Sports - July 2003

Mason strikes out 14 in game 2 for Post 100

Cherryville evens series with convincing 8-1 win over Caldwell County in the best of seven

By MIKE POWELL, LTN Correspondent

GRANITE FALLS —When in need, call on Chris Mason.

Cherryville Post 100 rode the dominant pitching of its star righthander to an 8-1 win over Caldwell County Tuesday night, pulling even at 1-1 in the best-of-seven Area 4 American Legion semifinals.

Mason (7-1) made sure Cherryville (26-6) did not return home with an 0-2 deficit. The rising UNC-Greensboro sophomore struck out 14 batters and allowed five hits in seven innings. Mason left the mound with a comfortable seven-run lead, and Chris Cook and Jay Heafner finished up in the last two innings.

A shutout victim in Monday's series opener, Post 100 sprinted out of the gate in Game 2. Cherryville rocked Post 29 starter Jeremy Deal for three runs on four hits in the first inning, then chased Deal with a four-run flurry in the third.

Brandon Hurt doubled in two runs in the first inning with a drive to deep right field, and Brock Alexander followed with a run-scoring single through the left side of the infield.

Cherryville sent 10 batters to the plate in the third inning. Hurt opened the inning with a single and Matt Craig drew a walk. That was enough to finish Deal for the night, but his reliever, Shane Coffey, put Post 29 in an even deeper hole.

Alexander, the first batter to face Coffey, drove a pitch over the left field fence for a three-run homer. The round-tripper was Alexander's second this season at M.S. Deal Stadium.

Later in the same inning, Travis Walls scored on Mason's groundout to give Post 100 a 7-1 cushion.

Caldwell County (25-12) had one opportunity to get back in the game, but could not break through. That chance came in the bottom of the third when Post 29 loaded the bases with two outs on a walk, a blooper to center that fell in, and an infield hit. However, Mason  put down the rally by striking out Scott Hall to end the inning.

The top of the batting order led Post 100 on offense. Heafner got two  hits and scored twice, Mason went 3-for-5 with two RBI, and clean-up hitter Hurt had two hits in five trips and knocked in two runs.

Meanwhile, Alexander made the most of his start at third base by going 2-for-4 with four RBI.

For Caldwell County, Richard Carter went 3-for-5, giving him seven hits in the first two games. Jacob Joplin accounted for Post 29's only run with a first-inning homer.

Game 3 is tonight at 7 at Fraley Field in Cherryville. The series returns to M.S. Deal on Thursday.

Cville 304 010 000--  8 12   1

Cald   100   000 000--  1  6  1

Mason, Cook (8), Heafner (9) and D. Wise. Deal, Coffey (3), Bumgarner (5), Seaver (9) and Morris. W--Mason (7-1). L--Deal. HRs, Cherryville, Alexander; Caldwell County, Carter.

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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