Liberty Post 81 - Randolph Record

21 Jun

Nine is enough: Post 81 figures out path to success with low numbers

Bob SuttonSportsAmerican Legion baseball, Bryson Marley, Cade McCallum, Chance Holdaway, Eastern Randolph, Liberty Post 81, Nate Cockman

Eastern Randolph rising juniors Cade McCallum, left, and Chance Holdaway have been key players for Liberty Post 81. (Bob Sutton / Randolph Record) RAMSEUR — The victories have started to add up for Liberty Post 81 even if the nightly roster numbers haven’t. But the American Legion baseball team is making the best of the recent situation, winning five games in a row through the weekend. “We’re just barely making it through,” Post 81 player Chance Holdaway said. “Sometimes everybody shows up. Sometimes only nine people show up. We just got to play with what we got.” Liberty has gone…

15 Jun

Post 45 seeks good blend with returners, newcomers

Bob SuttonSportsAmerican Legion baseball, Jackson Hill, Liberty Post 81, Randolph County Post 45, Ronnie Pugh

There’s a different mix in the Randolph County Post 45 dugout this year for American Legion baseball. (P.J. Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – There might be good pieces to the puzzle for Randolph County Post 45’s baseball team. It’s largely a new roster from a year ago, so manager Ronnie Pugh will see how it all comes together after seeing encouraging results during the first stretch of the season. There are players representing numerous high schools in the area and that’s the blend Post 45 will be counting on this summer. “We played against or with each other for…

08 Jun

Post 45 keeps Post 81 in check, pushes win streak to three games

Bob SuttonSportsAmerican Legion baseball, Caleb Coggins, Drew Harmon, Elijah Prince, Jackson Hill, Liberty Post 81, McCrary Park, Nate Cockman, Randolph County Post 45, Sam Gore, Tate Andrews

ASHEBORO — Three Post 45 pitchers combined on a four-hitter in an 8-3 victory against visiting Post 81 on Sunday night at McCrary Park. Drew Harmon pitched five innings, giving up three runs and three hits. Prince and Tate Andrews each threw an inning of shutout relief. Post 45 (5-2) never trailed in notching a third consecutive victory. Caleb Coggins ripped a two-run double to deep center field with the bases loaded in the third. Jackson Hill doubled and scored in the fourth. But Post 81 (0-8) got back in it, courtesy of some fielding blunders, pulling within 5-3 in…

05 Jun

Welcome aboard and welcome back: Willard, Brown boost Post 45 past Post 81

Bob SuttonSportsAmerican Legion baseball, Braxton Walker, Carter Brown, Eli Holland, Ethan Willard, Liberty Post 81, Nate Cockman, Randolph County Post 45, Ronnie Pugh

Ethan Willard (Bob Sutton / Randolph Record) RAMSEUR – Ethan Willard arrived to play with Randolph County Post 45 and Carter Brown is back with the American Legion team. That combination proved big for Post 45 in its first intra-county matchup of the season Wednesday night. Willard belted the game’s first pitch for a home run. After a walk to Jake Riddle, Brown smacked a two-run home run. Those were the key hits to go with six innings of pitching from Braxton Walker in a 5-2 victory against Liberty Post 81 at Eastern Randolph. Willard finished his high school career…

02 Jun

Area American Legion teams fall during disrupted part of schedule

Randolph RecordSportsAmerican Legion baseball, Liberty Post 81, Randolph County Post 45

LEXINGTON — Randolph County Post 45 lost for the first time this season in American Legion baseball with Sunday’s 7-6 setback to host Davidson County Post 8. Randolph County overcame a five-run deficit to pull even before Davidson County scored the final run. Zack Scruggs drove in two runs for Post 45. Tate Andrews, one of four pitchers used, took the loss. The game came after a week off because of weather-related schedule adjustments. Post 45 and Liberty Post 81 have two scheduled meetings during a five-day stretch. There was a scheduled matchup Wednesday night at Eastern Randolph and a…

25 Jun

Stickle stays in groove with Randolph County Post 45

Bob SuttonSportsAmerican Legion baseball, Caleb Stickle, Grat Dalton, Liberty Post 81, Parker Kines, Post 45, Randolph County Post 45, Ronnie Pugh, Trey Kennedy, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

Caleb Stickle, who began the month helping Uwharrie Charter Academy win a state championship, is a key infielder for Randolph County Post 45. (Bob Sutton / Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – Some of the tension might have lessened since the thrilling baseball postseason in high school for Caleb Stickle. But he said he doesn’t want his mindset to change with Randolph County Post 45. Fresh of Uwharrie Charter Academy’s second consecutive Class 1A state championship, he has graduated. Last week, he committed to play for Guilford Tech. “It was getting late,” he said of the desire to lock in a plan.…

18 Jun

American Legion baseball: Post 45 edges Post 81 again in intra-county clash

Bob SuttonSportsAmerican Legion baseball, Caleb Dunn, Liberty Post 81, Nate Cockman, Parker Kines, Pierce Leonard, Post 45, Post 81, Randolph County Post 45, Ronnie Pugh

Post 45 pitcher Parker Kines (Bob Sutton / Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – Parker Kines wasn’t certain he would play American Legion baseball, but it has turned out to be a good thing for him and Randolph County Post 45 so far this season. Kines was on the mound for a strong start as Post 45 topped Liberty Post 81 for the second time in five nights, a 6-4 decision Monday night at McCrary Park. “I wasn’t planning on this,” he said of the summer activity. “But my coach (at Wheatmore) said it would be a good idea.” Kines, a rising…

13 Jun

Results vary for American Legion teams as season heats up

Randolph RecordSportsAmerican Legion baseball, Jayten Beasley, Liberty Post 81, McCrary Park, Post 45, Post 81, Randolph County Post 45, Samuel Asbill

Post 45 and Post 81 are scheduled to meet twice across a five-night period ASHEBORO – There has been a sampling of results for Liberty Post 81 and Randolph County Post 45 through the first few weeks of the American Legion baseball series. It’s about to get serious for these teams with league play picking up after a layoff. Post 81 racked up a 9-3 record through last week. Randolph County checked in at 3-5, though its roster of available players had been limited because of the high school postseason. Randolph County and Liberty meet for the first time since…

21 May

Post 81 returns to action after one-year hiatus in American Legion baseball

Bob SuttonSportsAmerican Legion baseball, Eastern Randolph, Liberty Post 81, Nate Cockman, Post 81, Providence Grove

RAMSEUR – Baseball is back on the top American Legion level for Post 81. The Liberty Post 81 team began the season last week after a one-year hiatus. “With the community involvement, we were able to make it happen,” said Nate Cockman, the head coach. “We took that summer off to get those young guys ready.” With 18 players on board and potentially a couple of more, it’s a foundation that Cockman said he likes even with about half the players coming off their freshman years of high school. “It’s good for the future,” he said. “It’s going to be…