LEGION BASEBALL: Caldwell County wipes out 6-run deficit, beats Hickory

HobbsDailyReport.com

Caldwell County Post 29 wiped out a six-run deficit on Friday night en route to beating visiting Hickory 8-6 in American Legion baseball at M.S. Deal Stadium in Granite Falls.

Hickory had a 6-0 lead behind five shutout innings by Caleb Lutjens before Caldwell County rallied to tie it at 6 in the bottom of the sixth inning and then pull ahead in the seventh inning.

In the sixth inning, Brett Machia had an RBI for Caldwell County’s first run. Sabion Thomas walked with the bags full to make it 6-2, then a two-run outfield error got Post 29 within 6-4.

The game was tied at 6 after Garrison Burress singled in two runs, and Thomas’ two-out, two-run hit in the seventh inning gave Caldwell County an 8-6 lead.

Lutjens and Austin Houser had two hits to lead Hickory, and Pierson Hanvey took the pitching loss.

Daniel Dye, who threw three innings and gave up no hits or runs, got the win for Post 29.

Hickory (0-1), which had three games rained out since last Sunday, plays a doubleheader on Saturday against Randolph County at McCrary Park in Asheboro. The first game begins at 3 p.m.

Post 48 plays its home opener on Monday night at 7 p.m., facing Rowan County at the Legion Fairgrounds in Newton.

Caldwell County has a home 7 p.m. game on Saturday against Asheville.

Maiden 8-9, Huntersville 6-1: Maiden won twice on the road, grabbing an 8-6 victory despite making six errors in the first game and rolling 9-1 in the second game.

Daniel Kahill had three hits and drove in four runs and Mac Beam added a hit and two RBIs in the first-game victory, where Maiden won with no extra base hits.

Post 240 led 4-3 after three innings and each team scored three runs in the fifth inning, leaving Maiden up 7-6. Maiden added another run in the sixth inning.

Bryson Ledford went four innings, giving up seven hits, six runs (none earned) with no walks and two strikeouts for Maiden. Kahill threw three innings in relief, allowing one hit, and he struck out four.

In the second game, Kahill had two hits – one a triple – and drove in two runs and Chantz London had two hits for Post 240.

Maiden scored twice in the first inning, five runs in the fifth inning and two in the sixth inning.

Cy Spencer threw a complete game three-hitter, walking two and striking out seven. Huntersville’s run was unearned.

Maiden is home on Sunday at 7 p.m. to play Mint Hill in Post 240’s home opener.

Taylorsville 4, Asheville 2: Derek Dyson and Jeremy Hubbard, batting No. 8 and No. 9 for Taylorsville, each had two hits and Hubbard drove in a run as Post 170 won its season opener at home.

Dyson went 2-for-2 and scored three runs and Hubbard went 2-for-3 and drove in a run to lead Taylorsville.

Post 170 scored twice in the seventh inning to break a 2-all tie.

Both teams had nine hits, with Eric Robinson and Jared Patterson each collecting two for Asheville.

Tyler Campbell, who came on in relief of Tyler Waddell in the seventh inning, got a win. He threw 2 1/3 innings, allowing two hits, walking two and striking out three. Ryan Johnson got the final two outs to earn his first save of the season.

Jack Ponder struck out 10 in six innings before exiting for Asheville, with Noah Cook (two innings, five hits, two runs, a walk and four strikeouts) taking the loss.

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