Coach Jeff Hewitt's squad began a new season on Thursday with a lineup that included six starters from last year's freshmen loaded team. One of the newcomers, left-handed pitcher Andrew MacDonald, allowed just one hit in the 17-0 home victory over Terry Sanford.
The game ended after the top of the fifth because of the 10-run mercy rule.
"What I see as a coach," Hewitt said after the game, "is a group that was a little nervous and a little afraid to say, do or ask anything last year. Now it's a group that's leading the new guys. They waited their turn. That's kind of the point we've gotten to."
Justin Richardson was one of four members of the Pinecrest High School team that shared the Mid-Southeastern Conference title with Scotland County in the lineup for Post 72. He started a four-run first inning with a solid single to left field. Trace Allard knocked in two of the runs with a looping single in the same direction. Chais Beloso capped the rally with a long two-run homer, also to left.
A sacrifice fly by Richardson and singles by Beloso and John Luebke drove in the three second-inning runs that made it 7-0. The overmatched Terry Sanford squad had to call on four different pitchers to quell a major Post 72 uprising in the bottom of the third.
Jay Parkin got the big inning started with a single to center. When Luc Oullette dropped down a sacrifice bunt, Parkin never stopped running as the out was made at first. He scored on the ensuing errant throw from first to third.
Oullette later had a two-run single as 14 men came to bat in the inning. Other hits in the frame were by Richardson, Allard, Ethan Klingenschmidt and Chase Blake. Blake's long double to the base of the right-field fence drove in two runs.
Terry Sanford's only hit of the evening was a double into the left-field corner by Peter Yusakat in the third after a walk to Zack Boyd. Strong relays by left fielder Richardson and shortstop Oullette kept Boyd at third, preserving the shutout.
Andrew MacDonald struck out five, walked three and hit one batter. Hewitt likes the assortment of pitches that MacDonald has at his command.
"Andrew does a great job of keeping his fastball away and it's got a good runaway from a right-handed hitter," Hewitt said. "Then we come back with his curve ball and we're working three pitches. In the late innings, his change up also looked good."
The Post 72 Diamond tacked on a final run in the fourth on a walk to Joey Grady, a single by Taylor MacDonald and a double into the left-field corner by Scott Dannelley.
"We used everybody on the bench tonight," Hewitt said. "I was pleased with everybody's at bats."
The Diamond traveled to Terry Sanford on Friday.
Their next home game is on Sunday at 7 p.m. against the Hope Mills Boosters. Aberdeen Post 72 is not fielding a senior Legion team this year.
R H E
Terry Sanford 0 0 0 0 0 -- 0 1 2
Aberdeen Post 72 4 3 9 1 X -- 17 14 0
Lapman, Davis (3), Graham (3), Anderson (4) and Heine, Graham (4); A. MacDonald and Dannelley; WP -- A. McDonald LP -- Lapman; Leading hitters: (TS) P. Yusakat 1-2, 2B (AB) Richardson 2-2, 2 RBIs, 2 runs, Allard 2-2, 3 RBIs, 2 runs, Beloso 2-2, HR, 4 RBIs, 2 runs.
