Baldwin(BW) survives back-to-back-to back jacks by McKinney(NWG), Surface(EF) and Ward(EF) as Burlington-Graham grabs win over Kernersville, after Gunn(EG), Thornton(BW) and Sappelt(SA) get cracking

Some of the key names you can look for in this American Legion Post piece with Dallas Baldwin(Burlington Williams), Corey McKinney(NWG), Tyler Surface(East Forsyth), Dylan Ward(East Forsyth), Adam Gunn(Eastern Guilford), Logan Thornton(Burlington Williams), Eddie Sappelt(Southern Alamance) and many more….

from today’s Burlington Times-News on last night’s game where the Burlington-Graham team completed a huge turn-around, to win this contest…..You can catch it all and see it again at, www.thetimes-news.com…..

from Mr. Jerome Richard /The Burlington Times-News

GRAHAM – Take away the first inning and Dallas Baldwin pitched a masterpiece. Shoot,
considering what transpired in the opening frame, Baldwin’s performance was even
more impressive, demonstrating composure and fortitude well beyond that of a typical
16-year-old.
The Burlington-Graham Post 63 pitcher gave up back-to-back-to-back home runs to
start the American Legion game against visiting Kernersville Post 36.
Baldwin settled down after that and held the visitors to a run on three hits as Post
63 claimed a 10-4 victory in the Area III Northern Conference game.
Baldwin, a rising senior at Williams High School, went the distance while striking
out 10 and walking one. He went three-up, three-down in the third, fourth, sixth and
seventh innings. He faced four batters in the fifth, eighth and ninth.
“It was a gutsy performance,” Burlington-Graham manager Johnny Slaughter said.
“Everyone knows the rocky start he had, but he didn’t quit. He got in a groove and
pitched lights out.”
Kernersville’s Tyler Surface jacked the second pitch of the game from Baldwin over
the left-field fence. Dylan Ward followed with a blast to the same general part of
Tom Zachary Field and Corey McKinney capped the onslaught with the third consecutive
homer off Baldwin.
Baldwin didn’t show any emotion or frustration as he continued through the inning.
“I just had to refocus. I knew I had my defense behind me,” Baldwin said. “I tried
to work a little faster after the first inning – get the ball and pitch. (Post 63
coach Ryan Adams) told me to go back out there and forget about it.”
Neither Slaughter nor catcher Avery Booker made a trip to the mound in the first
inning. However, Booker did relay what he told his pitcher in the dugout after the
scoring avalanche.
“I told him we play nine innings out here and that we have a lot of good batters,”
Booker said. “Their surge seemed to fire us up.”
Burlington-Graham (5-5 overall, 4-3 conference) responded in the bottom of the first
with four runs to grab a 4-3 lead. Adam Gunn doubled home Eddie Sappelt before Gunn
scored on a single by John David Slade. Logan Thornton’s homer brought in Slade,
though Kernersville (9-7, 4-5) tied the game at 4-4 in the second.
Post 63 went ahead for good in the fifth, exploding for four runs against reliever
Michael Drye for an 8-4 lead. Evan Friddle singled in two runs and Booker plated a
pair with his second hit of the game.
“I talked to my dad this morning and he said let it go and have fun,” said Booker,
who was 2-for-4. “My two hits weren’t fancy. I was always told to hit the ball where
they ain’t and it worked out.”
Sappelt was 2-for-3 with a double and Dominique Snipes was 2-for-4. Elliott Fowler
and Slade laced doubles for Post 63.
Batters usually have more success after they’ve seen a pitcher once. It was just the
opposite with Kernersville. After its early success against Baldwin, who changed
speeds and had movement on his pitches.
“Their pitcher made some good pitches and we didn’t adjust,” Kernersville manager
Chad Loflin said. “We hit some balls on the nose and they didn’t go anywhere and we
accepted it. I think both teams were sluggish and then they caught fire.”
Speaking of fire, the usually phlegmatic Slaughter had a heated exchange with home
plate umpire Jonathan Watts in the third inning. The Post 63 manager thought a ball
hit by Slade down the first-base line was foul. However, Watts ruled it fair and
Kernersville turned a double play.
Asked if he was arguing the call or just trying to light a fire under his team,
Slaughter deadpanned, “I’m not that smart.”