By Brandon Hall
Director of Scouting, PBR NC

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A non-conference matchup on a Wednesday in the Triad area drew a lot of attention.  Wesleyan Christian Academy and North Davidson are both defending state champions in their respective classifications and both have talent on the roster in 2017.  Enough talent that an estimated 75 scouts were on hand to watch the match-up unfold.

For Wesleyan Christian, starting catcher, switch-hitter Patrick Bailey garnered attention.  Coming off a summer that included catching for Team USA’s 18U club, the NC State commit has advanced catch and throw skills that standout immediately.

In the North Davidson dugout, right handed hitting phenom, Austin Beck is back to full strength, playing center-field and terrorizing opposing pitchers.  A North Carolina commit, Beck has proven, in the early season, that the ACL injury last spring is a distant memory.

The story of the game early was 2018 RHP Brett Kerry.  A South Carolina commit, Kerry flashed premium fastball command throughout his 5 innings striking out 10 without issuing a walk.  Throwing first pitch strikes to 16 of 20 hitters faced, Kerry kept the North Davidson hitters on the defensive.  In the first, Beck doubled to RCF with 2 outs.  Kerry showed an ability to pitch backwards, flooding the zone with his breaking ball to get out of the jam. 

You can see a full break down on Kerry’s outing in the NC HS Scout Blog.

Offensively, Wesleyan jumped out early, working to be very aggressive off of North Davidson starter, LHP Blaine Curry.  Three singles, including a line drive to the opposite field off of Bailey’s bat, plus a walk gave Wesleyan one run with the bases still loaded.  Curry worked to strikeout two of the next three hitters, with a fielder’s choice in between pushing the lead to 2-0, but limiting the damage.

Curry would settle in over the next few innings, keeping the score in tact into the fourth.  A leadoff double from Koty Proctor was erased on a fielder’s choice, bringing up the heart of Wesleyan’s order with one out and a runner on first.  Bailey again singled to RF, followed by Jackson Prillaman’s second hit of the day, hard off the barrel to LF, giving Prillaman his second and third RBI’s of the day.  Wesleyan would push the lead to 5-0 and look to seal the win.

The bat of Austin Beck would keep North Davidson within shouting distance.  In the bottom of the 6^th, Beck lined a ball to the RCF gap, clearing the wall, and closing the gap to 5-1.  In the 7^th, with one out and one on, Beck elevated an inside fastball, crushing it to LF, easily clearing the wall.  Beck had all three RBI’s on the day for North Davidson.

Outside the at-bats to Beck, Wesleyan right handed reliever Luke Davis was steady.  Davis worked 2 innings, giving up 3 hits (2 to Beck), 3 Runs, 3 earned, and striking out 4.  Davis was given the save.

Complete scouting reports, with video are available on Patrick Bailey and Austin Beck in the NC Scout Blog.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Wesleyan Christian	2	0	0	3	0	0	0	5	9	3
North Davidson	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	3	5	1

Win – Brett Kerry
Loss – Blaine Curry
Save – Luke Davis

Top Hitters:
Jacob Kohns: 2-4 with 2 runs (WCA)
Patrick Bailey: 2 – 4 (WCA)
Jackson Prillaman: 3-4 with 3 RBI’s (WCA)
Austin Beck: 3-4 with 3 RBI’s and 2 runs scored (NDHS)