SENIOR LEGION: Post 11 falls to Wilson, 9-7

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on July 6, 2017 1:32 PM

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From staff reports

WILSON -- A controversial call and shaky defense put Wayne County Post 11 on the brink of elimination from the Area I East Division playoffs on Wednesday evening.

Wilson Post 13 pushed across two critical seventh-inning runs and escaped 9-7 at historic Fleming Stadium to grab Game 1 in the best-of-three series.

Game 2 is tonight at Scarborough Field on the University of Mount Olive campus. First pitch is 7 p.m. The teams return to Fleming Stadium for the "if necessary" game on Friday.

Post 11 trailed 7-6 through 6 1/2 innings when a questionable call at the plate kept Wilson alive. The No. 9 hitter swung and missed at a dropped third strike, Wayne County catcher Lance Wise picked up the ball and made the tag.

Inning over.

Not quite.

"The umpire changes his call, he said 'foul ball'," Post 11 head coach Jason Sherrer said. "(Kolby Anderson) ends up walking the batter."

Second-seeded Post 13, from that point, manufactured two runs on a groundout, single and a second walk. Wayne County trailed 9-6.

Post 13 climbed to within 9-7 on Wise's two-out RBI single in the ninth. Wise concluded the night 3-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored.

Third-seeded Wayne County (13-10 overall) cobbled out 10 hits. Carlyle Smith batted 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI. Jonathan Peacock (RBI) and Tanner Wells provided two hits apiece.

Derek Neal and Aryc Chrisman (RBI) each supplied one hit.

Post 11 stranded seven runners overall and left the bases loaded in each of the sixth and ninth innings. The defense surrendered six unearned runs on three errors.

Anderson took the mound loss.