Hamlet drops first game at state tournament

CHERRYVILLE — Described by head coach Chip Gordon as an “off day,” the Hamlet American Legion baseball team dropped its first game of the North Carolina state tournament Saturday.

Starting the double-elimination tournament against Union County Post 535, Hamlet surrendered a 13-6 loss.

Trailing 8-0 after the first four and a half innings, Post 49 chipped away with solo runs in the fifth and sixth frames before scoring four runs in the bottom of the seventh.

Union County (21-11) matched Hamlet’s five runs in the final two innings, scoring two in the sixth and three in the seventh.

Post 49 pieced together a four-pitcher effort, starting with James Eason (three innings, six runs, four hits). Only two of Eason’s runs were earned.

Also pitching were Jeremiah Ritter (1.2 innings, two earned runs, four hits), Brady Fowler (1.1 innings, two earned runs, three hits) and Robbie Peed (one inning, three earned runs, three hits).

Hamlet connected for 11 hits in the loss, including two apiece from Eason, JD Scarbrough and Jacob Williams. Evan Hodges, Austin Mooring, Isaac Hinshaw, Riley Brown and John Carre all had one hit.

Mooring got Hamlet’s scoring started in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI single to left field. Eason (error) scored from third to make it 8-1.

Williams, who had a team-high four runs batted in, made it a 10-2 deficit an inning later. Slicing an RBI base knock into right, Williams plated Carre, who singled earlier in the inning.

Scarbrough led off the seventh with a double, Hamlet’s only extra-base hit, and scored on an error.

With two outs and the bases loaded, Williams supplied the final three runs with a line drive to center. Scoring were Landon Taylor, Hinshaw and Maddox Locklear, all of whom reached via a walk.

An Eason single and a walk to Hodges reloaded the bases, but the game ended on a fly ball to center field.

Hamlet (23-6) will face High Point Post 87 (23-7) at noon Sunday in an elimination game. The game will be played at Cherryville High School.

Sports editor’s note: Game information and stats provided by Hamlet’s Game Changer and assistant coach Anthony Hailey.