Ahoskie Post 102 had the tying runs on base in the top of the seventh of Tuesday’s game at Washington. That didn’t scare Beaufort County Post 15, which is off to an undefeated start thanks to its top-notch pitching and stellar defense.

Relief pitcher Tanner Alligood fanned the first two batters he faced, but proceeded to issue walks to the next two. Brock Marsh made a good catch on a fly ball sent into a tight spot in the outfield to set down the final batter and win the game, 3-1.

“That’s been the case so far this year,” head coach Glenn Marsh said of the team’s defensive win. “We’re 3-0, 2-0 in the conference because of pitching and defense. Our bats just haven’t woken up yet. They will soon. I know they can, but the defense has been outstanding, as well as the pitching.

“… I had no doubt. I had no doubt that Tanner was going to get the out and that the defense was going to make the play. No question.”

The Pirates scored all three of their runs in the bottom of the first. Starting pitcher and leadoff batter Austin Roscoe drew a walk to get things started. He stole second and moved to third on Reg Bishop’s base hit.

Bishop advanced to second to put two Pirates in scoring position with no outs. Roscoe drew first blood by scoring on Cody Godley’s single through the left side. Bishop came across on Logan Little’s groundout and Godley easily scored from third thanks to a sacrifice fly by Tyler Harrell.

Ahoskie got one back in the top of the fourth with a sac-fly RBI after the first two batters reached base. Roscoe, who largely kept the visitors quiet in his five innings of work, struck out the next batter to get out of the inning. He fanned half a dozen in his five frames of work.

“I thought Austin got into a groove after the first inning,” Marsh said. “He settled down, found the strike zone and did a great job on the mound.”

Alligood allowed just one hit in his two innings of relief to limit Ahoskie’s chances.

The win extends the Pirates’ undefeated start to 3-0. Two of those wins have come in conference.

There was some drama late in the game when two close plays were ruled in favor of Beaufort County. The visitors again felt slated on an attempt to throw a Pirate runner out at second as he tried to steal. One of Ahoskie’s infielders protested the umpire’s safe ruling and ended up getting tossed from the game.

“(We teach them to) always take the high road,” Marsh said in light of what happened. “Good sportsmanship will take you a long ways in life. We’re trying to teach these kids life lessons because those will go way further than baseball does. They’re good, young men. They’re learning to win the right way. They show good sportsmanship and I’m proud of them.”

Even with the undefeated start to the season, the Pirates have committed to improving their work at the plate. Marsh believes that will be the key to continued success throughout their campaign.

“They’ve been coming in, getting their swings in. They’re having batting practice,” he said. “They’re all good hitters. It’s going to come. It’s going to come real soon. There’s no doubt about it.”