Post 49 stays alive at states, eliminates High Point

CHERRYVILLE — Not ready to see its season come to an end, the Hamlet American Legion baseball team staved off elimination Sunday during the North Carolina state tournament.

In a win-or-go home matchup with High Point Post 87, Hamlet cruised to a 9-1 victory, effectively ending its opponent’s season.

Now one of six teams remaining, Hamlet used a strong outing from starting pitcher Jason Walker (Richmond) and a five-run fifth inning to stay alive.

Walker pitched 5.1 innings and allowed just one unearned run on two hits. He struck out one batter and walked another.

Beginning in the third inning with a 2-1 lead, Walker recorded 1-2-3 innings until he was replaced by Dylan Tilson (Scotland) with one out in the sixth to preserve his pitch count.

Tilson was equally as effective, finishing a 1-2-3 sixth and retiring High Point in order in the seventh. His line was 1.2 innings of relief with zeroes across the board.

Hamlet’s defense also turned two double plays during that span, including a game-ending double play to erase a base runner due to an error.

“The guys bounced back well today,” head coach Chip Gordon said. “Jason pitched amazing and Dylan came in and shut it down. I can’t say enough about the outings by those guys. Our defense played great today, they bounced back from yesterday and got it done.

“Offensively we did everything right, we did not try to do anything extra,” he added. “We had team at-bats all game and took what they gave us. All in all, our boys played a heck of a game and we were not ready to come home yet.”

Hamlet connected for 13 hits in the win, including six hits and two runs off starting pitcher Grayson McDonald.

Evan Hodges (Richmond) had a game-high three hits (all singles), with teammates James Eason (Richmond), Isaac Hinshaw (Richmond), John Carre (Pinecrest) and Jacob Williams (Union Pines) each adding two hits.

One of Carre’s hits went for two bases, Hamlet’s only double. Knocking a single each were JD Scarbrough (Pitt Community College), who scored three times, and Riley Brown (Richmond).

Hinshaw and Landon Taylor (Richmond) both had two runs batted in during the win.

In the top of the first, Post 49 took a 1-0 lead when Brown lasered an RBI single to right field. Hodges, who had a one-out hit, scored from third.

After an RBI groundout by High Point (23-8) tied the game in the bottom of the first, Hamlet took the lead for good in the second.

This time it was an RBI infield single from Eason with two outs, which scored Williams (single).

Leading 2-1 and following a 1-2-3 frame by Walker to end the fourth, Hamlet sent nine batters to the plate in the fifth to break it open.

A sac fly by Hinshaw to center scored Hodges, and after Brown walked to reload the bases, Scarbrough scored to make it 4-1. Carre added to the lead with an RBI base hit to left to score Mooring.

Brown made it a 6-1 lead when he scored on a wild pitch. Taylor capped the big inning with an RBI base hit to score Carre.

Hamlet’s final two insurance runs came in the sixth and seventh, respectively. Hinshaw had an RBI single to center and Taylor recorded an RBI on a fielder’s choice.

Up next for Hamlet (24-6) will be the loser of the Garner (26-4) and Shelby (27-7) game, which won’t be played until Monday morning.

Post 49 will play its next elimination game Monday at 4 p.m. at Cherryville High School.

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