Braves post road win

Published 11:47 am Tuesday, June 12, 2018

WAKE FOREST – After opening the season with their first six games at home, Ahoskie’s Post 102 junior American Legion baseball team showed they could win away from the friendly confines of Hertford County High School Field as well, after the Braves secured a 12-6 win here Saturday over Wake Forest Post 187.

Ahoskie opened the scoring with a pair of runs in the top of the second inning. First came a steal of home plate by Steven Futrell, and then Avery Harris had an RBI fielder’s choice. Ahoskie led 2-0 after two innings.

The Braves added five more runs in the top of the third. Trent Hobbs had an RBI double and later scored another run on an error. Logan Early also had a run-scoring double and Hunter Mitchell added an RBI single. Keyshawn Lassiter scored the fifth run of the inning on an error and Ahoskie led 7-0 after two-and-a-half innings of baseball.

Wake Forest got off the mat in the bottom of the third, scoring five runs to cut Ahoskie’s lead to two runs at 7-5.

They crept within a run in the bottom of the fifth inning, trimming the Braves margin to one at 7-6, Ahoskie after five complete.

But then it was Ahoskie’s turn to put up big numbers again and the Braves delivered with a five-run seventh.

Alden Lassiter produced a two-run base hit and later came home as part of a three-run home run by Futrell over the left field fence. Zack Lassiter then got an RBI single, good for a 12-6 lead going to the last three chances for the host team. But Trent Hobbs, on in relief, shut the door, keeping the Fungos off the scoreboard and Ahoskie had claimed an Area-One East Conference win by doubling up Wake Forest.

Hunter Mitchell pitched two innings for Ahoskie, while Logan Early went four more for the win. Hobbs pitched the final inning.

Ahoskie cranked out a dozen hits. Alden Lassiter, Hobbs, Futrell, Parker Bradley and Hunter Mitchell all had two hits each, while Early and Zack Lassiter had one hit apiece.

“This was a nice rebound from the Windsor loss and we picked up a conference win,” said Ahoskie coach Dave Ellis. “We swung the bats well and Logan came in and did a great job in relief. We jumped on them early and Stevens’ home run sealed it for us.

Ahoskie raised its record to 5-2 and 3-1 in league play. After a pair of games in Cary on Sunday, Ahoskie returned home to host Bear Grass last night (Monday), and will have their return match conference game against Windsor tomorrow (Wednesday) at Bertie High Field at 7 p.m.