The Valdese Post 234 junior American Legion baseball team earned a measure payback against Morganton on a steamy Thursday afternoon at Patton High.
Valdese (1-9) ended Morganton’s five-game winning streak with a 2-1 victory in the opener, while Morganton (7-7) clawed back to .500 thanks to a 5-3 win in the nightcap. (Morganton had swept Valdese seven days prior by a combined 21-0 margin.)
In a close five-inning game to start play, pitchers Ray Pierce of Valdese and Chris Reid of Morganton hooked up in a low scoring contest, with Mason Biddix picking up Post 234’s game-winning RBI in the top of the fourth inning.
Pierce picked up the win by allowing just leadoff batter Chandler Grindstaff to score on Luke Baker's RBI single in the bottom of the first. Reid allowed two runs, with RBIs by Grant Street in the third inning and Biddix in the fourth.
Picking up three hits to lead all batters was Morganton’s Bryce Moses. Street had two hits to pace the Valdese win. Scoring runs for Valdese were Colton Arrowood and Ryan Moorefield.
“Our season changed when we held a strong South Caldwell team to a 3-0 loss, and that momentum carried over to our first win tonight,” Valdese coach Chris Cozort said. “We did a better job of fielding, throwing the ball, and in the batter's box this evening. Coach Tommy Stilley and I are very pleased with the progress so far this season.”
In game two, Morganton jumped out to a 2-0 lead after two innings when Luke Baker and Brayden Link scored in the second inning on a sac fly by pitcher Thomas Singley and a RBI single by Wyatt Fleming, respectively.
Valdese starter Noah Wilson then gave up a third-inning run to make it 3-0 when Jacob Rooks scored on Baker's hit. Trailing by three, Valdese scored one run in the top of the fourth inning off Singley when Tony Grady scored from third on a throwing error by the Morganton catcher.
Morganton's big shot of the game was a two-run homer off the scoreboard by Fleming in the bottom of the fourth, scoring Christian Fulenwider. Valdese came right back and put two runs on the board in the top of the fifth to make the final 5-3.
Post 234's final scores were credited to Street and Biddix. Street walked and scored on Biddix's double before Biddix scored on a wild pitch.
Morganton's Thomas Singley picked up the win with four innings of three-hit ball, while reliever Josh Jones, who came in to pitch for starter Wilson in the bottom of the fourth, picked up the loss. Leading hitters for the game were Biddix, with a double and single for Valdese, and Fleming, with a single and three RBIs plus the home run for Morganton.
“Valdese really played much better today, and we could not get the hits in game one to get the lead back,” Morganton coach Brandon Scott said. “The second game we looked a little better, were able to get some runs across and held on for the win. But overall, we need to hit the ball better.”
Morganton travels to Bunker Hill for a non-conference doubleheader Monday at 6 p.m., while Valdese hosted Maiden Saturday and travels to meet the Watauga “A” squad on Monday.
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