GRANITE QUARRY — The Eastern Randolph Junior Legion team surrendered seven runs in the bottom of the second here on Saturday evening in an 8-3 loss to East Rowan in Area III action.
The Post 81 juniors had taken a 1-0 lead in the top of the frame when Ethan Sheppard and Ethan Fox stroked singles with two outs and with Sheppard later scoring after stealing third and coming home on a passed ball.
Two errors and a pair of walks ignited the seven-run uprising in the home half of the second, however, East Rowan also proceeded to add singles by Brandon Miller, Ethan Henderson, Zack Fulk and Matt Mako before Derrick Henderson mashed a two-run double to close out the inning.
Post 342 added a run in the bottom of the third to go up 8-1 behind singles from Miller and Trevor Trexler.
After Eastern Randolph squandered a single by Kyle Smith in the fourth, the locals would plate a run in the fifth to close the gap to 8-2. Nicholas Brady walked before Will Coltrane singled, and Zander Smith smacked an RBI-single. After a Dustin Stephens walk, Post 81 looked poised to score more when Kyle Smith lined a single to right. Zander Smith would be tagged out trying to score all the way from second to end the threat, however, as East Rowan doused the threat by Eastern Randolph.
Eastern Randolph threatened again in the top of the sixth when Sheppard doubled to right, and walks to Jayden Moffitt, Tyler Foust and Brady forced in Brady and gave Post 81 the bases loaded with no outs trailing 8-3.
A pop-out to the mound, a pick-off and a caught steal would put an end to the uprising.
Following a nice play by Stephens in left field, who threw a rope to Brady behind the plate to tag out Brent Warden for a double play in the bottom of the sixth, Eastern Randolph managed just a Kyle Smith walk in the seventh as the contest ended 8-3.
Smith paced Eastern Randolph offensively with a 2-for-3 outing with a walk while Sheppard was 2-for-4 with two runs and three stolens bases, and Fox 1-for-1 with a stolen base.
Mako led East Rowan at the plate with a 3-for-4 evening that included a run and an RBI while Miller was 2-for-2 with a run and an RBI, Ethan Henderson 2-for-3, and Derrick Henderson 1-for-3 with a run, two RBI and a double.
Sheppard took the loss on the mound for Post 81 after working two innings and allowing five hits, seven runs (none earned), and two walks while collecting three strikeouts.
Also on the hill for Eastern Randolph, Moffitt went four innings and yielded seven hits, a run, and a walk while fanning one.
Seth Causey picked up the win on the mound for East Rowan after going 4.1 innings and allowing four hits, two runs (one earned) and a walk while striking out one.