RAMSEUR — Eastern Randolph had two runners on base against Davidson County with two away in the bottom of the sixth when a severe thunderstorm caused stoppage of play at that point, allowing visiting Post 8 to escape Grady Lawson Field with a hard-earned 1-0 American Legion Area III Northern Division victory Tuesday night.
The triumph elevated Davidson County to 2-1 in the league standings and 10-3 overall with a sweep of the season series, while Post 81 suffered its fifth straight defeat in falling to 1-2 in the conference and 2-10 for the year.
Post 8 southpaw Tyler Smith went the distance on the mound to pick up the win, yielding a pair of hits while walking two and whiffing one over five and two-third innings. Smith threw a total of 55 pitches, including 35 (64 percent) for strikes.
Hard-luck Eastern Randolph starter and loser Samuel Murchison hurled three and two-third innings, allowing just two hits and the game’s lone run while issuing four free passes and fanning seven.
Post 81’s Mason Canoy came on in relief to toss two and one-third hitless innings, walking one while striking out five.
Davidson County tallied its run in the top of the first as leadoff batter Landon Hilbourn coaxed a full-count walk, stole second, advanced to third on Taylor Stewart’s one-out infield hit and scored when Jake Brown reached on a fielder’s choice.
Post 8’s only other hit was Noah Coleman’s opposite-field single to right leading off the visitors’ second. Davidson County put four runners in scoring position over the last four innings but couldn’t find a way to bring them in.
Following a one-out walk to Eastern Randolph’s Clay Edmonson in the bottom of the second, Smith retired 11 batters in a row until Nate Canter reached on a one-out throwing error in the home sixth.
One out later Camden Fuquay smashed a base hit to left, sending Canter to second representing the tying run.
But as the rain and lightning began to intensify, both teams were relegated to their respective dugouts, and after a 14-minute delay home plate umpire Drew Dunn declared the contest was over as the field became unplayable.
Post 81’s only other hit was a leadoff single by Canoy in the bottom of the second before he was thrown out attempting to steal second.