HAMLET — Much of the boxscore from Tuesday’s game between Post 49 and Port City Post 545 mirrored one another, but the one big difference was the 20 free passes allowed by Hamlet that skewed what was otherwise an evenly played game.
Using five different pitchers, Hamlet walked 16 batters and hit four more with a pitch, which head coach Chip Gordon noted as the difference maker.
Post 49 dropped its seventh consecutive game to start the season, falling to Port City 14-3 in five innings.
“The story of the game tonight was walking 16 people and putting four more on base with a hit-by-pitch,” Gordon said. “We put 20 runners on base and didn’t make Port City earn them.
“You can’t defend the walk or the hit-by-pitch, and the bottom line is you can’t win when you give out 20 free passes. In every one of our games this year, we’re in those games if we throw strikes. When we don’t throw strikes, like we didn’t tonight, it’s really hard to win.”
Port City scored a run in the first, five in the second, two in the fourth and six more in the top of the fifth. Post 545 only managed to collect four hits in the win.
Josh Griggs started on the mound for Hamlet, but a lingering hamstring injury saw his night end after 1.1 innings, six runs (four earned) on two hits and five walks.
Trace Ricketts replaced him and went 2.2 innings, giving up two earned runs on one hit and walking five batters.
Jacob Lomax, Dexter Jones and Kenneth Brown all pitched during the fifth inning, combining to give up the final runs on six walks and one hit.
Gordon moved some players around defensively, including Harley Honeycutt who caught for the first time this season. Hamlet committed three defensive errors in the game.
Trace Ricketts (4) and Harley Honeycutt (22) meet on the mound during Tuesday’s game. (Kyle Pillar)
“Trace pitched well tonight and every time he comes in, he gives us all he’s got and that’s all we can ask for,” Gordon said. “Josh didn’t have it tonight in his first start back this season, but luckily we kept both of them under a certain pitch count and they’ll be ready to pitch on Friday.
“Harley did a great job catching tonight and that was big for him to come in and catch, which isn’t an easy position to pick up on the fly. We’ll keep working with him to get better.”
Hamlet scored its first run of the game in the bottom of the third inning to cut its deficit to 6-1. Honeycutt drew a one-out walk off starting pitcher Quailyn McZeke and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Cooper Sessoms.
In the next at-bat, Ra’Nik Little lasered a line drive single to center field, bringing Honeycutt home from second.
Post 545 added two runs in the top of the fourth, but Hamlet escaped the inning due to a runner not tagging on time on a fly ball. The final out of the frame was collected on a run down between third and home, which saw Honeycutt apply the tag to Cam McCotter.
Clemmons, who has been one of Hamlet’s most consistent bats this season, chipped away at the lead in the home half of the fourth. Kole Dutton and Chandler Orr both reached on errors to start the inning, and were standing on second and third, respectively, when Clemmons dug in.
On the first offering from McZeke, Clemmons laced a shot to center field for a two-RBI single. Orr scored easily and Dutton slid safely in front of the throw to the plate.
Hamlet’s final hit of the game came from Ra’Nez Little, a two-out single to left in the bottom of the fifth.
“Jake had a big two-out single for us to bring in two runs when the game was still relatively close,” Gordon said. “Ra’Nik had a couple of good at-bats and Ra’Nes barreled one up late in the game.
“We got some guys on base and we had a couple of others lay down some good bunts for us. But we have to run the bases better, there were a couple of times we ran ourselves into outs.”
Ra’Nik Little connects on his RBI single in the bottom of the third inning. (Kyle Pillar)
Post 49 will return to action Wednesday on the road at Wilmington Post 10. It will be the second time the two teams have met this year and will begin at 7 p.m.
“The kids are starting to buy into what we’re talking about, we just need everyone to buy into it. And when they do that, things will start to click,” Gordon said.
“We’re going to keep moving guys around and bear it out,” he closed. “We play again tomorrow and we’re going to try and get our first W of the season. When we do find those people who will throw strikes on the mound, we’ll be alright.”
Note: Legendary Richmond County baseball coach George Whitfield will be at Friday’s home game against Hampstead Post 167.
A staple in the local baseball community for the last five decades, Whitfield will host a book signing of his recently released book “Covering All the Bases: George Whitfield’s Extraordinary Life in Baseball.”
