A win at Northern Nash tonight will put Post 58 in the finals.
Though Xavier Macklin, hitting in the No. 3 spot, was exceptional at the plate going 4-for-5 with a double and four runs scored and strangely, he had no RBI.
Shortstop Wesley Joyner (2-for-4) led off the frame by lifting a high fly ball to left, just inside the foul pole, over the double-decker fence for a solo home run.
After consecutive singles by pinch hitters Gabe Brown and Tyler Clark, leadoff hitter and center fielder T.J. Taylor, who is about 5-foot-7 and 140 pounds (and I am being generous), slammed a line-drive 350-foot shot over the fence in right center for a three-run bomb. Taylor closed out the evening 3-for-6 with four RBI.
But the performance of the night came from pitcher Dillon Cockrell. He had shaky start in the first by giving up a leadoff home run to Post 40's Nikolai Simonson, followed by a single by Tyler Barrington.
But he really settled down from that point on - only allowing one more hit in his six innings of work. He walked just one batter and struck out 11.
He was beaned twice in Game 1, and last night he was hit twice more - once in the ear hole of his batting helmet in the second - which could be heard all the way back in Rocky Mount! The second time was on the left wrist in the fourth, which was unbelievably questioned by the home plate umpire.
An appeal to the field umpire got Pearce first base, but he was in a lot pain and was pulled from the lineup for Clark. Ironcially, in his last at-bats, he was walked and hit with the bases loaded - giving him two RBI.
I gather X-rays will be taken Wednesday and we may know more about his status this evening.
UPDATE: I just learned that Pearce's wrist is bruised and not broken or fractured. He will be able to pitch Wednesday, but not bat.