SOUTHERN PINES — Despite having an early lead Thursday, it didn’t hold for the Hamlet American Legion Junior baseball team.
Continuing Area 3 Conference play, Post 49 opened its two-game regular-season series against Moore County Post 12 with a 13-3 loss in five innings.
Hamlet took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, but Moore County answered with seven runs in the home half. Post 49 scored its final run in the top of the second.
Post 12 led 10-3 after two complete innings and added a run in the fourth and two runs in the fifth to end the game early.
Noah Stubbs started on the mound for Post 49 and pitched one inning. He allowed 10 runs (nine earned) on seven hits and struck out two batters.
Tristan Chavis took over in relief and went the final 3.2 innings. Chavis gave up three runs (one earned) on three hits and recorded four strikeouts.
Helping the Junior 49ers take the early lead in the top of the first off starting pitcher Wyatt Peavley were leadoff walks to Stubbs and Jaxton Watson. Drew Gause stepped into the box next and hit an RBI single to left field to score Stubbs.
With runners on second and third, Julius Bowden plated Watson with an RBI groundout to give Hamlet a two-run lead.
Cutting into a five-run deficit in the top of the second, Cooper Gainey doubled and later scored on a double steal. The hits by Gause and Gainey were the only two for Hamlet in the game.
The Junior 49ers (4-8, 1-2 Area 3) will have an extended break before hosting Moore County at Memorial Field June 26.
