‘We played hard’: Hamlet’s state title bid ends short

CHERRYVILLE — The most successful season in recent memory for the Hamlet American Legion baseball team came to an end Monday.

Post 49, fielding players from Richmond, Moore and Scotland counties, made its exit from the North Carolina state tournament.

One of eight teams competing at Cherryville High School for the state title, Hamlet was one of the final six programs standing before suffering its double-elimination loss.

Facing the Garner Nationals in its third game of the tournament, Post 49 lost 6-3.

It was Hamlet’s third loss to Garner this season, the only team Post 49 lost more than one game against.

Although the 49ers made an earlier exit than they wanted, head coach Chip Gordon expressed his satisfaction with the season’s outcome.

“I can’t express how happy I am for the guys, they played great this summer,” Gordon said. “We played a lot of baseball, and they improved every day.

“Making it to states for the first time since 1997 is a big accomplishment “ he continued. “I feel like this team put Hamlet back on the map as a program to be reckoned with. We played hard and fell a bit short, but we had an amazing season. A 24-7 record is nothing to hang our heads about.”

Garner scored all of its runs between the first two innings, as Hamlet tried a rally attempt by plating all three of its runs in the sixth.

A two-run homer in the bottom of the first gave Garner an early lead.

Making the start for Hamlet was Evan Hodges (Richmond), who tossed 1.2 innings. He allowed six earned runs on seven hits and struck out one batter.

A four-run second for the Nationals was the result of four RBI singles to make it a 6-0 deficit for Hamlet.

Gordon went with three relief pitchers, starting with Austin Mooring (Union Pines), who pitched a third of an inning and ended the second frame.

Brady Fowler (Scotland) was dominant in his three innings of work, allowing just one hit and recording three strikeouts to give Hamlet a chance. He faced four batters in each inning.

Dylan Tilson (Scotland) pitched one inning and put up zeroes except for one walk. He, too, threw to just four batters in the sixth.

Hamlet had just four hits in the game, with three of them coming in the three-run top of the sixth. Hodges and JD Scarbrough (Pitt Community College) both singled to start the inning and Isaac Hinshaw (Richmond) loaded the bases with a free pass.

Mooring got Post 49 on the board with an RBI line drive single to center field in the next at-bat, scoring Hodges and moving everyone 90 feet.

Following a pitching change by Garner, Riley Brown (Richmond) cut the lead to four runs with a bases-loaded walk.

The final run of the season for Hamlet was recorded by John Carre (Pinecrest), who grounded into an RBI fielder’s choice to third base. Racing home was Hinshaw.

Two strikeouts ended the inning and left the tying run at the plate.

James Eason (Richmond) singled to start the seventh, which was followed by Hodges reaching on an error. But a strikeout, fielder’s choice and a pop out drew the season to a close.

Hamlet concluded its season with a 24-7 overall record, including a perfect run through Area 2 regular-season play (8-0).

Post 49 won the West Division and Area 2 championship titles while qualifying for the state tournament for the first time in nearly three decades.

The Richmond Observer will publish a full season recap article at a later date.

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