Post 77 falls to Newell in Game 5

CHARLOTTE — On Sunday night, Henderson County American Legion Post 77 ended its baseball season with a tough 4-2 loss to Newell in the first round of the Area IV playoffs.

Henderson County ends the season at 12-13-1, while Post 287 improves to 12-9.

Post 77 went into the playoffs as the sixth seed from the Western Division, and Newell was the third seed from the Eastern Division.

Henderson County jumped out to a two-game lead when it edged Newell in Game 1 by a 12-11 count and followed that up with an 8-1 win at home on Thursday.

On Friday, things changed in a hurry as Newell used its home-field advantage to win Game 3 by a 7-2 score.

Saturday’s Game 4 returned to East Henderson, and Newell kept riding its momentum from Friday night. Newell’s Jace Bollinger threw a four-hit complete game, leading his team to a 12-4 win and tying up the series at 2-2. In Sunday night’s deciding Game 5, Newell took the series with a 4-2 win.

Newell advances to this week’s second round against Huntersville. The winner of that series will take on the Pineville-Burke series winner in the Area IV semifinals, which will begin July 20 at a site to be determined.