By By KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
Clinging to a one-run lead heading into the bottom of the eighth inning, the Beaufort County Post 15 bats exploded for eight runs to break the game wide open.
Corey Rogerson’s three-run blast capped the uprising, helping lead Post 15 to a 14-5 win over Edgecombe County Post 316 in Wednesday’s American Legion baseball game at Futrell Field. With Rogerson and M.J. Mackey leading the way with four hits apiece, Post 15 (6-2, 4-0) erupted for 18 hits in the blowout.
Meanwhile, Rogerson was brilliant on the mound, limiting Edgecombe to two hits in six innings of strong relief to pick up the win.
It’s even more of a pleasure when the team produced like it did Wednesday evening. Eight different batters collected at least one hit. Eight of the 18 hits went for extra bases.
Edgecombe started Scott Tharrington went as long as he could against the hot Post 15 bats. The southpaw went a gutsy seven innings, allowing six runs (five earned) on 12 hits.
Beaufort had to rally from a 4-2 deficit to take the win. A.J. Peaks, who drove in four, hit a three-run homer off Beaufort starter Patrick Williams (four runs on six hits in three innings) in the top of the third to give Post 316 the lead.
Beaufort rallied in the bottom half. After an RBI single by William Rushton, Chris Ipock smashed a two-run homer to right to give Beaufort a 5-4 lead.
Rogerson, who ran his personal record to 4-0, made sure Edgecombe wouldn’t get much more. The crafty right-hander allowed an unearned run on the two hits, striking out six and walking one.
An RBI single in the fifth by Eric Daniels gave Beaufort County an insurance run, which would come in handy.
Edgecombe pulled within 6-5 in the sixth, taking advantage of a Beaufort error.
That’s as close as it would get. Rogerson’s bad-hop single to lead off the eighth started the eight-run outburst. Mackey followed with his second double of the night to drive in Rogerson, giving Post 15 a 7-5 lead. Mackey also tripled and scored three times.
Alan Swain had a two-run single while Patrick Williams and Zach Vanvorhees added RBI singles in the inning. Rogerson put the exclamation point on the victory with his three-run homer, his fourth of the season.
Beaufort will play at Kinston tonight before returning home Friday to take on Wilson.
Edgecombe 013 001 000 — 5 8 4
Beaufort 203 010 08x — 14 18 1
WP: Corey Rogerson (4-0); LP: Scott Tharrington
Leading hitters: E — A.J. Peaks 2-4 (HR, 4 RBIs), Patrick Ruffin 2-4 (2B), Patrick Goodwyn 2-4 (3B); B — Corey Rogerson 4-6 (HR, 2B, 3 RBIs, 3 runs, 2 SB), M.J. Mackey 4-6 (2 2Bs, 3B, 2 RBIs, 3 runs, SB), Alan Swain 3-5 (2B, 2 RBIs), Chris Ipock 2-5 (HR, 2B, 2 RBIs), Eric Daniels 2-5 (RBI), William Rushton 1-4 (RBI), Zach Vanvorhees 1-4 (RBI), Patrick Williams 1-5 (RBI).