LA GRANGE — Having to play a conference game during the first week of the season was a bad enough situation for North Lenoir.
Facing Clayton Cleveland right-hander Kodi Whitley made it that much worse.
The senior right-hander dominated from start to finish, allowing just four hits and striking out 11 as the Rams knocked off the Hawks 5-1 Tuesday in the Eastern Carolina 3A Conference opener for both teams.
Whitley, a transfer from West Johnston, surrendered a second-inning double to Justin Shimer and singles in the fifth to Landon Letchworth, Sammy West and Luke Jackson.
Shimer came around to score North Lenoir’s lone run on an infield error, but the trio of base hits in the fifth yielded nothing as Letchworth was thrown out trying to stretch his leadoff hit into a double, and Tyler Smith grounded out sharply to first with two outs and runners on the corners.
“Their pitcher deserves a lot of credit,” NL coach Jim Montague said. “He threw all of his pitches for strikes and his location was outstanding. He threw the ball just where he wanted and we kept waiting for him to throw it where we wanted.”
Despite giving up just four hits and one walk, Whitley had to work out of trouble in several innings because of a defense that committed four errors. The only run against him was unearned.
Hawks starter Letchworth was almost as good. The Rams (3-1, 1-0) also managed just four hits, but made every one count. Cleveland also played sound fundamental baseball, executing a pair of sacrifice bunts that led to runs.
Another attempted sacrifice, by left fielder Alan Stephenson, ended up as an infield hit and helped key a three-run third inning.
The frame featured a hit batsman, a walk, a successful sacrifice, a wild pitch, Stephenson’s bunt single and then a two-run base hit to left by Michael Hales.
The Rams also tallied a run in the sixth without benefit of a hit.
Letchworth was the victim of Cleveland’s solid play.
“Landon did an excellent job, both on the mound, and in fielding his position,” Montague said. “The problem was that a couple of times he had field other people’s positions.”
Letchworth finished with two walks and five whiffs. Smith pitched the sixth and Jackson finished up with a scoreless seventh.
“We’re young and talented, but we’ve got some kids who are going to have adjust to life at the varsity level,” said Montague. “Today they were tested and they didn’t make those adjustments. Hopefully we were humbled. If not, it’s going to be a long season.”
The Hawks (1-1, 0-1) have a short turnaround as they must travel to county rival South Lenoir today.
Cleveland 013 001 0—5 4 4
North Lenoir 010 000 0—1 4 2
Whitley and Bailey; Letchworth, Smith (6), Jackson (7) and Baird. W—Whitley. L—Letchworth.