HAMLET — Leading early in Saturday’s game, the Hamlet American Legion Junior baseball team couldn’t stay ahead.
Hosting Moore County Post 12, Hamlet lost 11-5.
Falling short to Moore County, Post 49 suffered a season sweep to its Area 3 Conference opponent.
A 1-0 lead after the first inning for Hamlet dissolved when Post 12 scored two runs in the third. That was followed by four runs in the fifth, four more runs in the sixth inning and Moore County scored its final run in the seventh.
Hamlet tried to answer back offensively, but only managed to score two runs in the fifth and one run in both the sixth and seventh innings..
Making the start on the mound was Noah Trexler, who pitched four innings. Both of his runs allowed were earned, as he gave up five hits and had seven strikeouts.
Throwing 1.1 innings of relief was Colton Trexler, who surrendered seven earned runs on six hits with one strikeout.
Jeffery Dieffenbach took over for Colton Trexler and walked all three batters he faced before being taken out of the game. He allowed one earned run.
Finishing the final 1.2 innings on the mound was Jaxton Watson. The one run he allowed was unearned and he didn’t allow a hit, while striking out one batter.
Giving the Junior 49ers the lead in the bottom of the second was Jackson Parsons, who recorded an RBI groundout to the right side of the infield. Scoring from third was Jake Smith (leadoff walk).
The 1-0 lead held until the top of the third. Moore County scored its first two runs on a pair of two-out RBI singles to take a 2-1 advantage.
All four of Post 12’s runs in the top of the fifth came with two outs. A hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded and a wild pitch scored runs to make it 4-1.
A two-RBI single made it a five-run deficit for Hamlet entering the home half.
Getting two runs back in the bottom of the fifth, Hamlet did so thanks to an RBI double by Cooper Perkins and an error.
Perkins’ two-bagger, Hamlet’s only extra-base hit in the game, landed fair down the third base line to score courtesy runner Chase Baker, who was running for catcher Noah Wilson (single).
In the next plate appearance, Parson hit a fly ball to left-center field that was dropped on an error, giving Perkins time to race home and cut the deficit to 6-3.
Moore County widened its lead to 10-3 in the top of the sixth. A single, coupled with an error, scored the first run and the second came courtesy of an RBI double.
A bases-loaded walk and a sacrifice fly accounted for Moore County’s other two runs.
Dean Cottle chipped away at the deficit in the bottom of the sixth when he grounded out to the shortstop. Cottle’s RBI was scored by Dieffenbach, who began the inning with a free pass.
Down 11-4 to start the final half inning, Smith led off with a single and later stole second and third base. With two gone, Watson hit an infield single inside the third base bag, giving Smith time to score for the team’s final run.
Perkins had two of Hamlet’s six hits. Adding a single apiece were Smith, Watson, Wilson and Brody Bryant.
Bringing in one RBI each were Perkins, Parsons, Watson and Cottle.
The Junior 49ers (2-3, 1-2 Area 3) play again at home Monday. First pitch is set for 7 p.m.
