The Wilkes County American Legion senior baseball team dropped its season finale doubleheader Tuesday against Caldwell Post 29 in Granite Falls.
Wilkes fell 9-1 in the opener and dropped a 12-8 decision in the nightcap to finish the season 5-19.
“It was an honor to coach these young men and help with them progressing in the future,” said James Farrington, the Post 31 head coach. “I hope to have each one return for next season.”
In the opener, the hosts raced out to an 8-0 lead before Post 31 got one back in the sixth. Eli Johnson led off with a double to left, took third on Camden McLain’s single and scored on Hayden Gentry’s RBI single to center.
Gentry (2-7) started and took the loss, notching a single strikeout.
In the finale, Caldwell took control with 10 runs—seven of which were unearned—in the first two innings off Wilkes starter Braydon Vickers (0-3). Vickers would retire five batters, whiffing two, before being relieved by Ryan Laws, who went the rest of the way and recorded five strikeouts.
Johnson, McLain and Laws each went 2-for-4 at the plate. Gentry tripled and Trey Mayberry drove in a team-best two runs.
Gaston County needed only five innings to dispatch of Wilkes, 11-1, at the VFW Post 1142 in North Wilkesboro on Sunday.
A pair of Post 144/266 hurlers limited the Flashers (5-17) to four singles. Garrett Higgins went 2-for-3, while Kayden Oliver and Eli Johnson each also had a single.
Post 31 plated its lone run in the fourth. Johnson led off with a single, took second on a wild pitch, moved to third on Braxton Lewis’ sacrifice bunt, and scored after Logan Sharpe’s groundball was mishandled at short.
Johnson (1-1) started and took the loss after retiring five batters. He was relieved by Dalton Wood (four outs) and Mason Jones (six outs).
Burke County blanked Wilkes, 9-0, at the VFW Post 1142 in North Wilkesboro on Saturday.
The Flashers (5-16) were limited to two singles by Post 21’s Cohen Christian. Seth Lambert and Camden McLain collected singles for Wilkes.
Braydon Vickers (0-2) started and took the loss for Post 31, striking out two of the seven batters he retired. Lambert got the final nine outs, five via strikeout.
Hickory Post 48 turned in a 13-0 shutout of Wilkes at the VFW Post 1142 field in North Wilkesboro on June 25.
Wilkes was limited to five hits by a trio of Hickory pitchers. Dominic Robinson capped the scoring with a grand slam in the seventh inning.
Hayden Gentry went 2-for-3 with a double for Post 31. Camden McLain, Isaac Bleakley and Braxton Lewis added singles.
Lewis (1-1) started, lasted four innings and took the loss. He whiffed one batter, and middle reliever Dawson Krenz struck out three in two frames.
The Flashers dipped to 5-15 overall and 2-12 in Area IV American Legion play.
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