New Hanover scored five times in a frame littered with three walks, a hit batter, a couple of errors and a balk.
The season came to an end for Pinecrest (20-5) in a 5-2 second-round state playoff loss at Legion Stadium in Wilmington. New Hanover (15-11) earns the right to entertain Scotland County, an 8-2 winner over South View, on Tuesday.
Pinecrest wasted solid singles by Shinn and Seth Maness in the top of the first after Bruce Koenig hit into a 4-6-3 double play on which the out call at first was disputed by Hewitt.
The Patriots were back in business in the top of the third after Justin Richardson and Josh Haley pulled one-out singles through the left side of the infield. Shinn, the next batter, hit four foul balls in a 10-pitch at bat that ended with Wildcat third baseman Tim Linn taking Shinn's ground ball, stepping on the bag and throwing to first for an inning-ending double play.
Shinn, the starting pitcher for the Patriots, was strong while facing only seven batters in the first two innings.
"He got out there in the third," Pinecrest coach Jeff Hewitt said, "and it looked like a totally different Shinn than we saw in the first two innings."
The decisive bottom half began with Linn drawing a walk after a series of close pitches. Shinn had a 1-2 count on John Thomas before plunking him with a pitch. Wildcat pitcher Austin Hale then deadened a ball with his bat toward third base on the thick grass that became a bunt base-hit, loading the bases.
The first run of the game scored on a force play at second, another on a balk. Shinn, who came into the game allowing only 12 walks in 42 2/3 innings this year, gave up another walk, this time to Ryan Milligan.
George Bryan followed with a defensive swing on a 1-2 pitch that produced a run-scoring single to left-center. When the Patriots' Josh Haley bobbled the ball, the runners moved up to second and third.
Mincey then singled hard off the glove of first baseman Ryan Summerford for two more runs. The runners moved up a base when right fielder Ryan Sprouse's throw home got by catcher Russell Blue.
After another base on balls, Adam Johnson replaced Shinn and got the side out.
Encouraged by a large crowd of Patriot supporters at the one-time minor league ballpark, Pinecrest came within a key hit of getting most of it back in the top of the fourth.
"I looked up there and it was a sea of green," Hewitt said. "As a head coach, that's a lot to ask for from the community to travel for two-and-a-half hours to see a high school baseball team. I really believe there aren't any better fans to back up a baseball team."
The diminutive, left-handed throwing Hale, started the fourth by walking Maness and hitting Koenig with a pitch. Summerford then sliced a ball down the right-field line, scoring Maness.
Hale struck out Derek Kirk before walking Sprouse to load the bases. The Wildcats then turned to Mincey, their pitching ace. The right-hander struck out Johnson for the second out.
But with Justin Richardson at bat, Koenig scored the run that made it 5-2 on a wild pitch. When catcher Allen King's throw got by the pitcher covering home, Summerford tried to score too, but was called out on a close play, ending the threat.
While Johnson and Maness were shutting out the Wildcats in the last three innings, the Patriots got two aboard in the fifth, but went down quietly after that.
"That's a good baseball team," Hewitt said of the first seed from the Mideastern Conference. "They keep the ball in play, they put the bunt down. The little lefty kept them right where they needed to be and then they bring in Mincey and he shuts the door."
The Pinecrest coach was quick to divert the conversation to the accomplishments of a season that included sharing the Mid-Southeastern Conference championship with Scotland County.
"Enough said about this," he said of the season-ending loss. "You always hate to see the seniors lose. This is a group that's been so close together and brought the whole team close together. What a year. It's one of those years you hate to see end, not only as a coach, but I'm sure as a fan. This has been a good group to watch."
Putting on their Pinecrest uniforms for the last time were Shinn, Koenig, Summerford, Kirk, Johnson and Seth Yarborough.
R H E
Pinecrest 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 -- 2 7 3
New Hanover 0 0 5 0 0 0 X -- 5 5 0
Shinn, Johnson (3), Maness (5) and Blue, Shinn (3); Hale, Mincey (4) and Allen; WP -- Hale LP -- Shinn; Leading hitters: (P) Summerford 1-3, RBI (NH) Mincey 2-2, 2 RBIs, Bryan 1-2, RBIs.
