SILER CITY — Using a trio of multi-run innings Wednesday, the Hamlet American Legion baseball team earned its second win in as many tries this season.
On the road at Jordan Matthews High School and playing Chatham Post 182, Hamlet cruised to an 11-3 victory.
Like its season-opening win last Friday, Post 49 used a three-pitcher effort to quiet the bats of Chatham.
Hamlet dotted the scoreboard with three runs in the second inning, four runs in the fourth, another in the fifth and its final three runs in the sixth frame.
Connecting for eight hits as a team, three players had two hits apiece — Maddox Locklear (Scotland) and Evan Hodges (Richmond) both had two singles and John Carre (Pinecrest) collected a double and a single, along with a team-high two runs batted in.
Riley Brown (Richmond) had a double and Carter Bean (Pinecrest) added a single to round out Hamlet’s hitting performance. Driving in a run apiece were Locklear, Brown and Jason Walker (RIchmond).
“It was a good win tonight,” head coach Chip Gordon said. “We are pitching well and playing strong defense, and our bats are starting to heat up.
“I’m looking forward to a fun summer with these guys,” he added.
Getting his first start of the season on the mound, Jeremiah Ritter (Richmond) earned the win with a three-inning outing. He allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits and struck out two batters.
Gordon, who has made it clear he will rely heavily on his bullpen, went to Robbie Peed (Scotland) and Brady Fowler (Scotland) for two innings of relief each, both of whom made their first appearances of the summer.
Peed gave up three hits and an earned run across the fourth and fifth frames and added a trio of punchouts. Fowler shut the door in the final two innings, allowing a hit and striking out two batters.
After Ritter stranded two runners in the home half of the first, Post 49 gave its starter a three-run cushion in the top of the second.
Brown doubled on a line drive to left field with two outs to score James Eason (Richmond), who reached on an error earlier in the inning.
Another error on a Landon Taylor (Richmond) grounder accounted for Hamlet’s other two runs. Scoring were Jacob Williams (Union Pines, dropped third strike) and Brown.
Leading 3-0, Ritter gave up two runs over the next two innings. Chatham cut its deficit to a run using an RBI single in both the second and third innings.
Williams led off the top of the fourth and reached on an error, later scoring on a passed ball to double Hamlet’s lead. Locklear continued his strong start with an RBI base knock to the opposite field, scoring Brown (walk).
Leading 5-2, Hamlet used a wild pitch to score Locklear and a passed ball to plate Hodges (single) to extend its lead before the end of the frame.
Peed took over in the fourth and stranded two runners. Carre led off the top of the fifth with a two-bagger and stole third. Walker made it 8-2 when he recorded an RBI ground out to second base.
An RBI single for Post 182 in the home half recorded its final run of the game.
With one away and the bases loaded in the sixth, Carre capped his productive game with a two-RBI base hit back up the middle to score Dylan Tilson (Scotland, courtesy runner) and Isaac Hinshaw (Richmond, walk).
Closing out the game’s scoring two batters later, Eason (fielder’s choice) trotted home on a passed ball.
Fowler stranded the bases loaded in the sixth with a strikeout and retired Post 182 in order with a K and two fly outs in the bottom of the seventh.
Post 49 (2-0) will continue its five-game week Thursday at non-conference Davidson County Post 8. The game will begin at 7 p.m. and be played at Holt Moffit Field.
Sports editor’s note: Stats used provided by GameChanger App and Ryan Brown.
