HAMLET — Runs came at a premium during Wednesday’s season opener, which saw the Hamlet American Legion baseball team start the summer with a win.
Beginning the sixth summer of Legion baseball since the program’s return in 2021, Hamlet relied on its pitching and scratched out a one-run victory.
Following Opening Day ceremonies hosted by the City of Hamlet, Post 49 defeated Moore County Post 12 by a final score of 2-1 at Memorial Park.
In what proved to be a pitchers’ duel between each team’s starting pitchers, it was Caden Nolan (Richmond) who proved to have the better outing.
Recording nine strikeouts across five innings of work, Nolan kept Moore County scoreless and worked with a two-run lead in his final two frames. Nolan allowed just one hit and was just five batters over the minimum.
Tristan Chavis (Richmond), who was credited with the hold, tossed a scoreless inning in the sixth for Hamlet and struck out two batters.
Earning the save was Brady Fowler (Surry Community College), who pitched the final frame. He allowed an earned run on two hits and had one K.
Fowler ended the game with a groundout to second base with the tying run stranded on the base paths.
Dawson Futrell pitched a complete game for Post 12. Both of the runs he allowed were earned and he surrendered four hits and five walks to Hamlet’s batters.
Both of the 49er’s runs were scored in the bottom of the third to make it a 2-0 lead. A leadoff base hit to center by Drew Gause (Richmond) and a one-out infield single by Evan Hodges (Richmond) put runners on the corners for Noah Stubbs (Richmond).
On Futrell’s second offering, Stubbs hit a hard ground ball back up the middle to score Gause on the RBI base hit.
Extending the inning with two outs with a free pass was Nate Culbreth (Richmond), who loaded the bases for Julius Bowden (Richmond).
Four pitches into his plate appearance, Bowden was plunked by Futrell, which scored courtesy runner Jabari Douglas (Johnson & Wales University) for the eventual game-winning run.
Nolan pitched a 1-2-3 top of the fourth and stranded a one-out double in the fifth to preserve the lead.
An error and a walk in the sixth saw Moore County get two runners on base with two outs, but Chavis struck out David Park to end the threat.
Post 12 made it interesting in the seventh with a one-out double and an RBI single with two gone to score its lone run of the game.
Making the 4-3 putout to secure the win a batter later was second baseman Miken Concepcion (Christ the Cornerstone Academy).
Hamlet’s four hits were all singles – one apiece from Nolan, Hodges, Gause and Stubbs.
Hamlet (1-0, 1-0 Area 3) will play its second game of the season Saturday at Eastern Randolph High School. The 49ers will face Liberty Post 81 at 7 p.m.
Sports editor’s note: Game information and statistics provided by Hamlet’s GameChanger.
