Sports

Castle Hayne (Port City) Post 545 Wins Their First American Legion Juniors NC State Championship, Cherryville Post 100 are Runners-up

State champions Castle Hayne (Port City) Post 545 | N.C. American Legion Baseball Junior State Championship Tournament | Cherryville Post 100 vs Castle Hayne Post 545 | July 21, 2026

Mason Beam (WNN)

Posted Tuesday, July 21, 2026 8:08 pm

By: Roger Sigmon - Wise News Network

Cherryville, NC (WNN) - Hot Hot Hot, was both the weather and the on-field action as Castle Hayne (Port City) Post 545 captured their first ever NC State American Legion Baseball Championship on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, in Cherryville, NC. All ten games, over four days, provided plenty of action and excitement. Fans who braved the heat were treated to stellar performances and given a glimpse of future senior-division action in the next few seasons. The Junior division, once known as “B” teams, has come into its own, creating another level of premium amateur youth baseball. Juniors have breathed new life into the American Legion Baseball program, creating a low-cost alternative to travel teams within the nation’s oldest youth baseball program.

Tournament Results

American Legion NC State Junior Tournament - Game 1 - Shelby #82 vs Wilson #13 - Memorial Stadium - July 18, 2026

Mason Beam (WNN)

Action began on Saturday, July 18, with Shelby Post 82 and Wilson Post 13 taking the field. Wilson was victorious in that game, 6-2, and sent Shelby to the elimination round. In game 2, Castle Hayne defeated Beaufort County (Washington) Post 15 by a score of 13-2. Beaufort County was also relegated to the elimination bracket. Host Cherryville Post 100 won over Beaufort Post 99 in a lopsided 16-4 game 3. Game 4 was the first true elimination game of the tournament, with Shelby eliminating Beaufort in a dominating 15-6 game. In game 5, Cherryville eliminated Beaufort County 9-6. Castle Hayne handed Wilson their first loss in game 6 by winning 8-2. The semifinal round began with the elimination of the first of the final four teams, Wilson, as Shelby continued marching through the elimination bracket, winning 12-3. Game 8 was a matchup of two undefeated teams, Cherryville and Castle Hayne, with Castle Hayne remaining undefeated as they won 11-5. Castle Hayne advanced to the Championship round, leaving rivals Shelby and Cherryville to square off for the fourth time this season.

Game 9 Cherryville vs Shelby

N.C. American Legion Baseball Junior State Championship Tournament | Cherryville Post 100 vs Castle Hayne Post 545 | July 21, 2026

Mason Beam (WNN)

This was by far the most unusual game of the tournament. Both teams had already played a game earlier in the day and would now come face to face with their seasons on the line. The winner would advance to play for the Championship, and the other would have their season end with a third-place finish. Due to the way the bracket was drawn, Cherryville was the designated visitors. The top of the first inning looked as if Cherryville could not be stopped. They pulled off a very rare feat: they sent 13 batters to the plate in the opening half-inning, yet that was not the remarkable part. Each of the first 9 hitters scored a run before the first out was recorded. By the third out, Post 100 had a commanding 9-0 lead, and Post 82 had yet to bat. Most teams would have considered second game fatigue and heat to be too much to overcome with such a big hole and would have packed it in. Shelby is not like most teams. They were determined their season would not end, at least not that easily. It took 3 pitchers before they could slow down the Cherryville bats. Hudson Rhodes provided that answer for Shelby as he did not allow Cherryville to score another run until the 6th inning. His teammates kept chipping away a little each inning. They scored 1 in the first, 4 in the third, 2 in the fourth, and 1 in the fifth. Suddenly, it was a 9-8 ball game heading into the sixth inning. Post 100 added 1 in the sixth to pull ahead 10-8. That lone run would prove to be crucial in Cherryville’s season. Shelby added 2 runs at the bottom of the seventh to force an improbable extra-inning game.

Bryson Ciaschini came in to relieve Rhodes after he maxed out his pitch count. He and the Shelby defense turned in a stellar performance in the eighth and ninth innings. Cherryville had bases loaded each time, yet produced 0 runs. Post 100 finally found their bats again in the top of the tenth as they scored 11 runs on 8 hits. Shelby was unable to counter this time, falling 21-10 in 10 innings. Bryson Lamacchia was a big contributor for Post 100 as he went 3-5, scoring 3 runs and 2 RBIs. Bradyn Bass was huge at the plate as well; he went 4-6, scored 2 runs, and had 1 RBI. Canon Whitesides was no slouch either, with a 4-7 performance, 1 run scored, and 3 RBIs. Isaac Shires went 3-7, scored a run, and had 2 RBIs. He had the only grand slam in the tournament the previous day. Gracen Walker added 3 hits, scoring a run and 2 RBIs. Shelby made sure Cherryville had to earn this game.

Game 10 Championship Tuesday

Championship Tuesday had Castle Hayne Post 545 (3-0) pitted against Cherryville Post 100 (2-1). Post 545 needed one win, and Post 100 would need two victories to claim the title. The biggest questions surrounding this matchup were whether the extra game and 3 extra innings would have left Cherryville exhausted, and whether there would be enough pitching depth if the tournament went the full 11 games.

N.C. American Legion Baseball Junior State Championship Tournament | Cherryville Post 100 vs Castle Hayne Post 545 | July 21, 2026

Mason Beam (WNN)

Both teams were ready, and most of the game was a pitching duel. After a 21-run, 25-hit performance the previous evening, Cherryville was held to only 2 runs and 7 hits, thanks in part to Castle Hayne starting pitcher, Jones Stainback. The game was scoreless through 5 innings. It looked as if the team to score first would win. Post 545 broke the 0-0 deadlock in the top of the sixth as Davis Hendren blasted a 3-run homer, and 2 more runs were added to put Castle Hayne up 5-0. Cherryville answered with a 2-run double off the bat of Bradyn Bass that scored Coleman Shafer and Ethan Johnsen. Post 545 added 4 more runs in the seventh to preserve a 9-2 victory and claim the 2026 American Legion NC State Juniors Champion. They finished the tournament undefeated at 4-0, and Cherryville’s runners-up performance left them with a tournament record of 3-2. The Cherryville Post 100 Jrs. finish the 2026 season with a record of 18-7, an Area IV Championship, and as NC State Runners-up.

American Legion NC Junior State Tournament Photo Gallery

N.C. American Legion Baseball Junior State Championship Tournament | Cherryville Post 100 vs Castle Hayne Post 545 | July 21, 2026

State champions Castle Hayne (Port City) Post 545 | N.C. American Legion Baseball Junior State Championship Tournament | Cherryville Post 100 vs Castle Hayne Post 545 | July 21, 2026