Daily Roundup: July 14, 2022

July 14, 2022, 11:58 pm | by Tim Hower

AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL

No. 4 Wilmington Post 10 11, No. 5 Beulaville Post 511 1 (5 innings)

First round Area II playoffs (Game 1)

***Click here to view 36 photos from the action***

Lefty Ben Whitehurst scattered just two hits and struck out seven batters in a complete game to help Wilmington open the best-of-3 series with a dominant home victory.

Whitehurst finished with 70 pitches, including 45 for strikes.

Wilmington (15-8) scored five runs in the bottom of the second inning to grab a lead it would never relinquish.

Jaxson Croom (Hoggard) executed a safety squeeze perfectly to allow Bennett McNeill (Hoggard) to score the first run.

A two-out single up the middle from Logan Ponnett (Hoggard) brought home Kayden Crawford and Croom.

Ponnett finished 2-for-3 with four RBIs. Spencer Nolan (Hoggard) also had a pair of hits, while Connor Kane (Laney) drove in two runs with a double in the four-run fourth inning.

“Logan is a great hitter and someone who just wants to be around the game,” Wilmington coach Scott Sandlin said. “He gets his reps in every day and works hard. Him coming through with big hits is nothing new.”

Game 2 of the series will be played Friday night at East Duplin High School.

No. 1 Brunswick Post 543 21, No. 8 Port City Post 545 9 (5 innings)

First round Area II playoffs (Game 1)

A huge night at the plate from Jaden Marvin (South Brunswick) gave the newly-formed Brunswick County legion team its first postseason win.

Marvin capped a nine-run bottom of the first inning with a two-out grand slam. He finished 4-for-5 with a double, six RBIs and a pair of runs scored.

“Jaden is seeing the ball extremely well right now, and I’m very proud of him,” Brunswick coach Chad Staradumsky said.

Aaron Mitchell (East Columbus) added two doubles, four RBIs and three runs scored.

Brunswick (11-4) tacked on nine more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. The big hit was a three-run homer from Jaylen Clemmons (South Brunswick), who finished 2-for-3 with a walk, five RBIs and three runs scored.

“Jaden hit it to dead center and it was still on the rise when it left the park,” Staradumsky said. “It was good to see him hit the ball that hard, because he does it in batting practice all the time.”

Max Crawford and Jordan Daniels (South Brunswick) each had a double.

Marvin earned the victory by allowing five runs – two earned – in 2 1/3 innings. Mitchell, Crawford and Garrett Gore (North Brunswick) also saw time on the mound.

Dalton MacCallum (Laney) walked twice and scored three runs for Port City (3-12). Left fielder Ayden Rogers (Laney) drove in a pair of runs.

Game 2 of the best-of-3 series will be played at 7 p.m. Friday at Laney High School.

No. 2 Hamlet Post 49 2, Wilmington Patriots 1

First round Area II playoffs (Game 1)

Wilmington nearly pulled off the upset thanks to terrific performances on the mound from Hayden Naylor (Wilmington Christian Academy) and Oakley Rempel (New Hanover).

Both pitchers allowed only two hits in three innings of work.

Wilmington (4-10) scored its only run in the top of the first inning. Trey Pierce (Wilmington Christian Academy) led off with a single before stealing two bases. He crossed the plate on a passed ball with two outs.

The visitors had a runner on third with one out in the second and fifth innings, but didn’t score either time. Wilmington also stranded the bases loaded in the sixth.

Game 2 of the best-of-3 series will be played at Wilmington Christian Academy on Friday at 5 p.m.