LEGION BASEBALL: Post 11 rallies in 8th, avoids elimination

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on July 13, 2018 5:51 AM

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By RUDY COGGINS

rcoggins@newsargus.com

WILSON -- Long-time foes Wayne County Post 11 and Wilson Post 13 will pen another chapter in their tension-filled rivalry tonight.

And it ought to be a good one.

Thursday night certainly was -- an eight-inning thriller won 5-3 by Post 11 after Post 13 had forged a seventh-inning tie on the Beddingfield High School diamond.

Top-seeded Wayne County (23-4 overall) avoided elimination in the Area I East semifinal-round series, setting up a decisive Game 5 at Wayne Academy. First pitch is 7 p.m.

The victor opposes Pitt County in the East finals, which begin Sunday.

"Our team is just a bunch of gritty players," Post 11 head coach Adam Pate said. "I love being around them and watching them play. They just keep on playing. That's all you can do when things haven't gone your way...just put your head down and keep playing."

Post 11 built a two-run lead on RBI singles by Case Kermode (2-for-4) and Christian Yarbrough (1-for-3) and a Wilson error -- one of three costly defensive miscues in the extra-inning affair.

Fourth-seeded Post 13 leveled the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh.

Parker Garris drew a one-out walk off of Wayne County right-hander Jack Casbarro and moved into scoring position on Jalyn Melton's pinch-hit double. Garris and Melton both rounded third and headed for home on Dom Gartano's two-RBI double up the middle.

Wilson has hit nine doubles in its last two outings.

Casbarro departed the hill at that point.

Chance Howard toed the rubber and retired the next two Post 13 batters, lead-off man Cedric Kirby and Alston Pittman, on strikeouts.

Wayne County seized command in the top of the eighth.

Yarbrough and Aryc Chrisman coaxed reliever TJ Harris into surrendering consecutive walks on just 10 pitches. Gartano stepped in and gave up a bases-loaded, RBI single to Daniels. Chrisman scored on a passed ball to make it 5-3.

Howard yielded a one-out walk in Wilson's eighth, but forced a flyout to right field and logged a game-ending, three-pitch strikeout against Matt Jacobs.

It was Howard's fourth decision of the season.

"Jack was an absolute savage on the mound tonight," Pate said. "Chance was great in relief."

The duo combined to throw 130 pitches, including 98 strikes. Wilson hit a miserable 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and stranded six on base.

Will Uzzell emerged as Wayne County's top batter with a three-hit effort. Blake Gipson and Kermode contributed two hits apiece. Casbarro, Yarbrough, Chrisman, Conner Vernon and Tyler Daniels each supplied one hit.

Post 11 filed a series-high 12 hits.

Harris took the loss for Wilson, which has won five of eight playoff series against Wayne County since 1993.