HobbsDailyReport.com
An Area IV American Legion baseball best-of-5 first-round series – West No. 2 Taylorsville Post 170 against East No. 7 Maiden Post 240 – is over.
Game 3, scheduled Monday night at Maiden High, was rained out, and Taylorsville officials then indicated via email that Maiden has forfeited Game 3.
Taylorsville defeated Maiden in two seven-inning games on Sunday at Alexander Central High, winning 9-2 and 4-1.
Maiden finished 5-18.
Post 170 (16-3-1) awaits the winner of the West No. 6 Henderson County versus East No. 3 Shelby series (Shelby was up two games to none going into Monday’s play).
The second round, also best-of-5, is scheduled to begin Thursday and Post 170.
Union County 5-8, Hickory 4-0: At Marvin Ridge High, East top seed Union County scored two runs with two outs in the 11th inning to nip Post 48 in the first game, winning 5-4 and took the series lead with an 8-0 victory in Game 3.
In the opening game, Post 48 starter Devin Perdue and reliever Pierson Hanvey kept Union County scoreless from the third inning to the 10th inning. Two unearned runs then scored on the same play — via a throwing error — in the bottom of the 111th inning. Post 48 had scored a run in the top half of the 11th inning to lead 4-3.
Hickory had eight hits in the first game, led by two hits and two runs scored by Bryce Stober.
Union County rolled in the second game with Hickory starter Weston Kerley taking the pitching loss.
Union County (17-2) was down one game after Hickory won 12-2 on Sunday night in the opening game at the Legion Fairgrounds in Newton.
In a schedule change, Game 4 is scheduled at the Legion Fairgrounds in Newton on Tuesday at 2 p.m.
The series winner next matches up with the East No. 4 (Gastonia)-West No. 5 (Burke County) in the second round.
Caldwell County rained out: Caldwell County Post 29’s third game against East No. 6 Mint Hill was rained out Monday night at M.S. Deal Stadium in Granite Falls.
The series is tied at one game each, with Game 3 now set for Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Deal Stadium and Game 4 to follow.
The winner of the series battles the winner of the East No. 2 (Gaston Braves) versus West No. 7 (Rutherford County) series in the second round.
AREA IV PLAYOFFS UPDATE (as of 9:45 p.m. Monday)
WEST NO. 1 CHERRYVILLE (21-3) vs. EAST NO. 8 KINGS MOUNTAIN (3-13)
Game 1, Saturday at Cherryville: Suspended, second inning, Cherryville leading 3-0
Game 1 completion, Sunday at Cherryville HS: Cherryville 11, Kings Mountain 0, 7 inn.
Game 2, Sunday at Kings Mountain: Cherryville 12, Kings Mountain 1, 7 inn.
Game 3: Monday at Fraley Field, Cherryville: Kings Mountain 4, Cherryville 3
Game 4: Tuesday, noon, at Lancaster Field, Kings Mountain HS
Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday, 7 p.m. at Fraley Field, Cherryville HS
EAST NO. 4 GASTONIA (11-7) vs. WEST NO. 5 BURKE COUNTY (8-9)
Game 1, Saturday at Shuey Park, Morganton: Suspended, fifth inning, Gastonia leading 2-0
Game 1 completion, Sunday at Sims Park, Gastonia: Gastonia 4, Burke County 2
Game 2, Sunday at Sims Park: Gastonia 6, Burke County 4
Game 3: Monday at Sims Legion Park, Gastonia: Gastonia 8, Burke County 6, Gastonia wins series 3-0
EAST NO. 2 GASTON BRAVES (14-4) vs. WEST NO. 7 RUTHERFORD COUNTY (7-9)
Game 1: Saturday at Belmont Abbey Yard, ppd.
Game 1, Sunday at Rutherford County: Gaston Braves 5, Rutherford County 4
Games 2-3, Monday at Belmont Abbey Yard: Game 2, Gaston Braves 3, Rutherford County 1; Game 3, Rutherford County 6, Gaston Braves 3
Game 4: Tuesday, 7 p.m. at E. Rutherford HS
Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday, 7 p.m. at Belmont Abbey Yard
WEST NO. 3 CALDWELL COUNTY (9-7) vs. EAST NO. 6 MINT HILL (8-10)
Game 1, Saturday at M.S. Deal Stadium, Granite Falls: Suspended, fifth inning, Caldwell County leading 7-3
Game 1 completion, Sunday at Independence HS: Caldwell County 9, Mint Hill 6
Game 2, Sunday at Independence HS: Mint Hill 8, Caldwell County 0
Game 3, Monday at M.S. Deal Stadium, Granite Falls: Ppd.
Game 3: Tuesday at M.S. Deal Stadium, 5 p.m.
Game 4 (if necessary): Tuesday, following Game 3, at M.S. Deal Stadium, Granite Falls
Game 5 (if necessary): TBA
EAST NO. 1 UNION COUNTY (15-1) vs. WEST NO. 8 HICKORY (8-14)
Game 1, Sunday at Legion Fairgrounds, Newton: Hickory 12, Union County 2, 7 inn.
Games 2-3, Monday at Marvin Ridge HS: Game 2, Union County 5, Hickory 4, 11 inn.; Game 3, Union County 8, Hickory 0
Game 4: Tuesday 2 p.m. at Legion Fairgrounds, Newton
Game 5 (if necessary): TBA
WEST NO. 4 ASHEVILLE (8-9) vs. EAST NO. 5 LINCOLN COUNTY (9-10)
Game 1, Saturday at TC Roberson HS: Suspended, 0-0 tie, second inning
Game 1 completion, Sunday at E. Lincoln HS: Asheville 8, Lincoln County 5
Game 2, Sunday at E. Lincoln HS: Asheville 13, Lincoln County 3
Game 3, Monday at TC Roberson HS: Lincoln County 5, Asheville 3
Game 4: Tuesday, 7 p.m. at E. Lincoln HS
Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday, 7 p.m. at TC Roberson HS
WEST NO. 2 TAYLORSVILLE (13-3-1) vs. EAST NO. 7 MAIDEN (5-15)
Game 1: Saturday at Alexander Central HS, ppd.
Game 1, Sunday at Alexander Central HS: Taylorsville 9, Maiden 2, 7 inn.
Game 2, Sunday at Alexander Central HS: Taylorsville 4, Maiden 1, 7 inn.
Game 3, Monday at Maiden HS: ppd., Maiden forfeits, Taylorsville wins series 3-0
EAST NO. 3 SHELBY (13-5) vs. WEST NO. 6 HENDERSON COUNTY (11-10)
Game 1, Saturday at Shelby HS: Suspended, fifth inning, Shelby leading 2-1
Game 1 completion, Sunday at E. Henderson HS: Shelby 12, Henderson County 1, 7 inn.
Game 2, Sunday at E. Henderson HS: Shelby 17, Henderson County 4, 7 inn.
Game 3, Monday at Keeter Stadium at Veterans Field, Shelby: Suspended, bottom sixth inning, Shelby leading 7-0.
Game 3 completion: Tuesday, noon at Veterans Field, Shelby
Game 4 (if necessary): Tuesday, 7 p.m. at E. Henderson HS
Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday, 7 p.m. at Keeter Stadium at Veterans Field, Shelby
QUARTERFINALS
(best-of-5, Thursday thru July 11)
West-1/East-8 winner vs. East No. 4 Gastonia (14-7)
East-2/West-7 winner vs. West-3/East-6 winner
East-1/West-8 winner vs. West-4/East-5 winner
West No. 2 Taylorsville (16-3-1) vs. East-3/West-6 winner
SEMIFINALS
(best-of-5, July 12-16)
West-1/East-8/East-4/West-5 winner vs. East-2/West-7/West-3/East-6 winner
East-1/West-8/West-4/East-5 winner vs. West-2/East-7/East-3/West-6 winner
FINALS
Semifinal winners, one game, July 17
UPCOMING GAMES
N.C. state tournament at Pitt County Community College: July 21-26
Southeast Regional tournament at Asheboro (at McCrary Park): Aug. 2-6
World Series at Shelby: Aug. 10-15