HAMLET — Attempting to rally in the final inning of Monday’s Area 3 Conference game, the Hamlet Junior American Legion baseball team couldn’t take its first of two games against Chatham Post 305.
Continuing the final week of the regular season, the Junior 49ers trailed by as many as 10 runs in their home game.
Scoring five runs in the bottom of the seventh, Hamlet came up short by a final score of 13-9.
Tied 3-3 after three innings, Chatham jumped ahead 9-3 by outscoring Hamlet by six runs in between the fourth and fifth frames.
A four-run sixth inning by Post 305 made it a 13-3. Hamlet scored one run in the sixth and its final five runs in the seventh.
Chase Baker (3.1 innings) and Noah Wilson (3.2 innings) pitched for Hamlet. Starting the game, Baker allowed six runs (four earned) on five hits with three strikeouts.
In relief, Wilson also struck out three batters. He gave up seven runs (four earned) on six hits.
Five players accounted for Hamlet’s eight runs batted in. Leading the way with three RBI was Willie Hooks, who also had a team-high three hits, which included a triple.
Jackson Parsons drove in a pair of RBI and Emery Owens, Dean Cottle and Riley Fields each had one RBI.
Leadoff batter Jake Smith was the only other Junior 49er with multiple hits, finishing with two base knocks. Cottle, Wilson and Parsons rounded out the team’s eight-hit effort.
Getting Hamlet on the board and making it a 2-1 deficit in the bottom of the second was Parsons, who singled home Hooks (single).
An inning later, Cottle stepped in with the bases loaded and recorded an RBI ground out to second base, plating Smith (walk). An error later in the inning allowed Cooper Perkins (error) to tie the game 3-3.
After 10 runs over the next three innings for Chatham, Hamlet made it a 13-4 deficit in the sixth. Fields grounded out to second with the bases loaded and recorded an RBI when Perkins (hit-by-pitch) scored.
Wilson delivered a 1-2-3 top of the seventh to give Hamlet a chance, as the bats answered with five final runs.
Owens was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and no outs, which moved Wilson (single) across for a run.
Two at-bats later, with the bases still loaded, Hooks tripled to left field and scored Smith (hit-by-pitch), Perkins (walk) and Owens to make it a 13-8 game.
Hamlet’s final run came when Parsons recorded an RBI ground out to third base, which allowed Hooks to score from third.
Two games remain in the regular season for the Junior 49ers (3-6, 1-6 Area 3), starting with a road game at Chatham Post 305 Tuesday. Action is set for 7 p.m.
Sports editor’s note: Game information and statistics provided by the team’s GameChanger.
