With bases load, two outs and a tied ballgame in the bottom of the 12th, Nate Moorhouse hit a 2-2 fastball to bring home the winning run as the Wilmington Sharks snapped Fayetteville’s three-game winning streak Friday night at Buck Hardee Field.
Faytteville’s Teddy Turner and Wilmington’s Beau Dees traded goose eggs though the first three innings, but it was the Sharks who struck first.
Steven Linkous was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the fourth, and moved to second after Moorhouse singled. Linkous stole his 25th base of the season to put him on third and e Cam McRae ripped a 1-2 fastball up the middle for the 1-0 lead.
Dees was in cruise control threw seven innings as the lefty allowed just four hits, and struck out four, while walking one. Will Shepley posted a scoreless eighth, but Fayetteville rallied off of closer Kyler Stout in the ninth as Jason Blum led off with a single and eventually scored from second on a pinch hit base hit by Sam Hall.
The Sharks are at home again Saturday to face the Morehead City Marlins in the final game before the All-Star Game and home run derby in Morehead City on Sunday and Monday.
American Legion playoffs
Wilmington Post 10 will open Area 2 semi-finals play Saturday when it travels to Whiteville for game one of a best-of-five series. Whiteville defeated Brunswick County on Wednesday night to win their series three games to two.
Games two and three between Post 10 and Post 137 will take place at Buck Hardee Field at Legion Stadium on Sunday and Monday night in Wilmington.
Games four and five, if needed, will be played at Whiteville (game four) and Wilmington (game five). Post 10 is seeking to advance to its seventh straight state finals appearance.
