Playing just its second game in 13 days, Kinston Post 43 wasn’t exactly sharp.
Albemarle Post 84, on the other hand, was just plain awful.
Kinston collected nine hits, but it was Albemarle’s 10 errors that told the tale as Post 43 held on
for a 12-9 victory in game one of the American Legion Area I playoffs Saturday at Kinston High School.
Post 43 can clinch the first round, best two-of-three series Sunday in a 7 p.m. contest at Northeastern High School in Elizabeth City.
“It was about what I expected,” Post 43 manager Ronnie Battle said. “Sloppy, high-scoring. It
was almost like a season-opener.”
Kinston (11-5) was actually outhit by the visitors 14-9, but not even the 1927 New York Yankees
could have overcome Albemarle’s atrocious defensive play.
Two errors in the first inning, one in the second, five in the fifth, and one each in the sixth and
seventh. Only in the last two frames did Post 43 fail to score.
“Sometimes you have to take what the other team gives you,” Battle said. “We took advantage
of their mistakes and added in some timely hits of our own. What matters is that we got the win.”
Kinston trailed 4-3 entering the home half of the fifth. That’s when Post 84 (6-9) unraveled,
kicking the ball around five times to go with two walks, a hit batter, and two wild pitches.
When the dust finally cleared, Post 43 had plated nine runs on just four hits, sending 13 batters
to the plate.
“It was an ugly inning, but we’ll take it,” Battle said. “We hit some balls hard that they
misplayed. We did a good job of creating our own luck.”
Kinston didn’t score again and endured a few anxious moments at the end as Post 84 rallied to
score once in the eighth and then four times in the top of the ninth. Albemarle had the tying run in the
on deck circle when Post 43 reliever Garrett Blackburn enticed Garrett Cartwright to ground out to end
the game.
“Letting them get back in the game obviously wasn’t what we wanted, but the important thing is
that we were able to close them out,” Battle said. “After such a long layoff just being able to get back on
the field and play a game was huge for us.”
Matt Hinson drove in four runs for Post 43, including three on a pair of fifth-inning at bats.
Sammy West delivered a tie-breaking two-run base hit in the fifth, and Brett Davis and Will Deters also
knocked in runs during the big inning.
Ryan Cobb and Garrett Holland got Kinston started with consecutive RBI singles in the first.
Caleb Kearney tossed six solid innings to earn the win for Post 43.
Post 84 040 000 014—9 14 10
Post 43 210 090 00x—12 9 1
Woodhouse, Young (5), Phillips (6), and Luton. Kearney, Brann (7), Janning (8), Blackburn (9), and Davis.
W—Kearney. L—Woodhouse.
NOTES: Prior to Saturday, Kinston’s last game was a 3-1 triumph at Rocky Mount Post 58 on July
1. Before that, Post 43 last played on June 23, losing at Albemarle 4-3. . .Both teams squandered
numerous opportunities. Post 43 left 9 runners on base, while Albemarle stranded 12. . .If Post 84 wins
at home Sunday night, the deciding game three will be back in Kinston on Monday. . .Kinston is seeded
second for playoff purposes, while Post 84 is the seven seed.