Juniors rally back

Published 11:36 am Friday, May 27, 2011

AHOSKIE – Post 102 rallied from an early deficit here Tuesday night.

The Ahoskie American Legion Junior team trailed 4-0 to Elizabeth City Post 84, but came back to secure a 6-4 victory.

Post 84 scored four runs over the first four innings and took that lead into the bottom of the fifth frame.

There, Ahoskie rallied for three runs to get back into the contest.

Austin Lee walked and stole second before Brandon Stifflemire tripled to right field to score Lee.

Stifflemire then scored on an Ackerman Grace RBI-groundout.

Robert Thompson then got aboard when he was hit by a pitch. He raced all the way home when Perry Wynns doubled to left-center field.

Post 102 then scored three more in the bottom of the sixth stanza.

Darren Armstrong led off the inning with a solo homer to right to tie the game at 4-all.

Ryan Lilley then had an infield single and moved to second on a wild pitch. Lilley moved to third when Eric Ortiz got aboard on an error. Ortiz went to second on a Stifflemire sacrifice bunt.

Lilley then scored on a Zack Eubanks RBI-single to right. Ortiz stopped at third, but stole home. Eubanks, however, was caught stealing second and the inning ended with Ahoskie ahead 6-4.

In the top of the seventh inning, Elizabeth City put runners on first and second with two outs, but a flyout to deep right ended the game.

Lee pitched three innings for Post 102. Grace added two innings as did Eubanks.

Ahoskie had seven hits during the game with Wynns leading the team with two hits.

“We fell behind, but we kept our heads in the game and didn’t give up,” Post 102 assistant coach Nathan Dilday said. “Our two relief pitchers didn’t allow a run and we were able to comeback.

“It was a total team effort,” he added. “It was a good opening win.”

Ahoskie improved to 1-0 early in the season. They played Rocky Mount last night (Friday) in a game that finished too late for press time.

They will host Raleigh at 12 noon Saturday in a doubleheader.