RAMSEUR — High Point Post 87 paraded 10 batters to the plate in the top of the second, scoring four times to grab a three-run advantage, and rode the arms of Avery Cain and Luke Pritchett to an 8-3 American Legion Area III Northern Division victory over Eastern Randolph Saturday night on Grady Lawson Field.
Placing at least one runner on base every inning, High Point defeated Post 81 for the second time in 24 hours while improving to 4-1 in the league standings and 11-6 overall, whereas Eastern Randolph lost its eighth straight outing in dropping to 1-5 in the conference and 2-13 for the season.
Cain hurled four and one-third innings to register the win, giving up five hits and two runs (one earned) while walking a pair and fanning five.
Pritchett threw two and two-third innings in relief, allowing one hit plus an earned run in addition to issuing one free pass and striking out three.
Leadoff batter Trey Jackson went three-for-four at the plate, scoring once and driving in two runs, while Pritchett added two safeties and drove in a run to lead Post 87’s 10-hit assault against a pair of Post 81 pitchers.
“Driving in five runs with two outs is a big step in the right direction for us,” stated High Point coach Rob Shore.
“Our batters stayed patient at the plate and were selective with the bat to hit their pitch, while we were successful in running delayed steals to put guys in scoring position.”
Post 81 starter Trevor Maness was saddled with the loss after going two and two-third innings on the mound, surrendering six runs (two earned) on four hits while walking four.
Nate Canter tossed the final four and one-third frames for Eastern Randolph, yielding six hits and a pair of earned runs while whiffing one.
“I thought we competed much better this evening than last night (a 12-0 High Point win), but it seems every game we have one bad inning we can’t get out of and then find ourselves having to battle from behind,” noted interim Post 81 coach Brian Heilig.
“Take away our fielding mistakes and we’re still in the ball game at the end. Our other problem is when we manage to put people on base we have difficulty bringing them in, as four of the seven runners we left stranded were in scoring position.”
Eastern Randolph jumped out to a 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the first as Tyler Campbell coaxed a full-count walk with one away, moved to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third when Connor Murphy grounded a single to left and came in to score on an infield error.
Post 87 came right back to tally four runs in the visitors’ second to take the lead for good as leadoff batter Dylan Shulteiss reached on a throwing error, stole second and went to third on a groundout.
After C.J. Johnson plated Shulteiss with a sacrifice fly to left, Cain drew a full-count free pass and moved to third when Avery Adams reached on a throwing error.
Adams then stole second before Carson James lined a two-run single up the middle, and following Jackson’s infield hit and a full-count walk to Gavin Sentell that loaded the bases, courtesy runner Simon Lewellen trotted home when Logan Robson was nicked by a pitch.
High Point increased its advantage to 6-1 with two away in the top of the third as Cain rapped a single to left prior to courtesy runner Logan MacFarland advancing to second on a wild pitch.
After Adams received a free pass and James was hit by a pitch to fill the sacks, Jackson drilled a two-run base hit to left.
Post 81 trimmed the gap to 6-2 in the home third as Christopher Morgan led off the frame with a single up the alley in left-center and moved to second on Mason Canoy’s two-out base hit up the middle.
Following a full-count walk to Cameron Kennedy that loaded the bases, Clay Edmonson brought in Morgan with a single to left.
Post 87 answered with a solo run in the visitors’ fourth as Robson notched a leadoff base hit up the middle, stole second and went to third on a fly-out before scoring when Pritchett lofted a sacrifice fly to right.
High Point added an insurance run in the top of the sixth to go up 8-2 as Jackson was plunked with a pitch leading off the inning and was sacrificed to second prior to coming home one out later when Shulteiss belted a double into the left field corner.
Eastern Randolph accounted for the game’s final run in the bottom of the seventh as Morgan blasted a leadoff double to left and eventually came around to score on a pair of wild pitches.