ASHEBORO — Randolph County manufactured an eight-run lead after two innings and was never seriously threatened as Post 45 cruised to an 11-6 victory in a losers’ bracket contest against Canal (DE) Post 25 in the third round of the 2019 American Legion Mid-Atlantic Regional Tournament last week at McCrary Park.
The triumph lifted Randolph County to 34-10 for the year and set up a fourth round meeting with Morgantown (WV) Post 2 (35-9) Friday afternoon, while Canal was eliminated from the tourney after closing its season at 14-10.
Harris Jackson went six-plus innings on the mound to garner the win, giving up five hits and five runs (two earned) while walking four and fanning three.
Tatum Marsh came on to toss the final frame for Post 45, allowing one hit and an unearned run.
Post 25 starting pitcher David Keane was saddled with the loss after being tagged for six hits and seven earned runs in one-plus innings on the hill before Jake Walls hurled the last five innings in relief, surrendering five hits and four runs (two earned) in addition to issuing one free pass and whiffing two.
Canal fashioned a 1-0 advantage in the top of the first as Derek Pusey drew a one-out full-count walk, moved to third on a groundout and came in to score on an infield throwing error.
Randolph County answered with three runs in its half of the inning as Jackson was hit by a pitch leading off the frame and tallied when Trevor Marsh stroked a double up the alley in right-center.
Marsh then advanced to third on a groundout and dashed home on a wild pitch before Austin Curry was plunked with a pitch with two away, stole second and came home when Colby Hammer notched a base hit to right.
Post 45 paraded 10 batters to the plate in the bottom of the second and exploded for six runs to open up a 9-1 lead. Easton Morgan scratched a leadoff infield single and went to second when Tatum Marsh poked an opposite-field base hit to left.
After both runners pulled off a successful double steal, Jackson plated Morgan with a single to left, and Marsh continued home when the ball was misplayed in the outfield.
Trevor Marsh followed with a double off the center field fence to drive in Jackson and advanced to third on Spencer Lanier’s base hit to right.
Austin Curry was awarded first base on a catcher’s interference call to load the sacks before Blake Marsh brought in Trevor Marsh with a sacrifice fly to right. After Hammer reached on a fielder’s choice that moved Lanier to third, both runners came in to score on a throwing error.
Post 25 narrowed the margin to 9-4 in the visitors’ third as Chris O’Neill drew a leadoff walk and Walls followed with an opposite-field single to right.
Both runners scored when Pusey raced all the way to third on a throwing error prior to J.J. Weglarz bringing in the latter with a sacrifice fly to center.
Randolph County stretched its advantage to 11-4 in the home third as leadoff batter Tatum Marsh coaxed a free pass and went to second when Jackson singled to left.
Both runners then advanced a base on a wild pitch, and one out later Lanier lined a two-run single to right.
Canal managed to push across a pair of runs in the top of the seventh to account for the final spread as Alex Lindstrom received a leadoff base on balls and came around to score when David Preziuso sprinted all the way to third on a throwing error before Colton Duckworth drove in the latter with a base hit to left.