Wayne County Post 11 needed a few extra at-bats to reach another milestone in program history Wednesday evening.
Landon Sutton certainly won’t forget it.
The rising junior at Wayne Country Day delivered the game-clinching, walk-off single in the bottom of the 11th inning to cap an 8-7 victory over Louisburg and seal Post 11’s 1,000th win on the baseball diamond.
According to available North Carolina Senior American Legion historian records, Wayne County is the ninth team to accomplish the feat.
Post 11 rallied from two-run deficits in the bottom of the eighth and ninth innings to forge a 7-7 deadlock.
Neither team scored in the 10th.
Wayne County reliever Jason Jenkins issued a lead-off single to start the Louisburg 11th. He retired the next three batters in order, including two strikeouts.
Lane McLean got plunked by Louisburg’s pitcher to start Post 11’s game-winning comeback. Alex Ferrell walked and Nate Smith was hit by a pitch, which loaded the bases for Sutton.
McLean raced home for the win on Sutton’s single to center field. Sutton collected just his fifth RBI of the season and concluded the night 2-for-6 with two RBI.
Wyatt Lassiter contributed two hits and two RBI.
McLean, Ferrell, Smith (three RBI) and Sterling Bass provided one hit apiece. Mason Moffett drove in a run.
Carson Gipson started on the mound for Post 11 and earned the no-decision. He gave up three earned runs on four hits, two walks and logged three strikeouts in the scorebook.
Erik Rosas gave up two earned runs on two walks and a hit before Jenkins appeared in relief. Jenkins (4-0) allowed two earned runs on three hits in his four-inning stint.
Wayne County (16-3 overall, 3-0 Area I West) returns to action Friday against Tallahassee Post 13 in the Palmetto Invitational at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Game time is 5 p.m.
