Asheboro grad Adams deals with injury, but can still pitch for Post 45

Connor Adams (Bob Sutton / Randolph Record)

ASHEBORO – The role for Connor Adams with Randolph County Post 45 is going to be different.

After surgery for a wrist injury, he’ll be content with having a way to contribute.

Adams, who’s in his third season with Post 45, has torn cartilage in his left wrist. That means he wasn’t able to bat when the American Legion season began, but he could still pitch.

“That’s what I’m best at anyway – pitching,” Adams said. “I feel more comfortable pitching.”

Adams completed his senior high school season for Asheboro in the spring, when he was named Pitcher of the Year in the Mid-Piedmont Conference.

Adams, who also plays as an outfielder, hasn’t been able to grip a bat. For the Blue Comets, that reduced his plate appearances, but he still went to the mound.

He said a cortisone shot helped only so much during the high school season. He said the ailment worsened when he dove into a base.

By mid-June, Adams has had a cast on his left hand since surgery, so that took him entirely out of the Post 45 lineup.

“Now he can’t get the glove over his cast,” Post 45 manager Ronnie Pugh said recently.

Adams, 6-foot and 175 pounds, was active in high school. As a junior, in addition to baseball, he participated in track and field as a long jumper and 400-meter runner.

He said he intends to attend Brunswick Community College to play baseball.

He was back on the mound during the past weekend, perhaps a key development for the Randolph County team. A positive aspect of Adams’ injury setbacks could unfold for Post 45.

“It will be a fresh arm whenever he gets back,” Pugh said.

American Legion updates

Post 45 failed to reach the Area 3 playoffs, falling 4-2 to Davidson County Post 8 in Monday night’s must-win game at McCrary Park. That leaves Randolph County in third place in the North Division, with the top two teams advancing.

The Area 3 playoffs begin this week. Post 45 will have a potentially long layoff before it plays in next month’s Southeast Regional, which it qualifies for as the host team.

Post 45 had a two-game winning streak end with Saturday’s 7-3 road loss to High Point Post 87. Brett Smith took the pitching defeat, while Grat Dalton drove in two runs for Randolph County.

That result came a night after Post 45 defeated visiting High Point 7-2 behind Austin Lemons’ pitching and Pierce Leonard’s three runs batted in.

** Liberty Post 81 has missed the Area 3 playoffs, with its season ending with Sunday’s 5-1 loss to Davidson County.

Post 81 (9-12, 1-8 Area 3) ended the season with a nine-game losing streak after not fielding a senior-level team last year.