HAMLET — An early lead, coupled with strong pitching, fueled the Hamlet American Legion Junior baseball team to an Area 3 Conference win Thursday.
Looking to even its two-game regular season series with Moore County Post 12, Hamlet grinded out a 3-2 victory.
Riding the momentum of a strong start by Colton Nelson, followed by relief pitchers Colton Brown and Tristan Chavis, Post 49 ended a three-game losing streak.
Hamlet scored all of its runs through the first three innings and thwarted a comeback attempt by Moore County in the seventh.
Nelson was dialed in during his start, going five innings and allowing just one earned run on three hits. He struck out three batters and left four runners on base.
Noah Stubbs gave Hamlet an early 1-0 lead thanks to an error at third base with Chavis (walk) on second. The bad hop skittered into the outfield, allowing Chavis to round third and beat the throw home.
Post 12 tied the game in the next half inning on an RBI groundout to shortstop Drew Gause.
In the top of the third with two runners on, Post 12 attempted a sac bunt. Catcher Nate Culbreth made the out at first to Dean Cottle, who fired home to Nelson for the second out. Nelson tagged the runner out several feet short of the plate to save the run.
Hamlet’s offense struck for its final two runs in the home half of the third to take a 3-1 lead. Stubbs scored Jake Smith (error) with an RBI double down the right field line.
In the next at-bat, Julius Bowden traded places with Stubbs, who proved to be the winning run. Bowden slashed a line drive single to center field and moved to second on the throw to the plate that was well after Stubbs scoring.
Nelson was efficient in the fourth and fifth frames, facing four batters and stranding a runner at second base both times.
After allowing a leadoff single in the sixth, Nelson was replaced by Brown. Inducing a pair of ground ball outs to Gause at third, and another to Jakob Trexler at second, Brown retired the first three batters he faced to preserve the two-run lead.
Hamlet loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth but couldn’t add any insurance runs.
The three runs already on the board proved to be enough for the Junior 49ers. In the seventh, a leadoff walk by Brown was followed by a fly out and a ground out.
With a runner on third and the tying run at the plate, Chavis entered the game. A wild pitch by Chavis scored a run to make it 3-2, but Chavis made up for it with a strikeout to the same batter to end the game.
Brown threw 1.2 innings and was charged with an unearned run. Chavis’ lone batter he faced resulted in a strikeout.
Bowden led the team with two hits, both singles. Stubbs had a double and Culbreth and Brown each singled.
The Junior 49ers (5-10, 2-4 Area 3) play at McCrary Park Saturday against Randolph County Post 45. First pitch is at 1 p.m.
