RAMSEUR, N.C. — The bats were alive and well, especially in the middle innings, for the Hamlet American Legion junior baseball team Wednesday.
Putting a stop to a two-game slide to start the season, the Junior 49ers broke into the win column on the road.
Playing at Eastern Randolph High School, Hamlet earned a 16-5 non-conference victory over Post 81.
Swatting 13 hits, Post 49 erased an early deficit and dotted the scoreboard with runs in five of the seven innings played. Helping the team and head coach Robert Smith to the first victory of the season were 10 combined runs between the fourth and fifth innings.
“I’m very proud of our players in this game,” Smith said. “Everyone contributed in one aspect of the game or another – pitching, hitting, baserunning and defense. The guys stepped up when called on and made something positive happen.
“We are a very talented team, but also a very young team compared to most of the competition we will be facing,” he added. “It’s still early and a long season ahead of us, so we will get back to the practice field and try to work to get better every day and let the work transfer over to game day.”
Three pitchers made an appearance for Hamlet, beginning with starter Noah Stubbs (3 innings, 2 runs, 1 hit). Credited with the win was Colton Brown, who tossed three innings of relief. He gave up three unearned runs on five hits.
Closing the door in the final frame was Cooper Gainey, who held Post 81 to just a hit. All three pitchers had two strikeouts apiece.
Trailing 1-0 to start the second inning, Post 49 took its first lead of the game when Nate Culbreth drove in JB Bowden (single) and Wallace Herring (single) with a two-RBI base hit with two outs.
Eastern Randolph tied the game 2-2 in the bottom of the third before Hamlet broke it open with six runs in the top of the fourth.
An error scored the first run of the inning and Culbreth capped his three-RBI game with a base hit to left field that scored Jaxton Watson (error). With the bases loaded and no outs, Tristan Chavis (error) and Jake Veach (walk) scored on a passed ball and a wild pitch, respectively.
Drew Gause drove in the first of his three RBI a couple pitches later on a fielder’s choice, which scored Veach to make it 7-2. Ending the big inning was a line drive single to left field by Bowden, which plated Gause.
Brown worked out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the fourth. He got an infield fly to Stubbs at shortstop and the final out was snagged by Veach in center.
Adding four more runs in the top of the fifth, Hamlet extended its lead to double-digits 12-2. At the plate with the bases loaded and no outs, Veach drove in the first two of his three RBI with a single to score Watson and Colson Smith.
A free pass to Colton Nelson in the next at-bat reloaded the bases for Gause, who barreled a two-RBI single back up the middle for a two-run single. Scoring were Culbreth and Veach.
Eastern Randolph got a run back in the home half but Hamlet answered with two more runs in the top of the sixth. Brown helped himself out with an RBI double to right field and Veach added his final RBI with a base hit that scored Smith (running for Brown).
Leading 14-5 entering the final inning, Post 49 tacked on its last two insurance runs. Trading places with back-to-back RBI doubles were Herring and Watson.
Gainey faced five batters in the bottom of the seventh and stranded two base runners with a strikeout to end the game.
“It feels nice to get the first win of the season,” Smith closed. “This is a great group of kids and I think there are big things in the future for them collectively.
“Thanks to all the fans that come out and support us, it means a lot to the kids and coaching staff to see them there.”
The Junior 49ers (1-2) are off until May 31 when they host Moore County Post 12 at 10 a.m.
