Aidan Smith carried a shutout into the sixth for the Topsail baseball team on Tuesday night as the Pirates kept pace atop the Mideastern Conference standings with a 7-2 win over Laney in Hampstead.
The freshman right-hander hurler pitched the Pirates to a bounce-back result in the division, allowing two unearned runs on four hits.
A bases loaded walk forced in Garrett Myrka to give Topsail a 1-0 lead after the opening inning of play, while Tyler Ording and Sam Hall each picked up an RBI single in the second to make it a three-run cushion.
Hall and Josh Madole finished with two hits apiece for the Pirates as Madole added a two-run base hit during a four run rally in the fifth to give plenty of run support for Smith, who struck out eight in the complete game effort.
Colby Emmertz also had a multi-hit game for Topsail. Myrka and Gavin Finley plated two runs apiece. The Pirates left 11 runners on base as Laney scored two in the sixth thanks to a pair of RBI base knocks by Hunter Gainey and Shelton Lewis.
Trailing West Brunswick by one-game for the division lead, Topsail moved to 4-1 in conference and 10-6 overall. Laney dropped to 0-6 in league action and 4-13 overall.
Laney 000 002 0 2 4 1
Topsail 120 040 X 7 8 5
WP: Aidan Smith LP: John Speight
Laney 9 Topsail 7
Laney crept within one game of the division lead after the Bucs jumped out to an early cushion only to hold off a late push to knock off previously unbeaten Topsail in a 9-7 victory on Wednesday night.
Makalya Berry and Paige Cruse both homered to pace an eight hit attack as Topsail committed five errors in the ballgame. Cruse did it at the plate and on the stripe to improve to 5-1 in the circle this season.
Laney took a 2-0 lead in their first at-bat and posted a six-run cushion heading into the bottom of the fourth. Tristen Horrell and Ana Williams each hit a double in the effort.
Danielle Parks and Christine McLean combined for four hits for Topsail. Trailing 9-5 and down to their final three outs, Appalachian State commit Keri White belted a two-run round tripper, but the rally came up short. Parks and Kanesha Williams finished with extra base hits in the setback.
The division foes split the regular season series, with each club winning on the opposing team’s home field. Laney stands at 5-2 in league play and 11-5 overall. Topsail dropped to 7-1 in conference and 15-2 on the year.
Laney 200 412 0 9 8 2
Topsail 000 122 2 7 9 5
WP: Paige Cruse LP: Victoria Elder
