HobbsDailyReport.com
From staff reports
TAYLORSVILLE – Shelby’s Logan McNeely made the most of his lone hit on Thursday night, smashing a three-run home run in the 11th inning that pushed Post 82 past Taylorsville 8-5 in the first game of a second-round Area IV American Legion baseball series.
For scores from all first-round series and additional pairings, see earlier posts on the website.
Shelby (17-5), the East No. 3 seed, ran its win streak to four games and is a game up in a best-of-5 series that plays Game 2 at Shelby High on Friday night at 7 p.m.
Game 3 is back at Alexander Central High, home field for West No. 2 seed Taylorsville (16-4-1), on Saturday at 7 p.m. If additional games are needed, they will be Sunday at 7 p.m. at Shelby and Monday at 7 p.m. in Taylorsville.
The winner of the series advances to a best-of-5 in the semifinals against East No. 1 Union County or West No. 4 Asheville. Union County is up 1-0 after winning 9-3 on Thursday night at Marvin Ridge High.
In the other second round series on Thursday, all openers, Cherryville defeated Gastonia 10-5 in Gastonia and Mint Hill edged the Gaston Braves 5-3 at Belmont Abbey College.
Shelby head coach Mike Grayson expected a tough first game in Taylorsville.
“Winning Game 1 is big no matter who you play,” he said postgame. “We know they are a very good team and they (finished) second in the West – which is one of the toughest leagues in the whole country. Everybody I have talked to said they expect this series to go the full five games.”
Taylorsville lost at home for only the second time in 1 games at Gryder Stadium this season.
Tied at 3-all after eight innings, Post 82 took the lead with two runs on two hits and an error in the top of the ninth inning.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Taylorsville responded with two runs on two hits to force extra innings.
Derek Dyson was hit by a Cameron Wallace pitch with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning. Two batters later, Rhyne Johnson hit Wallace’s first pitch to him deep into left field. Shelby outfielder Brandon Irvin got both his feet caught under the fence while going after the ball, allowing Johnson to record an inside-the-park two-run home run.
Neither team scored in the 10th inning.
In the 11th inning, Austin Shull singled and took second on a fielder’s choice by Lawson Harrill (the throw to get Shull at second was wide).
McNeely then came up and connected on a full count, hitting a three-run home run to left center.
Taylorsville got a hit with one out in the bottom of the 11thinning but Wallace regrouped to retire the next two batters on fly outs to secure a win.
“It’s a long series and you have to take it one game at a time,” said Taylorsville head coach Pete Hardee. “We made some uncharacteristic mistakes on some fly balls that cost us three runs. We just have to hang in there and get the game tomorrow (Friday). It’s going to be big.”
Taylorsville outhit Shelby 12-8 led, by Johnson with five hits, a run and three RBIs while Kyler Fairchild added three hits, a run and an RBI.
Shelby was paced by Ben Ledbetter and Carson Gettys, each with two hits, while McNeely and Ledbetter finished with four RBIs each.
Wallace earned a win in relief, allowing three runs on six hits with four strikeouts in five innings.
Daniel Dessecker took the loss in relief. He allowed three runs on two hits with one strikeout in two innings.
Taylorsville’s starter Matt Wilkinson limited Shelby to two runs on three hits in 6 1/3 innings.