Post 45 advances in Legion playoffs

ASHEBORO — Randolph County Post 45 has a strong offense, nobody can argue that. But what this team accomplished in the second round of the American Legion playoffs was certainly eye-opening even for them.

Randolph County scored at least one run in 10 of their 11 innings offensively and swept Queen City, winning 19-15 in Game 1 on Friday night at McCrary Park and 12-2 in five innings in Game 2 Saturday at Ardray Kell High School in Charlotte.

Post 45 scored 31 runs on 25 hits and slammed four home runs in the two-game sweep, which set up a third-round series against Union County. That best-of-5 series started Tuesday at McCrary Park with the winner earning a berth to the American Legion North Carolina State Tournament in Gastonia. Game 2 was set for Wednesday at McCrary Park. Game 3, and Game 4 if necessary, will be played at Wingate University. A deciding Game 5 would be Saturday at McCrary Park before the ZooKeepers game.

The Randolph County offense determined a great deal in the two games against Queen City, scoring in each of its six offensive innings in Game 1 and in four of the five innings played in Game 2.

“The kids are understanding their zone and they are attacking it,” Post 45 coach Andrew Connor said Saturday after watching his team score in double figures for the ninth time in the past 11 games. “Generally, they don’t get outside of it. They grind out at-bats. Especially with two outs, they lock in more. A lot of teams with two outs will think the inning is over, but I think we may be just starting.”

Price Kidd pitched a complete game two-hitter in Game 2 as Post 45 entered the third round of the playoffs with an 18-3 record, including wins in 13 of their past 14 contests.

“He did a great job of working the count early, getting ahead, which we didn’t do yesterday,” Connor said. “Give all the credit to Price. He did a great job against a really good lineup. He keeps the ball down, which is good for this park.”

Tate Andrews provided an early lead with a grand slam in the second inning, his second round-tripper in two nights. This home run sailed over the fence after deflecting off the outfielder’s shoulder.

“He came in and I said you must be living right, I never seen that in person,” Connor said. “Only on TV.”

Post 45 added two more runs in the third to make it 6-0 and Brady Armfield blasted a three-run homer in the fifth to make it 9-0. Post 45 has generated 19 home runs this season.

Kidd allowed the only two hits and two runs in the fourth, but Post 45 responded with three more runs in the fifth, all with two outs, to make it 12-2.

“We’re very athletic all around the field,” Connor said. “A lot of people can do a lot of things. That helps.”

Andrews finished with the home run and five RBIs, while Jake Riddle had two hits and two RBIs and Lucas Connor had a hit and RBI. Armfield finished with two hits and three RBIs, Hudson Deel added two hits and Sam Gore and Ashton Poe each had a hit.

In Game 1 of the best-of-three series, Randolph County won a wild 19-15 decision as the teams combined for 34 runs and 28 hits, including five home runs.

Post 45 scored in every inning in the comeback win as they led 8-2, but found itself trailing 15-11 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning.

Andrews and Lucas Connor each hit home runs as Post 45 rallied for the win, a feat it has accomplished numerous times this season.

“It’s the kids coming out and playing every ballgame and playing each inning,” Andrew Connor said. “They come out here and work hard, have competitions in batting practice. They come out here and battle and don’t anticipate losing.”

Andrews had two hits and three RBIs, Connor scored four times and Deel added three hits, three runs and two RBIs. Armfield had two hits, scored three times and knocked in four and John Kirkpatrick shut down a team that had scored 15 times in 3 2/3 innings. Kirkpatrick scattered five hits with one walk.