Thursday, July 22, 2010

Post 58 tops Cary Post 67 8-2 for second-straight Area I title

(Photo/David Hahula)

CARY - Hitting home runs did the trick for the 2009 Rocky Mount Post 58 squad on its way to an Area I title and a state tournament berth.

Wednesday night, playing its second straight night on Cary Post 67's turf, Post 58 used the long ball to establish its offense, Then pitching took over in the end in giving it an 8-2 win over Cary and its second straight Area I title in Game 3 of their series.

Post 58 will now open the N.C. American Legion State Baseball Tournament with Rutherford County whick lost its Area IV series to Cherryville two games to one. The two teams will meet Saturday at 9:30 a.m. at Asheboro's McCrary Park.

Matthew Berry plated two runs on a double in the top of the third to put Post 58 up 2-0. But Cary countered in the bottom of the frame when Charleston Southern baseballer Drew Woodall pounded a two-run homer to square it at 2-all.

Rocky Mount Post 58 started to pull away in the fourth. No. 9 hitter Cameron Ramsey sent a solo shot out of the park to put RM up 3-2. After T.J. Taylor walked, Tyler Clark went yard - a two-run blast that gave Post 58 a 5-2 advantage.

Post 58 scored twice more in the fifth and one more in the sixth to close out the evening's scoring.

Meanwhile, starter Hobbs Johnson (4-0) and relievers Jeremy Sloop, Parker Helms and Bill Clark combined for an eight-hitter and kept Cary off the board after the third. The bullpen allowed just four hits in six innings of work.

Berry led Post 58 at the plate going 3-for-4with a double, two RBI and a run scored. Thomas Berry and Kyle Norville and Clark each collected two hits. Post 58 had 12 hits on the night.


AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL
AREA I FINAL SERIES
GAME 3 @ Cary High School, Cary
Rocky Mount Post 58 8
Cary Post 67 2

Post 58 002 321 000 — 8 12 1
Post 67 002 000 000 — 2 8 2

WP: Hobbs Johnson (4-0, 3IP, 2R, 2ER, 4H, 0BB, 4K)
LP: Joe Pistacchio (3.2IP, 4R, 4ER, 6H, 2BB, 4K)

Leading hitters:

Post 58 - Matthew Berry 3-4, 2B, 2RBI, R; Thomas Berry 2-5, 2B, 3R; Tyler Clark 2-5, HR, 2RBI, 2R; Kyle Neville 2-5; Cameron Ramsey 1-4, HR, RBI, R; Spencer Bell 1-3; T.J. Taylor 1-4, R.

Post 67 - Woodall 2-4, HR, 2RBI, R; Colantino 2-4, 2B; Josam 1-2.

Records: Post 58 24-6; Post 67 21-8.