 win over TIC rival Terra Ceia.
Cradle was also 1-4 from the plate with two RBIs, the last one being the game-winner that helped Pungo (1-2) pick up its first win of the season.
Tyler Mann had a big day for Pungo too, as he went 2-4 with an RBI.
Blake Butcher paced Terra Ceia from the plate going 2-3, while Jacob Latham was 1-3.
Caleb McNair pitched well coming out of the bullpen, striking out seven batters in four innings.
Pungo 000 020 0 — 2 4 2
Terra Ceia 033 114 — 12 5
WP: Paige Roberson; LP: Tess Smithwick
P— Jordan Dunbar 1-3, Tess Smithwick 1-2, Allison Armstrong 1-3 (2 RBI), Hannah Mutschler 1-2; TC — Katie Jackson 1-3 (RBI), Paige Roberson 1-2 (R), Morgan Boyd (1-2 (R, RBI), Lindsey Smith 1-2 (2 RBI), Kristen Alons 1-1 (2B, RBI).