MOORESVILLE — There’s an old sports adage: “That’s why you play the game.” Eastern Randolph exemplified those words on Sunday evening in Mooresville.
Entering as the No. 7 seeds out of the Area III Northern Division and the prohibited underdogs against No. 2 seeded Mooresville out of the Area III Southern Division, Eastern Randolph shocked Mooresville 12-1 on in five innings to take a 2-1 opening round series win in Iredell County.
Post 81, which trailed 1-0 after falling 6-5 on Friday night in the series opener, won back to back games against Post 66 after entering with just three wins versus 17 losses in the regular season.
But on Sunday night, Eastern Randolph put it all together and plated three runs in the first inning and eight more in the second to race in front 11-0 and never looked back.
Sam Murchison, a rising senior at Jordan-Matthews, worked 1.2 frames and yielded just one hit, one run and a walk while fanning two in getting the win for Post 81. Clay Edmondson went 3.1 innings on the mound in relief to notch the save and allowed just two hits and two walks while striking out three.
The Eastern Randolph outburst in the top of the first was sparked by leadoff walks to Chris Morgan and Connor Murphy before Mason Canoy mashed a two-run triple to center to put the locals in front 2-0. That lead grew to 3-0 moments later after Zander Smith walked and Thomas Boone singled to left to plate Canoy.
After Murchison retired the side in the bottom of the frame, Post 81 exploded with its eight-run outburst which all but decided the contest. Jacob Underwood singled to start the uprising off before Morgan reached after being hit by a pitch, Murphy walked, Canoy belted an RBI-single, Smith walked to drive in Murphy, Boone, Edmondson and Tyler Campbell all smacked an RBI-singles, Morgan blasted an RBI-double, and Murphy singled.
A David Brannon single coupled with a Broc Makoff walk and a Ty Stazz RBI-single to close the gap to 11-1.
Eastern Randolph tacked on an insurance run in the top of the fourth behind two Post 66 errors and an RBI-single from Boone.
Edmondson allowed a single to Quinn Ferguson in the fifth before closing out the win for Post 81.
Boone was 3-for-4 with three RBI and a run in the win for Eastern Randolph while Canoy was 2-for-4 with a run and three RBI, Campbell 2-for-4 with a run and two RBI, and Underwood 2-for-4 with an RBI.
In addition, Morgan was 1-for-3 with two runs, a walk, a double and an RBI while Murphy was 1-for-2 with three runs and two walks, Smith 0-for-2 with a run, an RBI and two walks, and Murchison 1-for-2 with a run and an RBI.
Eastern Randolph out-hit Mooresville 12-3 in the contest with Post 66 seeing Brannon go 1-for-1 with a run and a walk.
Post 81 was set to begin action in the Best of 5 series in round two on Tuesday, July 9 on the road at a to be determined opponent. The series will rotate back and forth until it is decided.