By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
NEWTON — Hollis Morphis threw a complete game and Isaiah McDowell had three hits and drove in four runs on Wednesday night, leading Hickory Post 48 to a 6-0 home victory over Statesville in American Legion baseball.
The win under head coach Allen Sigmon evened Post 48’s record at 1-1 heading into Sunday’s 7 p.m. game against Caldwell County at M.S. Deal Stadium in Granite Falls.
Hickory has a road game on Tuesday (7 p.m.) against Burke County at Shuey Field, and the next home game for Post 48 is May 26 against Mocksville at Henkel-Alley Field (7 p.m.).
Asheville beat Hickory on Monday night, 13-10 at the Legion Fairgrounds, in a season-opener.
Morphis threw first strikes to 16 hitters in the win over Statesville and he finished with six strikeouts and limited Statesville to three hits (two buy Austin Lapham).
Zane Wilson and Aidan Landrum each added an RBI for Post 48, which had five hits.
Hickory scored two runs in the first inning, once in the fourth inning and three runs in the fifth inning.
Asheville 13, Hickory 10
Nick Schultz and Rex Miller each had two hits and drove in three runs to help Asheville win a game that featured nine hits by each team and nine errors (five by Post 48).
Trent Cole and Walker Fox each walked twice for Asheville.
Hayden Tabor had two hts and Lucas Dentel drove in three runs for Hickory.
Luke Davis pitched 3 2/3 innings for Post 48, which had a six-run second inning to lead 6-0.
Asheville scored four runs in the third inning, two in the fourth and two in the fifth to take an 8-6 lead.
Hickory regained the lead at 9-8 with three runs in the fifth inning.
A five-run sixth inning put Asheville ahead 13-9.