Post 81 collects first win of the 2019 season

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KENERSVILLE — Eastern Randolph pounded out 10 hits here on Saturday evening to top Kernersville 6-4 in Area III Northern Division American Legion play.

It was the first win of the season by Post 81 which had suffered four losses including a trio by five runs.

On Saturday night it was Eastern Randolph finally coming through with some clutch hits with Travis Boone leading the way with a 3-for-3 effort and Connor Murphy adding a 2-for-3 night.

The contest was scoreless going into the bottom of the fourth when Post 36 plated a pair of runs behind singles from Dalyn Blunt, Cam Watts, and Blake Youngblood, an ER error, and Tyler Edison being hit by a pitch.

Eastern Randolph would respond with four runs in the top of the fifth when Nate Canter singled to center, Christopher Morgan was hit by a pitch one out later, Connor Murphy singled to center to load the bases, Canter scored on a wild pitch, Camden Fuquay grounded out to drive in Morgan, and an Kernersville error allowed Murphy to score to send the locals in front for the first time 3-2. An RBI-single by Boone upped the lead to 4-2 to close out the ER uprising.

A double by Danny Fish to lead off the bottom of the sixth sparked a run for Post 36 to close the gap to 4-3.

Post 81 countered with two runs in the visiting half of the seventh Morgan was hit by a pitch to lead things off, Murphy sacrificed bunted Morgan to second, Fuquay singled to center to put runners at the corners, Canoy grounded out to plate Morgan, and Cameron Kennedy roped a ball to the left field wall to send Eastern Randolph in front 6-3.

Behind a walk from Jackson May and singles from Chase Wallen and Blunt sent in a run to close the deficit to 6-4 with two runners on and one down. Canoy, who entered in the top of the sixth, would get Kam Evans to ground out to Murphy at third before striking out Riley Davis swinging on four pitches to preserve the victory.

Boone picked up the win on the mound for Eastern Randolph after going 3.1 innings and allowing four hits, two runs (none earned), and fanning one while Sam Murchison went .2 innings and yielded a walk and struck out one. Also for Post 81, Canter hurled an inning and allowed three hits, a run, one walk and whiffed one while Canoy picked up the save after working the final two innings and yielding two hits, a run, a walk and striking out one.

Morgan added a 1-for-2 effort with two runs while Fuquay was 1-for-4 with an RBI, Kennedy 1-for-1 with a double and an RBI, Edmondson 1-for-4, and Canter 1-for-2 with a run and an RBI.

Kernersville was led by Blunt who went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI while Fish was 2-for-4 and Youngblood 1-for-3 with two RBI.

Suffering the loss on the mound for Post 36 was Watts who lasted just .2 innings and allowed two hits and four runs (two earned). T.J. Corlett started the game for the hosts and went four scoreless innings while allowing five hits and a walk while fanning one.