Kinston Post 43 goes 3-0 this weekend, runs winning streak to six
Kinston Post 43’s Christian Jones hit a sacrifice fly during the first inning of the team’s 14-3 win over Morehead City Post 46 Sunday. Photo by William “Bud” Hardy / Neuse News
By Junious Smith III
Even in the midst of a wild schedule, the good times keep rolling for Kinston Post 43.
The team went 3-0 this weekend after defeating Morehead City Post 46 14-3 Sunday at the Ronnie Battle Baseball Complex at Kinston High School. One day prior, Kinston Post 43 traveled to Hertford County High School to beat Ahoskie Post 102 12-3 and 15-3 in a doubleheader.
Kinston Post 43 will face Morehead City Post 46 again Monday, this time on the road with a chance to extend a six-game winning streak. Overall, Kinston Post 43 is 9-1 and has posted double-digit runs for the eighth time this season.
“It’s been the same thing all year, everyone’s seeing the ball well,” Kinston Post 43 coach Ty Eason said. “From top to bottom, our hits seem to keep rolling and even the bench is seeing the ball well. There’s nothing I can really take credit for.”
In the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, the teams were tied at 2 after one, but Kinston benefitted from an Ahoskie error to take the lead. Malik Dixon’s sacrifice fly in the fourth and a 2-run single from Ethan May an inning later gave Kinston Post 43 a 6-2 lead before the team broke it open with a 6-run sixth, highlighted by a home run and two-RBI single from Dixon.
In the second game, Christian Jones’ 2-run single highlighted a four-run first for Kinston Post 43. Ahoskie Post 102 scored three in the bottom of the frame, but Kinston broke it open with eight in the third, including a Dixon 2-run blast and another 2-run Jones single.
On Sunday, after the teams scored one each in the first, Kinston Post 43 took the lead an inning later after an Austin Joyner RBI triple and Christian Jones sacrifice fly. In the third, Morehead City Post 46 scored a run, but Kinston Post 43 responded with seven, including an RBI double from May and Dixon’s run scoring triple to make the score 10-2. Kinston ended the game in the fifth after a bases-clearing triple from Jon Howard initiated the 10-run mercy rule.
Eason said the team will stay focused as the stretch continues.
“We’re really going to be tested as we get to the bottom of the pen,” Eason said. “We may see position players eat up some innings (Monday) and we’ve got Pitt (County 39) Tuesday, which is going to be our biggest test. Hopefully we keep hitting well, but these guys are giving their all. I commend them for staying on their game and they haven’t been complacent.”
