Forest City’s offense exploded for 16 hits and eight
starters in the lineup had at least one hit as the Owls tied a Coastal
Plain League record for the most wins in a single-season with a 13-11
victory over the Asheboro Copperheads on Tuesday at McCrary Park.

Forest City’s 42nd win tied the Fayetteville SwampDogs, who
accomplished the feat in 2007. The Owls bounced back from a loss to
Thomasville on Sunday to improve to 42-7 and 18-4 in the second half.
Forest City scored in double-digits for the 10th time and recorded
their 22nd double-digit game of the season.

Forest City led 13-7 with two outs in the ninth inning, but Asheboro
rallied with four runs and had the tying runs on base. With runners at
first and second, Owls closer Robbie Andrews (Virginia Commonwealth)
retired Craige Lyerly on a long fly ball out to the warning track in
right field. Andrews threw one pitch to record his 11th save in as
many chances.

Asheboro, who had their three-game win streak snapped, fell to 18-30
and 8-12 in second play. The Copperheads committed five errors and
their pitching staff threw six wild pitches.

The Owls have won nine of 11 meetings with the Copperheads and the two
teams will play for the final time this season on Thursday at McNair
Field.

Forest City first baseman Brian Burton (Canisius) went 3-for-3 with
three RBIs and reached base five times while leftfielder Marty Gantt
(Spartanburg Methodist) reached base four times and had three RBIs.
Shortstop Jake Koenig(Spartanburg Methodist) picked up three hits and
two RBIs while second baseman Andrew Ciencin (N.C. State) recorded
three hits and scored four runs. Rightfielder Will Skinner (N.C.
State) and designated hitter Konstantine Diamaduros (Wofford) each had
two hits and scored two runs while centerfielder Wade Moore (N.C.
State) also contributed by driving in two runs and stealing two bases.

Forest City left-hander Conner Thompson (Lynchburg College) picked up
his third victory of the season. Thompson (3-0) pitched 5 2/3 innings
and allowed five runs on five hits with three walks and two
strikeouts.  Reliever Kyle Jones (Mt. Olive College) allowed two
unearned runs in 2 1/3 innings with four walks and five strikeouts.
Left-hander Chris Chapman (Bethune-Cookman) allowed four runs on four
hits in the ninth inning.

Forest City took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first, aided by
four errors committed by the Copperheads.

Moore led off the game and reached on a fielding error by first
baseman Relly Mercurio. Moore stole second and third base and scored
after third baseman Tyler Wynn could not handle the throw from catcher
Jimmie Pharr. Burton hit a two-out, broken bat single to left field to
plate Ciencin, who also reached on a fielding error by Wynn.

The Owls added to their lead with a four-run third inning on five
hits. Ciencin, Skinner, and Burton all singled to open the inning.
After Gantt reached on an RBI fielder’s choice, catcher Cameron
McConnell (Notre Dame) ripped a base hit down the left field line to
bring in Skinner. Moore lined a two-run single to right-center to
extend the Owls lead to 6-0.

Forest City pushed across their seventh run in the fourth inning.
Skinner, who hit a two-out single to centerfield, hustled from first
to third base on a wild pitch to the backstop and then scored on the
second wild pitch of the inning.

Asheboro hit three solo home runs in the bottom of the fourth to cut
the deficit to 7-3. Aaron Schultz smacked a leadoff homer to left
while Tyler Wynn and Austin Moyer hit back-to-back home runs with two
outs in the inning.

The Owls scored four more times in the sixth inning to break the game
open. Diamaduros hit a leadoff single to right field to extend his hit
streak to 15 games. Burton and Gantt both drew walks with the bases
loaded to plate Diamaduros and Ciencin. Koenig hit a two-run single to
left field to give the Owls an 11-3 advantage.

Asheboro picked up two runs in the sixth inning to cut the lead to
11-5. Jones relieved Thompson with two men on and two outs in the
sixth. He proceeded to walk two consecutive batters and also threw a
wild pitch to allow two runs to come across the plate.

The Owls answered with two runs in the top of the seventh. Burton
drilled a two-out single to left field to score Diamaduros while Gantt
followed with an RBI single through the right side of the infield to
put the Owls up 13-5.

The Copperheads scored a pair of runs without a hit in the eighth
after Jones walked in a run and also fired a wild pitch to score the
second run of the inning.

Asheboro scored four runs with two outs in the ninth inning. Ethan
Marsh hit a two-run single to right field and Pharr followed with a
two-run homer to left.

Asheboro starter Grier Harrington (1-3) allowed seven runs on eight
hits over four innings and threw four wild pitches.

Forest City will have the opportunity to set the single-season mark
for wins in the Coastal Plain League on the road at Hooker Field on
Wednesday against the Martinsville Mustangs. The game is scheduled for
7:20 p.m.

Alex Kushel

(828) 245-0000