HAMLET — An uncharacteristically slow night at the plate didn’t produce any runs for the Hamlet American Legion baseball team Thursday.
Playing its third and final game of the week, Hamlet was shut out for the first time this season in nine games.
Hosting Davidson Post 8, Hamlet lost 5-0 and wasn’t able to complete the non-conference series sweep. Post 49 defeated Davidson 7-3 during a road trip May 30.
Facing starting pitcher Cale Walters, Hamlet mustered just three hits. Two other batters reached via a hit-by-pitch, and more more reached safely on a base on balls, but the 49ers couldn’t connect with runners on base.
Walters pitched 5.1 innings and gave up all three hits with a walk and four strikeouts. Closing the final 1.2 innings was Calister Presnell (one walk, two strikeouts).
Recording a single apiece for Hamlet were Issac Hinshaw and Landon Taylor (both Richmond) and Carter Bean (Pinecrest).
Hinshaw and Maddox Locklear (Scotland) were both hit by a pitch and Riley Brown (Richmond) and Robbie Peed (Scotland) each drew a free pass.
“We saw two good arms, but we just didn’t compete in the box,” head coach Chip Gordon said. “We had sporadic times when we fought and competed, but there were times where we just didn’t compete.
“We had runners in scoring position but we had weak at-bats. You can’t win games like that and I think it was a wake up call for the guys. I think we’ve gotten complacent winning close ball games and we learned tonight that it’s not always going to be that way.”
Davidson scored a solo run in the top of the second inning on a fielder’s choice. Starting on the mound for Hamlet was Mason Konen (Pinecrest), who went three innings and allowed four runs (two earned) on five hits and four strikeouts.
The top of the third yielded three more runs for Post 8. A sacrifice bunt and two RBI singles with two outs made it a 4-0 deficit for Hamlet.
Taking over in the fourth for Post 49, Jason Walker (Richmond) also threw three innings. After a 1-2-3 top of the fourth, he gave up one earned run on three hits, while also striking out four batters.
Davidson’s final run of the game came in the top of the sixth courtesy of a two-out double.
Hamlet had the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the third inning, its best chance to break into the scoring column, but Davidson escaped thanks to an inning-ending double play.
Dylan Tilson (Scotland) pitched a scoreless top half of the seventh inning for Hamlet. He recorded two pop outs caught by Locklear in shallow center field and Tilson nabbed a runner at second base to end the frame.
With one of its longest breaks of the season upcoming due to high school graduations the next few days, Gordon assessed Hamlet’s progress through its first nine games.
“I’d much rather be 7-2, but I’m pleased with where we are,” Gordon reflected. “We’ve pitched really well to this point and we’ve gotten a lot of guys a lot of innings. Those guys have competed.
“Defensively, I’m proud of the guys. But I think we’ve got a lot of work to do in the box. We’re a better hitting team than we have shown so far, but it’s early. The guys are still adjusting to playing this much baseball in a short amount of time.
“This graduation break is going to be good for us,” Gordon closed. “It’ll give the team a couple of days off to rejuvenate and hopefully have us refreshed and ready to go again Monday.”
Hamlet (6-3) will take the weekend off and return to action Monday at Mocksville Post 174. The game will be played at Mando Field at Rich Park and start at 7 p.m.
The Richmond Observer will publish a gallery of Thursday’s win later this week.
