SILER CITY — With the help of an explosive fifth inning, Chatham County Post 292 ended its Heroes League regular season slate with a 12-2 run rule win over Randolph County on July 17.
In a game in which Chatham County recorded just two hits from Logan Gunter and Avery Kiger in the first three innings, Post 292 used an all-around team effort to overcome its struggles from the plate and give itself a 5-0 lead in the season series with Randolph County.
Following Kiger and Gunter’s singles in the bottom of the first and third innings, respectively, six different Post 292 batters recorded at least one hit. Four hits, alongside four walks, two errors by Randolph County’s defense and a batter hit by a pitch, fueled Chatham County’s 10-run knockout punch of a fifth inning.
“We didn’t worry about hitting it hard,” Gunter said. “Just getting base to base.”
Gunter ended the game in her final fifth inning at-bat when Randolph County right fielder Elsie Prince committed an error while fielding Gunter’s fly ball. As Gunter reached third base on the error, Lilli Hicks, Cassie McKeithan and Kelsey Morris scored, giving Chatham County an early victory.
“I was just thinking don’t hit on top of the ball like I did last time,” Gunter said. “I just fixed what I did wrong last. (I) really wanted to finish it in that inning for sure.”
Prior to that inning, though, Chatham County looked as if it was in for a long night.
Randolph County jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning after a single (the third in a row) from Kallie St. John sent Addy Dees and Olivia Ashby home.
Outside of Gunter reaching home on a passed ball in the bottom of the first inning, Chatham County couldn’t get much offense going as batted balls just didn’t land in the right gaps.
Throughout the first four innings, Randolph County had plenty of opportunities to build on its lead, including the loaded bases in the top of the fourth, but it left numerous runners stranded.
Down 2-1, Chatham County’s bats woke up in the bottom of the fourth, starting with singles from Emma Burke and Sydney Russell. After Marcy Clark grounded into a fielder’s choice, resulting in Burke being thrown out, Hicks eventually knocked in Russell to tie the game.
Hicks finished with the best night at the plate for Chatham County, going 2-for-3 with three RBIs. She also contributed to Chatham County’s fifth inning attack with a two-RBI single that put Post 292 ahead, 9-2.
For Hicks, this was a bounce back game as she batted .200 in four game appearances prior to July 17.
“I’ve been in a slump, but my timing is finally down,” Hicks said.
The regular season finale was also a sigh of relief for the whole team. Chatham County struggled to bring runners home in the two consecutive losses prior to July 17 in which Post 292 only scored one run in each game. Post 292’s latest win was the second time it scored 12 runs against Randolph County this season.
Chatham County ended its inaugural regular season with a 10-4 record.
Before the game, Post 292 recognized five Chatham County youth all-star softball teams for their accomplishments this past season, including West Chatham’s 15U, 12U, 10U and 8U teams and East Chatham 10U.
The West Chatham 12U and 10U all-star teams won state titles this month and will compete in their respective Dixie Softball World Series in Prince George, Virginia. The 12U team played over the weekend in the Ponytails X-Play World Series while the 10U team will start the Angels X-Play World Series Saturday.
Next up for Post 292 is its own post season tournament which starts Monday at Big League Camp in Marion, North Carolina.
Four teams will participate in the tournament. Chatham County will begin pool play against the Cabarrus Responders Monday at 2:30 p.m. followed by Wayne County vs. South Wake, opening ceremonies and the home run derby in that order.
Teams will finish pool play on Tuesday from 10 a.m to 12 p.m., and the teams will be seeded one through four. The three and four seeds will play for third place Tuesday at 3 p.m., and the top two seeds will play for the state championship thereafter.
Post 292 assistant coach Holly Felder said she just hopes her team “has fun and plays ball” at the tournament.
