WINDSOR – Post 316 opened a close game with eight runs in the top of the eighth.

That was enough to help the visitors from Edgecombe County to defeat Ahoskie American Legion Post 102’s senior team 12-4.

Ahoskie opened the scoring with one run in the bottom of the first frame.

Ryan Matthews singled on the infield and advanced to second when Josh Morris was hit by a pitch. Matthew scored when Brent Bowen reached on a two-base error, giving Post 102 an early 1-0 lead.

Edgecombe tied the game with one run in the second and then took the lead for good when they added three in the third inning for a 4-1 advantage.

Post 102 got their second run in the bottom of the sixth stanza.

Morris reached on a double down the right field line and went to third on an Aaron Hoggard single. Bowen plated Morris with a sacrifice fly to trim the deficit to 4-2.

The visitors then broke the game open with eight runs in the top of the eighth to lead 12-2.

Ahoskie answered with just two runs in the bottom of the same inning.

Joe Harrell walked and went to second on an error. Hoggard then crushed a two-run homer to center to get Post 102 within 12-4.

In the bottom of the ninth, Dylan Ralph singled to left and John Lee reached on a fielder’s choice. Lee went to third on a P.J. Schwab single to center, but a pop out and a groundout ended the game.

Post 102 used five pitchers in the contest. Bowen suffered the loss after going four innings. Jonathan Brantley, R.J. Deppisch, Jacob Dunlow and Ralph also pitched.

Ahoskie had eight hits for the evening, led by Hoggard and Schwab with two each. Matthews, Morris, Ralph and Grayson Toms each had one hit.

“Brent and Jonathan kept us in the game,” Post 102 coach Randy Whitaker said. “We didn’t make a couple of plays in the eighth and they broke the game open.”