Albemarle Post 74 folds, causes stir in Area I East

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on June 25, 2014 1:48 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

Here we go again.

For the third straight year, a Senior American Legion baseball team in the Area I East Division ranks has folded.

This time it's Albemarle Post 74.

The inability to consistently put nine players on the field prompted Post 74 officials to cancel the remainder of its season, according to an email sent to the News-Argus on Tuesday morning.

Albemarle entered the week 0-6 with doubleheader losses to Wilson, Ahoskie and Windsor. Those six victories, according to state chairman Bob Figulski, will not count toward the final regular-season standings.

"We're going to treat it like they weren't there this year," Figulski said. "If you have wins against them and someone else hasn't played them, that gives you an advantage on your winning percentage and that's not fair.

"I think that's the only thing you can do at this time. I hope we don't have to go through this with anybody else."

Figulski's decision creates a shake-up in the standings.

After Tuesday's results, Wilson and Kinston share third place. Ahoskie is fifth and Windsor is sixth.

The top five teams qualify for the Area I East playoffs. The Nos. 4 and 5 seeds will play a best-of-three series with the winner facing the regular-season champion, which receives a bye, in semifinal-round play.

The Nos. 2 and 3 teams also receive byes.

The East Division champion automatically qualifies for the season-ending, eight-team state tournament in Lexington.