A two run homerun by Mike Perkins in the fourth inning was plenty of run support for starting pitcher Clark Labitan, who struck out 12, in the Copperheads 4-1 win over the Carolina Stingers on Wednesday night.

The pitching didn’t disappoint the home fans who hadn’t seen the team at home for almost a week and a half. Labitan struck out 12 while allowing one run on seven hits through his seven innings pitched.  He even retired nine Stingers in a row after a single by Stephen Mullis in the second inning. “Despite the arm angles, no ball moves the same,” said Head Coach Derek Shoe about Labitan. “When you get late movement like that there isn’t much you can do about it. He’s a guy that when we put him out there we know we got a pretty good chance to win that night.” Labitan’s late movement kept the Stingers to just one run which they scored in the fifth inning after consecutive singles put runners on the corners with nobody out. Jason Borjas hit a sharp grounder to shortstop Tommy Jablonski who made a great play to throw the runner out at second for the first out. Labitan then got a strikeout and a ground out to end the inning.

The Stingers would again threaten in the seventh inning when Labitan allowed a single to lead off the inning. Catcher, and Virginia Tech teammate Chris Kay, went to talk to Labitan who said the right thing because Labitan proceeded to strike out the final three batters to end his start. “I knew he had only a couple pitches before he got taken out,” said Kay “so I made sure he knew what we wanted to throw in the situation.”

Offensively all Lake Norman needed was Perkins first homerun of the season, which brought two home, extended the Copperheads one run lead to three in the fourth inning. “I didn’t know he had that kind of power,” said Coach Shoe “He has been on an absolute tear this last week, been our hottest hitter. We just had to find a place in the lineup for him… since he’s athletic enough to play a few spots.”

Tommy Jablonski added 2 RBI on a groundout in the first and a sacrifice fly in the sixth. Both runs scored after Shane Brown and Wes Dozier hit doubles to get on in front of Jablonski. Brown’s was the most impressive though, as he took second after the leftfielder took too long getting the ball back into the infield after a basehit to left-center.

Jablonski, and the rest of the infield, however were recognized more for their defense than the offensive production at the plate. Lake Norman made just one error, after a season that has been filled with multi-error games. “We are at a point in the season where we have a pretty good idea who we’re gonna have out there on a consistent basis, and those guys are getting more comfortable knowing they’ll be out there on a consistent basis. So it’s really starting to pay off for us a little bit,” said Coach Shoe

Note: Wednesday’s win marked the first game at home for Lake Norman since June 29 against Spartanburg, after going 5-1 on a six game road trip. “It feels great. We are lucky to have Hopewell High School here and it’s just nice to drive just twenty minutes to the park,” said catcher Chris Kay about the trip. Overall this year the Copperheads have lost just three games away from home. “Maybe we just want to get out there, beat them quick and then get back home,” said Kay.