In a well-played ball game for five innings the wheels came apart for the visitors from Mint Hill at Butler High School in the final two frames.

The Triple Nickel Boys of Summer team had a comfortable 5-2 advantage through the first five innings. However, in the bottom of the sixth inning after two outs, a ground ball to second base took a bad hop causing the ball to bounce off the second basemen’s glove, a miscue on the throw to first base sent the speedy runner all the way to third base. Then followed with the right fielder airmailing a throw to home plate instead of hitting the cutoff and two hits later the score was 5-4 before the final out was recorded.

Mint Hill could not get any insurance runs in the top half of the seventh inning, so their relief pitcher had to close the game with a slim one-run lead. He was not able to close the door after getting a routine out on just three pitches on an infield grounder. The next Matthews batters reached base on a walk and two singles. With the score tied at 5-5, and two outs, another high chopper toward second base, hit the outer edge of the infield diamond grass and skipped into the outfield giving Post 235 the walk off victory.

It seems every time these two local rivals meet on the diamond, they play a tight one run ballgame. Matthews has had the better of Mint Hill coming out on top 3 of the 4 last games played.

Mint Hill scored 4 runs in the third inning to take the lead on a double, 3 singles, 2 base-on-balls and one error committed on a stolen base attempt by a Mint Hill base runner. However, Post 555 gave up 4 unearned runs in the ballgame which led to their defeat in the end. They are going to have to tighten up their defense and play cleaner baseball going forward as it’s early in the season. If they can fix this key factor, and at they certainly have the ability to score runs, with solid pitching it could be a good summer season for the “Boys of Summer.”

Post 555 “Triple Nickel” is now 1-1 on the season, they hit the road this week for two games and will return to Independence High School on Sunday, June 11, at 7:00 pm hosting the Gaston Braves.