HAMLET — When Markey Purvis banged an RBI double off the top of the wall of the Wilbur Dome, just inches from exiting Memorial Park, he opened the scoring floodgates during Hamlet’s win on Monday.
Beginning Area 2 conference play, Post 49 mercy-ruled Brunswick Post 543 in five innings by a final score of 10-0.
In the team’s largest margin of victory this season, and fourth victory in six games to start the summer, Hamlet relied on a complete game shutout by Matt Miller.
Making his second start of the season, Miller earned his team-leading second win. He tossed 5 innings and allowed just four hits and collected two strikeouts. Trusting his defense, Miller recorded six flyouts and five ground outs.
In his final three innings of work, Miller stranded two base runners in each inning to keep his scoreless outing intact.
After both teams went down in order to start the game, Miller erased a leadoff single in the top of the second with a double play. Second baseman Eythan Reynolds started the 4-6-3 play and a flyout to Tristan Hunt at short put Hamlet back in the dugout.
A game-changing bottom of the second inning saw Hamlet send 12 batters to the plate and score eight runs. Starting for Post 543 was Jaden Marvin, who allowed eight runs on four hits in 1.2 innings of work.
Consecutive walks to Hunter Huneycutt and Ryley Norton started the inning, which was followed by Purvis’ laser off the wall for a standup double. Norton crossed home plate safely on a passed ball to make it 2-0.
With one away, Bohdi Robertson recorded the first of his two RBI on a groundout to second, plating Purvis from third.
A little two-out magic stirred up another five runs for Hamlet before the end of the frame. Hunt burned the center fielder on a missile to the wall in left-center, registering an RBI double and scoring Reynolds (walk).
JD Scarbrough kept the inning going with a bunt single down the third base line, one of his two successful bunts for a hit in the game. Jackson Kuhn joined the RBI parade when a line drive single to left found the out grass and brought home Hunt.
Huneycutt drew his second walk of the inning in the next plate appearance, which was followed by a free pass to Norton to plate a run. Marvin was replaced with BD Lanier on the mound following Norton’s RBI walk.
Capping the big inning, Purvis sent a hot shot to third base and reached on an error, which also saw Huneycutt and Kuhn score. Brunswick got out of the inning by recording the final out on the basepaths.
In the top of the third, Miller left runners on the corners. He followed that with stranding runners on second and third with one out in the fourth, inducing a pop out and a groundout to end the threat.
Hamlet also left two runners on base in the fourth, leaving Scarbrough (single) and Huneycutt (walk) on the bases.
Miller recorded two quick outs in the fifth, but allowed a walk and a single. A ground ball to Hunt at short saw him flip the ball to Reynolds at second for a fielder’s choice to preserve the eight-run lead.
More two-out lightning struck for Hamlet to walk it off in the fifth. Purvis was plunked by Jordan Daniels to start the inning and scored when Robertson notched his second RBI of the game on a sacrifice fly to deep left field.
Reynolds swatted a two-out single to left, one of seven hits for Hamlet, to set up the game-winning run. Facing reliever Ty Mathis, Hunt barreled up a 1-1 offering for a double to the alley in center, scoring Reynolds to end the game early.
Hunt and Robertson each led the team with two RBI, as Hunt and Scarbrough also had two hits apiece. Adding one hit each were Kuhn, Purvis and Reynolds.
Hamlet (4-2) will continue its four games in five days stretch on Wednesday with a road trip to South Carolina. The 49ers will play non-conference Horry County Post 111 at Conway High School at 7 p.m.
Sports Editor’s Note: Kyle Pillar will be out of town this week, but will still publish game articles. The Richmond Observer will publish a photo gallery of Monday’s game soon.
