The 2019 baseball season for the Stanly County Post 76 American Legion squad has been one of improving numbers across the board.

Entering the final two games of the season, Stanly had scored more 60 more runs (178 to 118) and allowed 71 fewer runs (111 compared to 189) while improving from nine wins in 2018 to 19 this season.

Numbers finally caught up with Post 76 however as errors on Tuesday along with taking on a Randolph County Post 45 team with a deeper bench led to the end of Stanly’s season.

Post 76 lost at home 8-6 on Wednesday night and followed it with a 9-5 loss Thursday at McCrary Park to end the team’s season at 19-10 overall.

Stanly led on Wednesday night 2-0 but saw five fielding errors lead to five runs.

A rally in the middle innings for Stanly tied the game 6-6 but Randolph scored twice in the sixth to earn the win.

Will Dagenhart, Jack Foley and Colton Austin each had two hits on Wednesday.

Thursday saw Randolph jump out to a 3-0 lead after one inning and lead by as much as eight runs, 9-1, before Stanly scored two runs each in the sixth and seventh innings.

Austin delivered a two-RBI double for Stanly while Dagenhart added two hits and an RBI. Trent Wilson was 1-for-4 with an RBI as well for Stanly.

“Our guys played hard (Thursday). We just came up a little short,” Stanly head coach Jordan Sells said.

Regarding the season, Sells said “I am very proud of the guys. They accomplished a lot this summer, fighting through adversity. They kept playing hard and were an exciting group to coach.”

Sports Editor Charles Curcio can be reached at charles.curcio@stanly newspress.com, 704-983-1361 or via Twitter (@charles_curcio).