CHARLOTTE—Cherryville Post 100 overcame seven errors on defense to defeat Charlotte 4-2 Sunday night behind the complete-game pitching of Steven “Red†Justice.
Justice scattered seven hits and struck out six in running his season record to 4-1.
Chris Cook went 3-for-3 with a double and a RBI lead an 11-hit Cherryville attack, and Paul Finger got Post 100 off to a good start with a two-RBI single in the first inning.
Josh Day, Dylan Anthony and Steven Hoyle added two hits for Post 100, 7-8 in the Eastern Division of Area Four and 10-9 overall. Charlotte fell to 5-10 in the division.
Cook, a hot hitter of late, has raised his batting average from .217 to .333 entering last night’s game.
The seven errors hiked Cherryville’s total number of miscues for the season to 93 in 19 games.
A berth in the Area Four playoffs now assured, Post 100 wraps up division play this week. Newell visits Fraley Field tonight and Cherryville plays Denver at Lincolnton High School on Tuesday night.
On Thursday, Post 100 will host Denver in a makeup game.
Saturday`s games
At Cherryville
Steele Creek 7,
Cherryville 0
In game one of a doubleheader, right-hander Patrick Benfield pitched a four-hitter and DH Brian Biggs homered twice to lead Post 221.
Benfield breezed through the seven-inning game, extending Post 100`s string of scoreless innings to 16. Cherryville`s only threats were wiped out by double plays in the fourth and sixth innings.
Biggs had a field day against Post 100 starter Justin Keever. He hit a solo homer in the fourth inning and a three-run shot over the left field fence in the fifth to run his RBI total for the game to four.
Josh Cable, the Post 221 catcher, also homered in the second with the bases empty.
Cherryville 10,
Steele Creek 0
Punchless in game one, Post 100 rebounded with a 13-hit attack in the nightcap to end the game after five innings on the 10-run mercy rule.
Eight of Cherryville`s nine starters hit safely, led by catcher Michael Vinsett`s 3-for-3 with three RBI. Josh Day, Steven Hoyle and Chris Cook added two hits apiece and combined to drive in four runs.
J.T. Thomas, normally a pitcher, was given a rare opportunity as the DH and responded with a two-RBI triple in a four-run top of the fifth inning.
Post 100 punched out five extra-base hits, four doubles and a triple.
The first inning set the tone as Cherryville went up 3-0. The third run of the inning came on a delayed steal pulled off by Vinsett and Cook. Cook stole home plate when Post 221 shortstop Dane Phillips dropped the ball on Vinsett`s rundown between first and second.
Right-hander Wayne McDonald (3-1) recorded the first shutout of the season by a Post 100 pitcher. He gave up three hits, struck out seven and pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the fifth.
by Mike Powell
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