Brown ‘lights out’ in complete-game shutout of Rowan County

SALISBURY — A gem on the mound by Riley Brown put the Hamlet American Legion baseball back in the win column Tuesday.

After dropping back-to-back games, Hamlet played its third consecutive game against a final-four playoff team from last summer.

In his first start this season, Brown (Richmond) was dialed in during a 3-0 victory over Rowan County Post 342.

Playing at Catawba College, Brown pitched a complete-game shutout on just 86 pitches. He allowed three hits, struck out three batters and left five runners on base.

In the second, fourth and fifth innings, Brown retired Post 342 in order. He got some help with a 6-4-3 inning-ending double play after a one-out single in the fourth.

Brown faced just four batters in the first and third frames, while stranding two runners in the sixth and one more in scoring position in the seventh.

Trusting his defense, Brown said, allowed him to fill up the zone. He also relied heavily on his offspeed pitches.

“I was really able to do well tonight by throwing strikes and my defense was making a lot of great plays behind me,” Brown said. “My changeup worked very well and I was just attacking everyone with first-pitch strikes.”

Playing for Post 49 for his first season, Brown made two strong relief appearances before his start Tuesday. It’s a pair of spikes he’s confident he can fill.

“I have embraced a bigger role on the pitching staff by just being ready to pitch every night and filling up the zone,” he explained.

Two of Hamlet’s runs were scored in the fourth inning, with its final insurance run added in the sixth.

Leading off the top of the fourth, Richmond’s Evan Hodges (single) and Isaac Hinshaw (double) collected two of Hamlet’s eight hits and got into scoring position.

Austin Mooring (Union Pines) loaded the bases after being hit by a pitch. James Eason (Richmond) delivered the eventual game-winning run with a sacrifice fly to center field to plate Hodges.

John Carre (Pinecrest) reloaded the bases following a catcher’s interference call. That gave Jacob Williams (Union Pines) a chance to slap an RBI single to the opposite field in right to make it 2-0.

With two outs in the sixth, Hamlet sparked lightning in a bottle to score its final run. Carre beat out an infield single and Jacobs and Maddox Locklear (Scotland) were both plunked by a pitch.

In the next plate appearance, Jeremiah Ritter (Richmond) drew a bases-loaded free pass to bring in Carre.

Also notching a single in the win were Ritter, Eason, Mooring and Landon Taylor (Richmond).

“This was a great team win tonight,” head coach Chip Gordon said. “The guys were in it from pitch one. We swung the bats really well tonight and barreled up even more that didn’t find a hole.

“I can’t say enough about the pitching performance from Riley,” he added. “He has been nothing but lights out every time he has hit the mound. We’re looking forward to getting back on the field Thursday and putting another notch in the win column.”

Hamlet (6-2) closes out its three-game week at home Thursday against Davidson County Post 8. Post 49 will go for the non-conference series sweep starting at 7 p.m.

Sports editor’s note: Stats and game information provided by Hamlet’s GameChanger app and Ryan Brown.