POST 48 SCHEDULE, RESULTS
MAY
25, Cherryville, Lost 5-8 (9)
27, Randolph County, Lost 3-8; Won 10-2
28, Maiden, ppd., June 22
31, at Maiden, Lost 4-9
JUNE
1, at Mocksville (Rich Park), Lost 0-9
2, at Taylorsville (Alexander Central HS), Won 3-0
3, Henderson County, DH, Won 3-2, 9-3
4, at Cherryville (Cherryville HS), Lost 3-10
7, at Gaston Braves (South Point HS), Lost 2-7
12, at Lincoln County (E. Lincoln HS), Won 7-5
14, Lincoln County, Lost 1-3
16, Burnsville, DH, Won 9-1, Won 11-0, 5 inn.
17, Mocksville, Won 5-4
18, Napoleon, Ohio, Lost 4-14
20, Caldwell County, Lost 4-18, 6 inn.
22, Maiden, Won 7-6, 9 inn.
24, at Asheville, DH (Asheville Roberson HS), Won 10-6; Lost 7-8
25, Taylorsville, ppd., June 29
26, at Rutherford County (McNair Field), ppd., June 28
27, Rutherford County, ppd., June 28 at Rutherford County
28, at Rutherford County, Lost 1-0, Lost 7-5, 8 inn.
29, Waverly, Ohio, Lost 5-7; Taylorsville, Lost 3-9
30, at Burke County (Shuey Field), Lost 2-4
JULY
1, Burke County, Won 3-2
2, Cherryville, Lost 0-15, 5 inn.
4, at Caldwell County (M.S. Deal Stadium), Lost 7-9
HobbsDailyReport.com
NEWTON – Ethan Shell’s one-hit pitching over the first five innings and three hits by Grant Tilley led the Gaston Braves past Hickory 8-0 on Saturday night in the opening round of the Area IV American Legion baseball playoffs.
No. 5 East GASTON BRAVES (10-9) vs. No. 4 West HICKORY (11-17)
Game 1, Saturday at Legion Fairgrounds: Gaston 8, Hickory 0
Game 2: Sunday at Belmont (South Point HS), 7 p.m.
Game 3: Monday at Legion Fairgrounds, Newton, 7 p.m.
Game 4, if needed: Tuesday at Belmont (South Point HS), 7 p.m.
Game 5, if needed: Wednesday at Legion Fairgrounds, Newton, 7 p.m.
The Braves (11-9), an East No. 5 seed, go for a two-game lead in a best-of-5 series on Sunday at 7 p.m. at Belmont Abbey College.
West No. 4 seed Hickory dropped to 11-18 with its ninth loss in 10 games.
Shell worked 5 2/3 innings at the Legion Fairgrounds in Newton, allowing one hit, walking three and striking out four.
Jordan Lathe’s two-run double in the fifth inning broke a scoreless tie and gave the Braves all the runs they would need.
Tilley went 3-for-4 with an RBI while Dosi Jonas and Luke Bumgarner each added two hits for Gaston.
The Braves made a key defensive play in the fifth inning. Hickory had the bases loaded with no outs and a squeeze bunt was popped up and Gaston pulled a double play. The next batter flew out of the left field.
Gaston scored three runs in the sixth inning and three more in the seventh inning.
Bryson Smith (Bunker Hill) took the loss as Post 48 was shutout for the fourth time this season.
Post 48 has been outscored 32-7 in three games since it last won, 3-2 on July 1 over Burke County.