Beau Callahan (Elkin HS ‘23) successfully steals second base for Post 123.
DOBSON — The Foothills Senior Legion Team didn’t go down without a fight in its Area III Tournament Series against Mocksville Post 174.
Post 123 trailed for the better part of five innings in Game Three, which was hosted at Surry Central High School on July 11. A 3-run performance in the bottom of the fifth inning put the Foothills seniors ahead for the first time at 4-2. However, Post 174 bounced back and scored four runs over the next two innings – including three runs in the top of the seventh – to come away with the 6-4 victory.
The fourth-seeded Foothills team won the opening game of the best 2-of-3 series by shutting out Mocksville 4-0. Post 123 only allowed one hit while picking up eight of their own. Mason Howell (West Stokes High School ‘22) got the win on the mound by throwing 10 strikeouts in four innings, then Brady Edmonds (Surry Central HS ‘22) threw three innings and struck out four batters.
Post 174 kept the series alive by defeating Post 123 6-5 in a 10-inning thriller that featured a combined 23 hits. A 2-2 game through seven innings, Mocksville and Foothills each scored once in the eighth inning and twice in the ninth. Post 174 forced a Game Three with a 10th-inning walk-off.
Mocksville came out swinging in the win-or-go-home game. With just one out on the board, Post 174’s Dan Loyd hit a solo home run out of left field in the top of the first inning. Mocksville added two singles with a strikeout thrown by Styles Geramita (Carlisle School, Va. ‘23) sandwiched in-between, and then Post 123 escaped without any further damage.
The visitors put another runner on base in the top of the second inning, but this one was thrown out attempting to steal second by Foothills catcher Reece Hagwood (Elkin HS ‘23). Logan Dowell (Mount Airy HS ‘22) made the tag, then Edmonds forced a ground out with a throw to Ethan Ball (West Stokes HS ‘22) that ended the inning.
Hagwood had Foothills’ only hit of the first two innings in the bottom of the second. He sent a hard ground ball between third and short, then took advantage of a fielding error in left field to go to second base. Hagwood moved to third when Beau Callahan (Elkin HS ‘23) flied out, but was left on base at the end of the inning.
Four consecutive singles by Post 174 led to the team’s second run. Mocksville even had two runners on base when Tristen Mason (East Surry HS ‘22) caught a pop fly for out No. 3 in the top of the third.
Post 123 was able to mount some offense in the bottom of the third after going down two runs. Carson Willoughby (East Surry HS ‘21) was walked with two outs, then advanced to second when a pick-off attempt hit the dirt and sailed into right field. Mason scored his former Cardinal teammate with a hit to left field.
Foothills didn’t have any problems connecting with Mocksville pitches, which was apparent given Post 174 didn’t strike out a Post 123 player until the bottom of the sixth. However, the Foothills seniors struggled to find holes in Mocksville’s defense.
Even when Post 123 did get a runner on base, it seemed like it always came with two outs already on the board.
This all changed in the bottom of the fifth inning. Daniel Shearin (Grayson County HS, Va. ‘22) led off with a stand-up double, then was moved to third on a bunt from Landon Jackson (Elkin HS ‘21). Jackson also beat the throw to first to put runners on the corners.
Willoughby brought Shearin in for the score by taking Post 174’s first pitch and sending it to left field. Jackson advanced to third on the throw home, and Willoughby moved to second at the same time.
Mason flied out on a hit down the third-base line. Jackson tagged up and beat the throw home to give Foothills a 3-2 advantage – the home team’s first lead of the game. Dowell extended the lead to 4-2 with an RBI single that scored Willoughby.
Mocksville cut into the Foothills lead in the sixth to make it a one-run game. The Post 174 leadoff doubled, moved to third on a ground out and ran home on another ground out.
Callahan got on base in the bottom of the seventh with a chance to extend the lead, but three quick outs left the score at 4-3.
Willoughby took over on the mound for Post 123 in the seventh. Mocksville’s first batter was walked after facing a full count. While many of the home fans clamored that Willoughby’s pitch warranted strike three, the umpires sent the batter to first for a base on balls.
The next batter was Loyd, who was 3-for-3 on the night with a home run and two singles. A similar situation saw the batter face a full count, but this time strike three was called and the first out was put on the scoreboard.
Post 174’s Ryan Thiel picked up a hit to right field that sent his teammate around second and headed to third. An error getting the ball back to the infield allowed the runner to score the game-tying run, while also allowing Thiel to reach third. The next batter was hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners.
Post 123 had a chance to escape the inning with a tie after Jackson Sink hit a ground ball to the middle infield. Foothills tagged second and attempted to throw to first for a double play, but the throw missed the mark allowing Thiel to score and Sink to reach second. The next batter hit an RBI single to score Sink and make it 6-4 in the visitors’ favor.
Down but not out, Post 123 went to bat needing two runs to force another extra-inning game.
Shearin faced a full count and was walked, then Jackson struck out with a full count. Willoughby was walked as well to join Zach Bryant (North Surry HS ‘21), who was running for Shearin, on base. Both runners moved to scoring position on a ground out, then a strikeout ended the game.
Mocksville Post 174 advances in the Area III Tournament and will face the No. 1-seeded Rowan County team in the next round.
Post 123’s season ends with a 14-6 overall record.
Scoring
Mocksville Post 174 – 1, 0, 1, 0, 0, 1, 3 = 6
Foothills Post 123 – 0, 0, 1, 0, 3, 0, 0 = 4