HAMLET — Extending its season-long winning streak Saturday, the Hamlet American Legion baseball team picked up its third straight win.
Finishing a home-and-home series with Lexington Post 8, the 49ers swept the non-conference meeting with a 5-3 victory.
Getting into a rhythm as the second half of the season gets underway, Hamlet used another quality start from a pitcher to silence Lexington’s bats.
Making his first start of the season, left-hander Conner Phifer (Richmond) was dialed in during his five innings of work. He struck out on batter and allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits.
Earning the save was Brady Fowler (Montgomery Central), who threw the final two innings of relief. He also struck out a batter and gave up just one hit.
Lexington scored two runs in the top of the first inning courtesy of an error and an RBI single. Phifer settled in with a four-batter top half of the second, which led to Hamlet’s first run.
Caden Nolan (Richmond) led off the second with a walk against starter Mason Crouse (four innings, five runs, five hits) and scored with two outs when Jason Walker (Richmond) connected for an RBI single back up the middle.
Phifer faced just four batters in the third inning and stranded a two-out walk. Post 49 answered with a three-run bottom of the third, which put Hamlet in the lead for good.
Collin Hill (Richmond) singled to start the third, which was followed by Jacob Williams (Union Pines) and Evan Hodges (Richmond) loading the bases thanks to an error and a hit-by-pitch.
Nolan made Crouse pay when he barreled an RBI single into center field to score Hill and knot the score 2-2.
John Carre (North Moore) kept his bat hot in the next at-bat when he brought in courtesy runner Maddox Locklear (Scotland) on a ball in play that resulted in a double play.
Extending the lead to 4-2 just a couple pitches later, Riley Brown (Richmond) hustled out an infield single to short. Racing in from third base was Hodges.
Hamlet loaded the bases again thanks to a double off the wall of the Wilbur Dome by Gavin Jones (Purnell Swett) and a walk drawn by Walker. However, Hamlet wasn’t able to capitalize any more in the third.
Phifer retained the two-run lead with a 1-2-3 top of the fourth. Jabari Douglas (Richmond) scored Hamlet’s final run of the game in the home half after reaching on a leadoff walk. With two outs and the bases loaded, Douglas scored on a passed ball.
An error and RBI groundout accounted for Lexington’s third and final run of the game a half inning later.
Fowler was efficient in the sixth when he faced four batters. In the seventh, he worked out of a jam with runners on second and third base with two outs. He got a lineout to Nolan at third to end the game.
Post 49 recorded six hits in the win, including doubles by Hodges and Jones. Hill, Nolan, Brown and Walker each singled. Driving in a run apiece were Nolan, Brown and Walker.
Hamlet (5-5) will not play Sunday against Wilmington Post 10 as originally scheduled. Post 49 will complete the final two innings of its rainout at Eastern Randolph Post 81 Monday at 5 p.m.
Sports editor’s note: The Richmond Observer will publish a photo gallery of Saturday’s win soon.
