CHERRYVILLE, N.C. — One bad inning undid an early lead for the Hamlet American Legion baseball team Sunday.
In the first game of Post 49’s season-opening doubleheader, Hamlet lost 9-4 to Cherryville Post 100.
Trading runs early on, Cherryvillle broke it open with a five-run bottom of the third inning.
Hamlet used three pitchers in the game, starting with Jason Walker (Richmond). He threw three innings and allowed six runs (five earned) on eight hits and three strikeouts.
Brady Fowler (Montgomery Central) tossed two innings of relief and gave up two earned runs on three hits. In the final frame, Dylan Tilson (Scotland) allowed one earned run on two hits.
Hamlet took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Isaac Hinshaw (Richmond) lifted a two-out fly ball single into no-man’s land in shallow right field, scoring Caden Nolan (Richmond, fielder’s choice) all the way from first base.
Walker faced four batters in the home half, but Cherryville scored its first run in the bottom of the second inning on a sacrifice fly.
Hamlet regained its lead with another solo run in the top of the third inning. A leadoff single by Garrett Manning (Scotland) saw him score with two outs when Nolan doubled deep to the left field corner.
The 2-1 lead didn’t hold long for Post 49, as Cherryville scored five runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 6-2 lead.
Post 100 scored its runs via three RBI singles, an RBI double and a tag-up on a pop out down the first base line.
Adding two more runs in the bottom of the fourth, Cherryville took its largest lead of the game 8-2.
Hamlet’s final two runs came in the top of the fifth inning. With Manning at third and John Carre (North Moore) at second, Evan Hodges (Richmond) hustled out an infield single to plate and RBI.
In the next at-bat, Nolan grounded into a 5-4-3 double play but cut the deficit in half by scoring Carre from third base.
Hamlet had nine hits in the game, including a team-high three singles from Jacob Williams (Union Pines). Nolan had a double, Hodges had two base hits and Carre, Hinshaw and Manning each had a single.
The Richmond Observer will publish an article of game two later Sunday.
