LEGION BASEBALL: Post 11 rallies twice, downs Post 39

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on June 27, 2018 5:51 AM

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By AVIEL SMOLKA

asmolka@newsargus.com

The streak is over.

Going into Tuesday night's game, Pitt County 39 had won six straight games against Wayne County Post 11.

In a hard-fought game with first place in Area I Eastern division on the line, Wayne County toppled Pitt County, 5-4.

"Great ball game. Pitt is one of the best teams we've seen this summer," Post 11 head coach Adam Pate said. "They have good starting pitching and they can swing the bat really well."

Starting Pitcher Tucker Chapin struggled and Wayne County quickly fell behind 2-0 in the first inning when Post 39 hit a home run.

"Tucker had good start. They [Pitt] just had good swing of the bat," Pate said.

Wayne County immediately responded when Chance Howard hit a RBI double, and Blake Gipson hit a game-tying home run.

"When he threw that pitch, I knew it was time to smoke it," Gipson said. "When I saw it was going out that was great feeling."

Wayne County fell behind 4-2 when Post 39 hit another home run.

Kolby Harris replaced Chapin and threw two strikeouts in two innings. Landon Ginn (2-0) relived Harris and got the win pitching 2 2/3 innings.

"I pitched well, my arm felt great. I just felt electric tonight," Ginn said.

"Landon Ginn was really good tonight, he was really big in relief not allowing J.P. [Jonathan Peacock] to pitch too much," Pate said.

Wayne County (17-2 overall, 7-1 Area I East) staged another comeback.

Carson Smitherman hit a RBI double to make it 4-3. Ayrc Chrisman tied the game at 4-4 with a sacrifice fly.

"Carson Smitherman's hit put us on the upswing. We just stayed loose, these guys have so much fun playing there's no pressure," Pate said.

In the fifth Christian Yarbrough hit the game-winning RBI single, giving Wayne County a 5-4 lead.

"Christian Yarbrough's hit is what it's all about. If you're going to win a close ball game you have to respond, and we did that a lot tonight," Pate said.

Peacock came in for the two-out save.

The game ended on a double play.