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Cherryville, NC (WNN) - The North Carolina American Legion Baseball State Tournament opened on Saturday, July 26, 2025. There were plenty of activities as a prelude to the tournament held on Friday. The eight teams were paraded through town on firetrucks from the Cherryville Fire Department and Tryonota Volunteer Fire Department. Family, friends, and fans lined the street to welcome their respective teams. The players and coaching staffs were treated to a wonderful banquet, followed by an American Legion Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Across the street at Fraley Field, a home run derby took place around 7:30 pm. The contest was won by Jessen Copeland of Union County Post 535. Copeland is a recent 2025 graduate of Sun Valley High School.
Game one featured Area IV powerhouse, Asheville Post 70, taking on scrappy Area III runner-up, Rowan County Post 342. Asheville powered their way through the Area IV regular season and playoffs to win both titles. They entered the tournament with a record of 25-2. Their last state playoff appearance was in 1929. Rowan County has posted a record of 26-8 for first-year head coach, Seth Graham. Post 342’s last state playoff title was in 2016, which they went on to win the Southeast Regional and finished as runner-up in the American Legion World Series. They have reached the ALWS four times.
Players from Asheville Post 70 meeting at the mound - Day 1 - Legion Senior Tournament - Fraley Field - Cherryville, NC - July 26th, 2025
Mason Beam (WNN)
Deegan Randall began the game by setting down Rowan’s first three batters in order. IN their turn at bat, Asheville will go up 3-0 early. Jordan, then Kolt Nelson hits into a fielder’s choice, Evan Connor then doubles to left field, Caden Davidson grounds out to Eli Graham at shortstop, Connor scores on the play, Mica Simpson drills the first homerun of the tournament, Carson Wallace singles, then steals second, but is left stranded when Luke Nesbitt strikes out swinging. Asheville adds to their lead in the bottom half of the second on a walk by Regen Smith, a single from Grant Buchanan, and Smith scores on a passed ball. Kolt Nelson’s line drive to center scores Buchanan. Asheville seemed to be in cruise control up 5-0.
Post 70's #2 Carson Wallace stepping up to bat - Day 1 - Legion Senior Tournament - Fraley Field - Cherryville, NC - July 26th, 2025
Mason Beam (WNN)
Rowan County shows their fortitude and their never-say-die attitude in the top of the third. Cam Williamson starts the rally, singling to left field. After a strikeout out Gaige Scruggs also hits a base hit to left, Cole Blevins gets in on the fun with a single to center field that loads the bases with only one out. Rowan County gets on the scoreboard as Marshall Faw hits a single to center field. Carter Durant joins in on the hit parade, sending one to right field that sees Scruggs and Blevins both touch home. Runners are on first and third with one out. Post 342 is looking for more. After Brice Knox goes down swinging, a balk is called on pitcher Deegan Randall, allowing Faw to get a free pass home. Luke Ponczka’s double ties the game as Durant crosses the plate, score is 5-5. A groundout ends the inning.
Chase Fisher relieves Connor Park to take the mound as the bottom of the third begins. Fisher retires Asheville for a scoreless inning. As the fourth begins, Eli Graham gets his first hit of the day on a one-out line drive to left field, Cole Blevins hits a two-out double that drives in Graham as Rowan has their first lead of the day, 6-5. At the halfway point of the game, the fans have certainly gotten their money’s worth in a whale of a game.
Post 342's #1 Eli Graham making it to first - Day 1 - Legion Senior Tournament - Fraley Field - Cherryville, NC - July 26th, 2025
Mason Beam (WNN)
The Cardinals of Asheville open the game with a big turn at bat. Regan Smith got the fuse lit with a single, Grant Buchanan Kolt Nelson walked, Caden Davidson walked, a wild pitch scores Buchanan, Mica Simpson walked, Carson Wallace got a base hit, Luke Nesbitt singles, then is caught stealing to end the inning, but not before retaking the lead on a score of 11-6.
Will Rowan County be able to answer back? Brice Knox draws a one-out walk to begin the fifth inning; he goes to second on a passed ball. Luke Ponczka singles to left field, Drew Pegram walked to load the bases with one out. A run comes in when Cam Williamson is hit by a pitch, Ponczka scores on Eli Graham’s sacrifice grounder, followed by Gaige Scruggs' single to right field, Williamson is caught stealing home; however, Rowan has clawed back to within two runs, score 11-9.
Post 342's #9 Cameron Williamson batting - Day 1 - Legion Senior Tournament - Fraley Field - Cherryville, NC - July 26th, 2025
Mason Beam (WNN)
Corbin Hales sits Asheville down in order and we head to the sixth. Rowan continued to chip away in their bid for an upset. Cole Blevins went to first on a line drive to center field, Marshall Faw sends Blevins to third on his right field single, Carter Durant plates Blevins on his base hit, Brice Knox’s sacrifice bunt, and Ponczka’s fielder’s choice ties the game at 11-11 before a ground out sends it to the bottom of the inning.
Brant Graham comes in to pitch for Rowan County. He gets Kolt Nelson to hit into a ground out, Evan Conner and Caden Davidson both single, Mica Simpson is intentionally walked, Carson Wallace grounds out, allowing Conner to score and give the lead back to Asheville 12-11. Luke Nesbitt’s groundout closes out the frame.
The final frame begins with Asheville three outs away from winning game one, and Rowan County having three outs in which to make up one run. Rowan was unable to get a base runner and fell just short in a heartbreaking loss to Asheville. Unfortunately, only one of these teams could win after such an exciting, hard-fought game. Rowan County scored 11 runs on 14 hits and made no errors. They will play in an elimination game on Sunday at 10 am. Asheville scored 12 runs on 11 hits and made no errors. They will play on Sunday at 4 pm.
Game two saw Garner Post 232 square off against Wilmington Post 10. The Nationals of Garner came in with a record of 24-2, and Wilmington weighed in at 19-7. Camden Croom leads off the game with a double on a fly ball to left field, Tanner Berry added a single, and when Harrison Mears reached on an error by the first baseman, Croom scores, giving Wilmington the first lead of the game, 1-0. A double play ends the scoring.
Post 10's # 12 Harrison Mears batting - Day 1 - Legion Senior Tournament - Fraley Field - Cherryville, NC - July 26th, 2025
Mason Beam (WNN)
Garner comes back to tie the game after John Lupienski hits a two-out single and is then driven in by Cole Norris’s line drive double. John Mason doubles leading off the second, two strikeouts follow, then Mason steals third, but a third strikeout leaves him stranded. Wilmington pitcher, Evan Coartney, goes 1,2,3 to close out the second.
Wilmington began to put some distance between them and the Nationals as the third got underway. TJ Ziermann singles, Camden Croom doubles, runners are on second and third base with no outs. Tanner Berry rips a double to right field that scores Ziermann and Croom. Harrison Mears strikes out, Dylan Welch is next up at bat, and on his single to left field, Berry scores when the throw in is off target. Two fielders’ choices follow, with the score Wilmington 4-1 over Garner Nationals.
Carrick Ryan’s left field double is all that Garner can manage in the third. After three complete innings, the score remains 4-1. Momentum started to swing in favor of Garner in the bottom of the fourth. Cole Norris hit a fly ball base hit to left field, Hayden Fones and Jace Jones both walked, bases loaded, no outs. Landon Berry singled to center field, scoring Norris. Bases remained loaded, and still no outs. Hayden Fones goes home on a passed ball; the bases are once again loaded after Ajay Rychcik walks. Lucas Pruden sacrifices, scoring Jones. Aiden Taylor attempts to hit a sacrifice fly, but it is not deep enough for the runners to tag and advance. Carrick Ryan pops out for third, after four innings, the score is tied at 4-4.
Post 232's #2 Carrick Ryan batting - Day 1 - Legion Senior Tournament - Fraley Field - Cherryville, NC - July 26th, 2025
Mason Beam (WNN)
The bottom of the fifth has things still going in favor of Garner. John Lupienski leads off with a walk, Cole Norris delivers a ground ball to left field, an error by the pitcher places Hayden Fones. Lupienski is safe at home on a fielder’s choice, Norris is called out on an appeal at home. Garner leads 5-4 after five complete innings. The sixth inning began slowly for Wilmington, then exploded. William Jones is hit by a pitch with one out, then Jake Jeffrey strikes out, now with two outs, back-to-back walks are issued to TJ Ziermann and Nate Carmack. Camden Croom launches a double that scores Jones and Carmack.
Tanner Berry is then hit by a pitch; a successful double steal puts runners at second and third. Harrison Mears clears the bases as he hits the tournament’s second homerun on a three-run shot over the left field wall. As the top of the inning concludes, Wilmington has taken control, 10-5.
Carrick Ryan leads off the bottom of the seventh inning with a walk, and John Lupienski doubles on a fly ball to center field. Ryan scores off a single to center field by Cole Norris, runners are at first and third with no outs, Hayden Fones hits the game’s second homerun, a three-run shot over right field to pull Garner to within one run, with no outs.
Post 232's #17 John Lupienski batting - Day 1 - Legion Senior Tournament - Fraley Field - Cherryville, NC - July 26th, 2025
Mason Beam (WNN)
Could there be an improbable comeback? Unfortunately for Garner, the answer was no. A ground out, and a fly out, followed by a strike out would end the dramatic rally. Once again, another exciting game. Sadly, yet another heartbreaking loss for a team. Wilmington Post 10 scored 10 runs on 9 hits and made 1 error. Garner Nationals Post 232 scored 9 runs on 9 hits and made 1 error. Wilmington will play on Sunday at 7:30 pm, and Garner will drop to the elimination bracket and play on Sunday at 1 pm.
Two very exciting close games thus far, will game 3 follow suit? Pitt County Post 39 came into the game riding a four-game winning streak with an overall record of 17-5. Beulaville Post 511 entered with an overall record of 12-4, going 8-2 in their last 10 games.
Rahkeem Williams leads off the game with a line drive to center field for a single, Tate Pinner lays down a sacrifice bunt, and back-to-back walks of Camden Wilson and Colby Jones load the bases with only one out. Ethan Simmons strikes out. A balk is called to advance all three runners, resulting in a score for Pitt County. Rycker Butcher strikes out. In the bottom of the first, Eli Avent hits a fly ball to center field that falls in for a base hit. He advances to second on a wild pitch. Gage Howard grounds out, followed by a strikeout from Jake Howard. An error from the first baseman allows Austin Clements to reach first safely. Avent takes advantage and scores. Beulaville leads 1-1.
Post 39's #1 Rahkeem Williams getting ready to bat - Day 1 - Legion Senior Tournament - Fraley Field - Cherryville, NC - July 26th, 2025
Mason Beam (WNN)
Jaiden Floyd and Max Mason open the second with walks but are left stranded after a pop-up and two strikeouts. A two-out walk puts Blayden Pridgen on base for Beulaville. Eli Avent again singles to center field, Gage Howard lines to right field for a base hit that scores Prigden on the throw. After two innings, Beulaville leads 2-1. Camden Wilson lines a double to right field to lead off the top of the third inning, and he scores on Colby Jones’ right field single. Ethan Simmons goes down swinging, Rycker Butcher is walked, and Jones scores on an error by the catcher. Jaiden Floyd singles to the shortstop but is stranded after the next two batters strike out. After three innings, 3-2.
Tate Pinner hits a hard grounder to left field for a one-out single. He scores on Colby Jones’ base hit, Jones takes 2nd on the throw. A groundout results in the third out. Score is 4-2, Pitt County. Rycker Butcher leads off the fifth inning with a line drive base hit up the middle, and he advances to second before Jaiden Floyd strikes out. Max Mason walks, followed by Butcher going to third on a passed ball. Mason steals second, and Butcher scores. Chase White is hit by a pitch; Rahkeem Williams’s bunt single loads the bases with one out. Tate Pinner’s sacrifice fly allows Mason to score. After a groundout, the score was 6-2.
Gage Howard leads off the bottom of the sixth with a hit back to the pitcher, and the next two batters ground out and strike out. Cole Jarman takes a walk; he and Howard score off a line drive double from Henry Bass. Reed Davis is hit by a pitch but is left on base after Christian Coples grounds out. Score 6-4. Beulaville continues to chip away at the score as the bottom of the sixth begins. There is one out when Eli Avent launches a line drive double into left field, and he scores on a hard-hit ground ball by Gage Howard. On the throw home, Howard takes second. A ground out and a line out leave the score at 6-5.
Pitt County is unable to score in the top of the seventh. Cole Jarman walks to begin the bottom of the seventh, and he is replaced by pinch runner Noah Rouse. Henry Bass also gets walked, runners at first and second with no outs. Reed Davis strikes out looking. Christian Coples drives in Rouse on a hard-hit single, and Bass is thrown out at third. 6-6 score with two outs and runner on second. Blayden Pridgen singles, placing the potential winning run on third base with two outs. Eli Avent has a full count when Pridgen steals second. The next pitch is a foul tip caught by the catcher, sending the game into extra innings.
Post 511's #22 Cole Jarman getting ready to bat - Day 1 - Legion Senior Tournament - Fraley Field - Cherryville, NC - July 26th, 2025
Mason Beam (WNN)
Colby Jones leads off the top of the eighth with a pop-out to left field. Ethan Simmons is hit by a pitch, Rycker Butcher hits a hard grounder that the third baseman has trouble fielding, and reaches on the error. Simmons scores when Jaiden Floyd hits a line drive base hit to center field. Max Mason grounds into a fielder’s choice, Chase White hits a two-run hard shot to center to take a 9-6 lead. Rahkeem Williams walks. Tate Pinner grounds out to end the at-bat, Pitt County leads 9-6.
Beulaville is down to their last 3 outs. Gage Howard lines out to left field, Jake Howard walks, Austin Clements strikes out, now there are two away as Noah Rouse steps to the plate, he hits a hard infield single. Henry Bass takes a turn at bat, and he pops out to second base, end of game. Pitt County scored 9 runs on 12 hits and made 3 errors. They will play on Sunday against Asheville at 4 pm. Beulaville scored 6 runs on 11 hits and committed 3 errors. They will play on Sunday in the elimination bracket at 10 am against Rowan County.
Three very close and exciting games thus far. A good-sized crowd is beginning to fill up the stadium to see the nightcap showcasing Union County Post 535 taking on the host team, Cherryville Post 100. If the first three games are any indication, this should be an entertaining and exciting game as well. The opening ceremony was cancelled due to excessive heat. The temperatures should be much more bearable for this game, as it is getting a later start due to the length of previous games.
Fans getting ready for Post 535 vs Post 100 - Day 1 - Legion Senior Tournament - Fraley Field - Cherryville, NC - July 26th, 2025
Mason Beam (WNN)
Cherryville was the designated visiting team for this game. Union City starting pitcher Drew Fletcher got the first three batters out to start the game. Post 100 starting pitcher Kellen Karr sets down Union County in order. Tucker Sigmon leads off the second with a double that skipped right over the third base bag. Landon Jenkins walked, following Talon Dalton’s strikeout. Zane Williams works a walk, Eli Black is hit by a pitch, which forces in Sigmon for the first run. Eli Webb singles, Jenkins scores; however, two runners end up on third base, and Black is tagged out. Nate Rollins flies out to right field, not before Cherryville takes a 2-0 lead.
Post 100's #7 Kellen Karr pitching - Day 1 - Legion Senior Tournament - Fraley Field - Cherryville, NC - July 26th, 2025
Mason Beam (WNN)
Kellen Karr continues to throw smoke as he retires the next three batters. Through two innings, he has faced the minimum number of hitters and has three strikeouts. Preston Henson slams a stand-up triple off the left field wall, Evan Matile walks, followed by Tucker Sigmon grounding into a double play; however, it scores Henson. Landon Jenkins flies out in foul territory, Cherryville leads 3-0.
B. Harrington hits a fly ball to center field that falls in for a single. Jessen Copeland singles to shortstop, and G. Slusher follows up with a single to load the bases. Karr no longer has the control he had in the early innings. Karr strikes out Lerch, Nichols hits a two-run double that scores two, and Robert Jackson knocks a standup double off the left center field wall to give Union County a 4-3 lead. Jacob Orloski pops up to first, and Christian Pawl is hit by a pitch. Ramirez walks to load the bases with two outs. Eli Newsome comes in from the bullpen. A pick-off attempt at first goes wide and scores a run. Copeland hits a two-run single after three complete, Union County leads 7-3.
New Union County pitcher, Thomas Mellor, gets Post 100 three up and three down. At the plate, Lerch singles a bouncer, and Nichols walks. Tyler Gates comes in in relief of Newsome on the mound. He gets all three batters he faces out, with some help from great defensive plays by Henson. Union County still leads 7-3 after four complete innings.
Cherryville explodes for 8 runs after getting two outs. Evan Matile was hit by a pitch, four singles by Sigmon, Jenkins, Williams, Black, and Webb, a walk by Dalton, and a huge stand-up triple by Nate Rollins. Post 100 has the lead 11-7.
Post 100's Evan Matile predicting a ball - Day 1 - Legion Senior Tournament - Fraley Field - Cherryville, NC - July 26th, 2025
Mason Beam (WNN)
Post 535 tries to answer. Ramirez is it by a pitch, Ben Harrington gets an infield single off the foot of Gates, after that, Tyler Gates strikes out two batters and gets Alex Lerch to hit an out to second base.
Cherryville attempts to add some insurance runs in the top of the sixth. Evan Matile is hit by a pitch for the second time tonight, Tucker Sigmon drills a stand-up double, Landon Jenkins is hit in the back by a pitch, Dalton and Williams both sacrifice, and then a strikeout by Eli Black ends the scoring. Cherryville extends the lead to 13-7. Union County fails to score in the bottom of the sixth.
Eli Webb leads off the seventh with a walk, Nate Rollins lays down a perfect bunt that he beats out for an infield single, a wild pitch advances the runners, Preston Henson walks to fill up the bases, Matile hits a ground ball that bounces off the pitcher’s mound into the glove of the shortstop that steps on second and throws to first for a double play.
Post 100's #8 Nate Rollins batting - Day 1 - Legion Senior Tournament - Fraley Field - Cherryville, NC - July 26th, 2025
Mason Beam (WNN)
Tucker Sigmon flies out, but Webb can still score before the double play is completed. Cherryville goes to the bottom of the seventh up 14-7. Trying to mount a comeback, Ben Harrington walks, Jessen Copeland grounds into a fielder’s choice, Grayson Slusher gets an infield single, Alex Lerch strikes out, Nichols sneaks one just inside the baseline, Robert gets a base hit and adds another run, pinch hitter base hits to load the bases. Score is 14-9, bases loaded with 2 outs.
Christian Pawl swings at strike three, but the catcher cannot handle it, and a run scores, and a wild pitch scores yet another run. Ryan Ramirez hits a single to score another run. Ben Harrington launches one to deep left field, Tyler Gates gets under it for out number three, and holds onto a 14-12 win. Cherryville scored 14 runs on 10 hits and made 1 error; they will play Sunday night at 7:30 pm against Wilmington.
Union County scored 12 runs, off 14 hits, and made 3 errors. They will play Sunday at 1 pm against Garner in an elimination game.
NC American Legion Senior Bracket Through Day 1
Post 100 - WNN
An exciting opening day, there are many more baseball games left to play over the next four days. Please be aware of the heat advisories this week, drink plenty of liquids, wear sunscreen, and stay in the shade if possible. Come out and support these young men and cheer on your favorite team.
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