HAMLET — A large deficit through the early innings Wednesday didn’t stop the Hamlet American Legion Junior baseball team from attempting a comeback.
The Junior 49ers made a late push in their home Area 3 Conference game against Randolph County Post 45 but ultimately lost 16-10.
Trailing 8-0 through three and a half innings, Hamlet scored its first run in the fourth. That was followed by a four-run fifth inning and the team’s final five runs in the sixth.
Randolph County matched Hamlet’s four runs in the fifth and kept its lead thanks to three runs in the sixth and another in the seventh.
Hamlet started Tristan Chavis on the mound, who threw three innings. He allowed five runs (three earned) on one hit and five walks.
The bullpen went to Noah Stubbs for two-thirds of an inning, which yielded three earned runs on four hits. Julius Bowden and Colson Smith each threw an inning of relief and combined to give up seven runs on two hits and four walks.
Post 49’s final pitcher Wednesday was Colton Nelson. In his 1.1 innings of work, Nelson allowed just one unearned run on a hit and struck out three batters.
Bowden got Hamlet on the board in the fourth with an RBI groundout to second base, which scored Jaxton Watson (error).
Cutting into a 12-1 deficit in the fifth, Stubbs singled home Jake Smith (single) on a line drive to right field with two outs. Keeping the two-out magic going, Watson barreled up a two-RBI double to plate Nate Culbreth (walk) and Stubbs.
Two pitches later, Smith found a hole in the left side of the infield for an RBI base knock. Scoring from second was Watson, which made it a 12-5 game.
Hamlet loaded the bases with no outs to start the sixth trailing by 10 runs. Jackson Parsons drew a walk and was credited with an RBI when Dean Cottle (single) trotted home.
Culbreth brought the next run in on an RBI fielder’s choice, which scored Jakob Trexler (walk). An error on the same play gave Nelson (walk) time to score.
Later with the bases still loaded, an error on a Smith fly ball scored Culbreth. Bowden was responsible for the team’s final run when he brought home Stubbs on a fielder’s choice double play.
Cottle led off the bottom of the seventh with a free pass, but Hamlet’s rally attempt ended when the next three batters were retired in order.
Hamlet (4-10, 1-4 Area 3) hosts Moore County Post 12 Thursday at 7 p.m.
