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Sports - July 2002 |
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Hickory rally, rain beat Shelby July 26, 2002 - NEWTON—Hickory used a sixth-inning rally and some help from Mother Nature to defeat Shelby 8-6 Thursday night in game three of the Area Four American Legion championship series. The win prevented Shelby (25-16) from taking command in the best-of-seven series, which returns to Shelby tonight for game four with Post 82 leading two games to one. Shelby led 6-5 going into the bottom of the sixth inning, when a thick fog rolled into Henkel-Allen Field at Hickory American Legion Fairgrounds. Hickory rallied for three runs in the inning on RBI doubles from Issac Harrow and Ian Martin and a RBI single from Matt Keever. After Hickory (28-7) went ahead 8-6, a soaking rainstorm forced officials to end the game prematurely. In Wednesday’s game two at Keeter Stadium at Veterans Field in Shelby, Shelby held on for a 7-6 win to go up two games to none. Post 82 second baseman Brandon Powell made the game-saving play for Shelby in the top of the ninth. Trailing 7-6, Hickory had runners at first and second with two outs when Harrow hit a grounder into the hole between first and second base. It appeared the ball would get through the infield and possibly score the tying run, but Powell ranged far to his left, scooped up the ball, wheeled and threw off-balance to first in time to get the runner for the final out. Shelby led 7-3 through four innings, but Hickory got solo homers in the fifth, sixth and eighth innings to draw within one run. Chris Mitchell hit a two-run triple for Shelby in the third inning, and Adam Floyd knocked in two runs with a pair of doubles. Jamie Ray, continuing his torrid hitting in the playoffs, went 3-for-4 for Post 82. Adam McSwain got the save in relief of Jeff Deaton. Limestone College signee Devon Page went the distance for Hickory in the loss. The series returns to the Legion Fairgrounds on Saturday for game five. A fifth game, if needed, will be played Sunday in Shelby. By reaching the Area Four finals, both Hickory and Shelby are assured of berths in the state American Legion tournament, set for Aug. 2-7 at Catawba College in Salisbury. The champions and runners-up from the state’s four areas make up the eight-team field. In addition, Shelby is assured of a berth in the Southeast Regional later in August by virtue of being the host team.
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© 2001 Lincoln Times-News |
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