Falcons’ streak continues

Published 4:50 pm Monday, March 26, 2018

WINDSOR – Bertie High’s varsity baseball team won their third game in a row Friday night and avenged an early season loss by topping North Pitt here Friday night 5-1.

Trenton White twirled a two hitter for the win on the mound.  He had a no-hitter through the first five innings and his teammates backed him up with five big runs. Alden Cottle drove in a pair as six batters accounted for Falcon hits.

“I can’t say enough about how proud I am of this team,” said an ebullient Bertie coach Bobby Harmon after the game. “The last three games they have really bought into what we are trying to do.  They are playing together and not individually.”

Bertie High School pitcher Trenton White tossed a two-hitter and struck out seven batters as the Falcons topped North Pitt 5-1 Friday night for their 3rd straight win. | Staff Photo by Gene Motley

Bertie opened the scoring with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. With two on, Jared Speight and White, Cottle drove a hard shot to left field scoring Jared Speight, but White was thrown out at home. Caleb Damo then stroked the only extra-base hit of the game, a double to left that scored Cottle. Bertie had a 2-0 lead after one complete.

White, meanwhile, was mowing along – getting three up-and-three down, except for one Panthers runner that reached on a fielding error.

In the bottom of the fifth, Bertie put the game away.  Nate Cheeseboro opened with a single, stole second, and was sacrificed to third. After White walked, Cottle then reached on a fielder’s choice, scoring Cheeseboro. White, now on third base, scored when Damo reached on an error, and Cottle followed one batter later when Scoop Hoggard reached on a fielder’s choice.  Bertie was in command, 5-0.

North Pitt got on the board in the top of the sixth, scoring on a one-out single before White got out of trouble with a pair of groundouts.  White later hit a batter to put a man on in the top of the seventh, but retired the next three in a row to post the win.

“Trenton on the mound and Scoop behind the plate were pretty special,” added Harmon. “T (Trenton) was in a zone tonight and you could tell him and Scoop were on the same page.  We played great defense behind him and offensively we came through with some hits; this is a good way to head into conference play.”

Bertie (4-5) opens Northeastern Coastal Conference play tonight (7 p.m.) at home against Currituck.