HAMLET — The final push of the regular season started off in the right direction for the Hamlet American Legion baseball team Sunday.
Playing the first of four Area 3 Conference games in four days before the start of the postseason, Post 49 got a much-needed win over a division opponent.
Scoring all of its runs in one inning, Hamlet evened its two-game conference series with Eastern Randolph Post 81. Hamlet rolled to a 7-1 victory.
Head coach Chip Gordon started Caden Nolan (Richmond) on the mound and used his platoon of pitchers throughout the game to keep arms fresh. Nolan threw the first three innings and didn’t allow a hit and had six strikeouts.
Riley Brown (Richmond) followed with two innings of scoreless relief and allowed just one hit to go with his one strikeout.
Dylan Tilson (Scotland) and Brady Fowler (Montgomery Central) each pitched one inning between the final two frames. Both pitchers had two Ks and Tilson gave up an earned run on three hits.
Both teams sent four batters to the plate in the first inning and stranded a runner at first base. Nolan retired Post 81 in order in the second.
Hamlet used that quick second inning from Nolan to get on the board in the home half, sending 11 batters to the plate to score all seven of its runs.
Collin Hill (Richmond) drove a run batted in on a fielder’s choice to second base, which saw Conner Phifer (Richmond) score. Phifer was courtesy running for catcher Jacob Williams (Union Pines), who led off the inning with a single.
A balk on the next pitch attempt by starter Bryson Marley (two innings, seven runs, five hits) allowed John Carre (North Moore, single) to trot in from third base and moved Hill to second.
Jason Walker (Richmond) increased the lead to 3-0 with a line drive single to left field in the next at-bat to bring in Hill.
Garrett Manning (Scotland) connected on a base knock a few pitches later, one of six hits in the game for Post 49, putting runners on first and second for Maddox Locklear (Richmond). Laying down a bunt, Locklear reached safely when Marley airmailed the throw to first, which scored both Walker and Manning, and moved Locklear to third.
That miscue allowed Locklear to score when Hodges reached on a single to center to make it 6-0. Hodges moved to second on an error following his single and later stole third.
That steal led to a high throw from the catcher down the line, giving Hodges time to score to cap the seven-run inning.
Nolan loaded the bases with two away in the top of the third but left unscathed when he finished striking out the side.
Brown entered to pitch the fourth and fifth innings. He worked out of a slight jam in the fourth when the final out stranded two runners on base.
Hodges fielded a grounder at shortstop and threw to Nolan at third for a fielder’s choice attempt. Nolan took advantage of the runner making a big turn and chased him toward the plate. He threw to Williams, who tagged the runner out short of scoring.
Brown needed just 14 pitches in the fifth to face four batters and strand a one-out walk.
Eastern Randolph scored its only run of the game on a two-out solo homer off Tilson in the sixth. That was followed by two singles, but Williams hosed a would-be base stealer at second to leave a runner at third.
Eastern Randolph’s relief pitchers Noah Madren and Marc King quieted Hamlet’s bats in their combined four innings of work. The only hit was an infield single by Locklear to first base and the two pitchers combined for six strikeouts.
The big lead was plenty to work with, however, as Fowler was quick to end the game in the seventh. He struck out the first two batters and got a lazy fly ball out to Manning in center to seal the win.
Six players had a single for Hamlet — Manning, Locklear, Hodges, Williams, Carre and Walker. Driving in a run apiece were Hodges, Hill and Walker.
The busy week for Hamlet (7-7, 3-4 Area 3) continues Monday at Chatham County Post 292. The game will be played at Jordan Matthews High School and Hamlet will go for the series sweep starting at 7 p.m.
