Kinston Post 43 walked down Carteret Legion
KINSTON – Bunting can be a game-changer in baseball. Kinston Post 43's head coach, Ty Eason, knows this all too well, as his team secured their second consecutive victory with a walk-off bunt.
Kinston Post 43 clinched a dramatic 5-4 walk-off victory over Carteret Legion in a nail-biting finish on Tuesday, all thanks to a crucial bunt from Gage Howard.
The game was played out on a summer afternoon and was tied at four-all as Kinston Post 43 came up to bat in the bottom of the seventh inning. In a moment that had spectators on their feet, Howard stepped up to the plate with a 0-1 count and delivered a single, driving in teammate Ricky Cooke for the game-winning run.
Carteret Legion had gained an early advantage with a three-run tally in the first inning, led by RBI contributions from Jacob Nelson and Blain Norris. Nelson himself drove in one with a triple, setting the tone for the game.
Despite this, the Kinston Post 43 team remained resilient and managed to pull off a come-from-behind victory. Cooke earned the win for Kinston, allowing zero runs on a single hit over one and two-thirds innings. His solid performance included two strikeouts and zero walks.
Carteret Legion's Eli Jenkins absorbed the loss, surrendering two runs on three hits over two-thirds of an inning. Ryland Howell started the game for Carteret Legion, lasting six innings, striking out 11 but allowing three hits and three runs.
Leading the charge for Post 43 were Hunter Coloumbe, Tyler Sears, Todd Smith, Drew Sweet, Braden Burress, and the game hero Gage Howard, each contributing with one hit.
Speaking after the match, Kinston Post 43 head coach Ty Eason praised the team's spirit and camaraderie, hailing the crucial contributions from young players such as Howard and lauding Tyler Sears for his late-game impact.
"Our pitching had been very solid through week one, which I anticipated being a big question mark for us," Eason said. "Overall, it's a really fun group that rides highs and lows well to stick out seven tough innings at a time."
Eason also lauded the efforts of 8th-grader Reed Davis for his intelligent defensive play, saying it was a "pure showing of baseball IQ, and being ready when the ball comes."
This game marks the third of the season, moving Kinston Post 43 to a 2-1 record. The team began the season with a close 7-6 win against Jacksonville before succumbing to a 10-7 loss against Wayne Post 11. With their latest victory, Post 43 is looking to build momentum as the summer season progresses.
