AHOSKIE – Northern Nash Post 110 completed a double-header sweep of Ahoskie Post-102 in junior American Legion baseball action Saturday taking the nightcap, 9-5.

The game was shortened to four and a half innings for the players’ safety due to exhaustion from the intense weekend heat.

“Some of the kids were asking to come out of the game because they told me they were zapped,” said Ahoskie coach Wayne Hill. “In this heat we did our best, but just came up short.”

Northern Nash put up three runs in the top of the first inning before Ahoskie sent nine men to the plate in the bottom of the first to take the lead.

With Chris Rogerson aboard via a base-on-balls, Austin Britton doubled into the gap in left center field to get both runners in scoring position. Darren Armstrong drew a walk to load the bases before a wild pitch and later a passed ball plated two runs.

Shawn Holloway drew the third walk of the inning to put two aboard before Nathan Pearce collected the second double of the frame with a screamer over the third base bag that rolled all the way to the left field fence and scored Armstrong to tie the game.

Perry Wynns followed with a single to score Pearce before Northern Nash got a pop-up and a pair of strikeouts to end the scoring, but saw Ahoskie lead the contest, 4-3.

Northern Nash went ahead with four runs in the top of the third inning to lead, 7-4.

Ahoskie got a run back in the bottom of the inning when Holloway beat out an infield bouncer, moved to third on back-to-back walks and scored when Ryan Lilley hit into a fielder’s choice.

Post 102 eventually loaded the bases with two out, but Northern Nash first baseman Madison Mayo snagged a hot-shot liner off the bat of Rogerson that ended the threat.

Northern Nash got their final runs with a pair in the top of the fourth, but after a scoreless top of the fifth and players from both sides showing the effects of the ninety-plus degree heat the game was called.

“Guys said they were getting dizzy and hardly able to stand up,” said Hill, “I guess they’re just not used to this heat. But that’s no excuse, they (Post 110) were the better team today and they outplayed us.”

“We knew it was going to be tough,” said Northern Nash coach Greg Clifton. “The heat got to both teams, but I think our guys just handled it a little bit better and that was probably the difference.”

The pair of losses dropped Post 102 to 9-9.

“With just two conference games left the best we can do now is try to grab a tie for first place,” added Hill. “So we’ll just play it out and see what happens.”