Evans gets past rival in eighth

Evans catcher Michael Armstrong wasn't nervous or anything.

All he figured was that Brad Freeman, who was on second base, had done his job. Now, he said, it was his turn.

Armstrong's single through the left side of the infield in the bottom of the eighth inning drove in Freeman with the winning run, and the host Knights picked up a confidence-boosting 3-2 win against Greenbrier on Tuesday.

"I don't know if I was thinking about anything, to tell you the truth," said Armstrong, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI. "I'm one of the leaders on the team, and it was my turn to do my job."

It spoiled a strong performance from Wolfpack pitcher Scott Wandless.

Dominating through the middle innings - at one point, Wandless retired 12 consecutive Knights - he allowed just three hits in the first five innings.

But Evans caught up to him in the sixth, and Armstrong and Travis Clark hit back-to-back RBI singles to tie the score at 2-2.

"He got a few balls up in the zone," said Greenbrier coach Ed Williams, whose eighth-ranked team (in Class AAAA) got a 3-for-4 performance from third baseman Adam Turner. "You have to tip your hat off to Evans, because they battled all game."

Especially in the eighth inning.

After Evans starter Seth Newsome - who had a solid start, scattering eight hits in his complete-game victory - allowed Greenbrier's (6-1) Brooks Robinson to reach third base with one out in the top half, he struck out Brad Ramsbothem and coaxed Eric Smith into a ground-out to end the threat.

Then the Knights (3-3) ended it in the bottom half, as Freeman was hit by a pitch, moved to second on a balk and scored when Armstrong delivered the game-winner on a 3-2 pitch.

"Mike battled until the end," Evans coach Ricky Beale said. "He kept fighting pitches off. Finally, he found a way to get it through the infield."

Still, Beale isn't totally pleased with his squad. But, he said, the Knights continue getting better every day.

"We have to keep improving," he said. "We're not where we need to be. With our defense and our fundamentals, we just have to get a little bit better."

Reach Josh Katzowitz at (706) 823-3216 or josh.katzowitz@augustachronicle.com.