KINSTON – Ahoskie American Legion Post 102 split a senior team doubleheader with Kinston last Saturday afternoon.

Post 102 grabbed the win in game one by a 9-5 final while Kinston grabbed the win in the second game by a 5-4 count.

In the first game, Ahoskie broke open a 3-all tie with five runs in the fourth inning en route to the victory.

Post 102 opened the scoring with a single run in the first frame.

Tyler Burden doubled and scored on a Daniel Merritt RBI-single. Kinston, however, responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 3-1 edge.

Ahoskie added one in the second when Tyler Pryor and Chris Rogerson had back-to-back singles. Both advanced on a Mitchell Godwin sacrifice bunt. Pryor scored on a Burden RBI-fielder’s choice to close the gap to 3-2.

The Ahoskie squad tied the game in the third inning.

Brandon Warren doubled and went to third on a Blake Hill groundout. He then scored on a Jud Smith sacrifice fly, tying the game at 3.

Post 102 broke the game open in the fourth inning when they took an 8-3 lead thanks to five runs.

Pryor started things off with a double. He went to third on a Rogerson single and scored on a sacrifice fly by Godwin. Burden then singled.

Rogerson and Burden both came home on a Warren two-run double and then Hill belted a two-run homer to left to secure the 8-3 lead for Ahoskie.

Kinston closed the gap with two runs in the bottom of the sixth, but they never got closer.

Ahoskie added one run in the seventh to secure the win.

Rogerson singled before Godwin and Burden drew walks to load the bases. Rogers scored on a Warren RBI-single to establish the 9-5 final score.

Billy Nixon pitched seven innings for the Ahoskie squad, allowing five runs on just two hits while striking out 10.

Ahoskie pounded out 17 hits led by Rogerson’s 4-for-4 performance. Smith and Warren had two hits each while Burden and Pryor had two hits. Warren produced three RBI’s while Hill had two.

In the second game, Kinston scored three runs in the sixth inning to rally for a 5-4 win over Ahoskie.

Post 102 had opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first inning.

Burden singled and stole second. He then scored on a Warren RBI-double to give Ahoskie a 1-0 lead.

Kinston rallied to tie the game with a run in the bottom of the first and then surged ahead with a single mark in the bottom of the third.

Ahoskie, however, tied the game with a run in the top of the fourth frame.

Nixon, Patrick Dilday and Burden all drew walks to load the bases. Nixon then came home on a bases-loaded walk to Rogerson, tying the game at 2-all.

Post 102 edged ahead with another run in the top of the fifth frame.

Hill and Smith had back-to-back singles before Nixon walked to load the bases. Hill came in to score when Dilday hit into a fielder’s choice, giving Ahoskie a 3-2 edge.

The final run for Ahoskie came in the top of the sixth inning.

Burden walked, stole second and scored on a Warren RBI-single as Ahoskie took a 4-2 advantage.

Kinston, however, scored three runs in the bottom of the inning to take the 5-4 lead.

In the bottom of the seventh, Nixon and Merritt had singles but were left stranded as Ahoskie suffered the loss.

Ahoskie used three pitchers during the contest including Joseph Eure, Pryor and Ryland Edwards.

The squad had nine hits, led by Warren and Nixon with two hits each.

“This was the best we have played since the Garner games,” Post 102 Head Coach Dave Ellis said. “We got good pitching in the first game. We had 26 hits in the double-header and had a chance to win both games.”

The spit left Ahoskie 3-7 for the year.