WILSON — The Wilson American Legion Post 13 baseball team just needed for things to go its way.
In the third inning of Wednesday night’s Area I East Division matchup with first-place Kinston Post 43 it happened. Wilson turned in a rare triple play and then scored the first three of six unearned runs on the night en route to a 7-1 victory inside Fleming Stadium.
In the top of the inning, Kinston’s Will Deters singled and Wes Melvin walked against Wilson starting pitcher Cole Dudley.
Kinston coach Ronnie Battle called for the hit-and-run and Grant Tyndall lined the first pitch he saw directly at Post 13 first baseman Robbie Stokely. The 6-foot-9 Wilson Greenfield graduate snagged the hot shot, touched first base and then threw over to shortstop Zac Layne to complete the triple play.
“That’s the first one I remember us getting in my time here,” veteran Wilson coach Rusty Dail said. “It came at a perfect time.”
Stokely looked a bit stunned seconds after the play.
“First one I’ve ever been involved with,” he said. “He just hit a line drive straight to me. Any other time, I never would have made that play, but they had the hit and run on. For a second though, I thought I was going to throw it away.”
Post 13 was a loser of five of its last six games coming in, including three in a row, and improved to 4-10 overall and 3-7 in Division play. Kinston, which swept Wayne County Tuesday night, had its four-game winning streak snapped and dropped to 8-4 overall and 5-2 in the East.
Rocky Mount Post 58 (3-5, 3-1), which was idle on Wednesday, now sits alone in first.
After leaving two runners on base in each of the first two innings, Post 13 benefited from the first two of five Post 43 errors.
With one out, Layne singled to right. Designated Tony Alaffita tapped back to pitcher Ben Brann, but the Barton College signee’s throw was wild allowing Layne to score and Alaffita to make it to second.
Stokely popped out for out No. 2, but Casey Flora singled to left and stole second, bringing up center fielder Cameron Mitchell.
Mitchell hit a grounder to third, but the ball went between Dylan Puchalski’s legs to score two runs for a 3-0 Wilson advantage.
“If we make a play there, we’re not in a hole,” Battle said. “Instead, they get three unearned runs and we’re having to attempt to battle out of one.”
Dudley and Brann settled in for the next few innings. Neither pitcher was dominant, with Dudley eventually throwing 99 pitches in 5 1/3 innings and Brann tossing 102 in 5 2/3, but each was just crafty enough.
In the top of the sixth, Dudley walked Sammy West to lead off. After an out, Puchalski singled to left and Garrett Holland walked to load the bases.
Beddingfield's Casey Flora moved from left field to the mound to try and stop the Kinston rally.
On Flora’s second pitch, Kinston designated hitter Matt Hinson singled to center to score West and make it 3-1.
Flora settled down, getting the final two outs on a fly out and fielder’s choice.
Post 43 never seriously threatened again.
Dudley (1-2) got the win, giving up just the one run on four hits. He walked five and struck out two. Flora earned the save, going 3 2/3 innings. He allowed three hits and struck out four.
“My pitch count was up there,” Dudley said. “But I had my curveball working. I just tried to throw it as much as I could.
“When I came out, I knew Casey Flora would get the job done. He came in and got out of the jam and then finished it. Beddingfield teamwork right there.”
Wilson answered in the bottom of the frame. After reliever Wyatt Janning got the first two batters out, third baseman Tyler Poythress reached on a walk, stole second, went to third on a passed ball and then scored on a wild pitch.
“We wanted to be aggressive, really put the pressure on them,” Dail said. “We were hitting the ball well, not striking out a lot. Just getting it in play and trying to make things happen.”
Right fielder William Cunningham walked and went to second on Puchalski’s second error on a grounder by Layne as the inning was extended.
Catcher Nick Cole singled to left to score Cunningham. Stokely then hit a lazy fly ball to deep center field that was dropped, bringing home Layne to make it 6-1. On the play, Cole was thrown out at the plate, ending the inning.
Post 13’s final run came in the seventh. Flora singled to center. Marshall bunted for a single, putting runners on the corners. Left fielder Braxton Lamm then sacrificed, but no one covered first, loading up the bases.
Second baseman Marques Taylor’s sacrifice fly plated Flora to end the scoring.
Post 13 will take on Ahoskie twice this weekend, hosting Post 102 on Saturday at 7 p.m. and traveling to Hertford County High on Sunday at 6.
Kinston will travel to Windsor Post 37 tonight.
Post 43 000 001 000—1 7 5
Post 13 003 003 10x—7 9 2
Brann, Janning (6) and Hamilton; Dudley, Flora (6) and Cole. W—Dudley. L—Brann. Sv—Flora.