Rockdale Citizen

CONYERS -- After playing 20 games in a month, the American Legion baseball team at Rockdale Post 77 had a week off for the Independence Day holiday. Back on its home field Sunday, the team certainly didn't show any signs of rust. Post 77 swept a doubleheader from Cumming Post 307, cruising to an 11-1 win in the opener and a 21-4 romp in the nightcap.

Rockdale (21-1) hadn't played since July 1 when it won a four-team tournament hosted by Albany Post 30.

In the opener, which was ended in six innings by the mercy rule, Greg Preston allowed just two hits in five effective innings and drove in three runs at the plate. Preston wasn't alone as Stewart Spence and Cole Murphy each drove in a pair of runs as Post 77 jumped out to a 6-1, first-inning lead and never relinquished the large cushion.

"(They scored a) run in the first inning, after that (Preston) pretty much shut them down," said Post 77 coach Jack Murphy.

The offense kept rolling in the second game of the day, a five-inning affair. Post 77 sent 21 batters to the plate in a 15-run first inning as Spence, Keith Buckhault, Robert Bell and Logan Smith each drove in two runs during the marathon inning.

"We took advantage of everything (Cumming) gave us," Murphy said. "We had a lot of hits, we had doubles and triples, and took advantage of every mistake they made, which you're supposed to do."

Cole Hamilton was the beneficiary of all the run support, getting the win after three innings of four-hit ball. For Murphy, the 32 runs scored and the fact that several pitchers got work were good signs after the long lay off.

"When they left (the park, Sunday) they were a tired bunch of young men because they'd been out on the bases running all afternoon," Murphy said. "It was two good wins. We hope we can keep on carrying over, keep some momentum going. We still got to keep playing baseball."

Rockdale hosted Loganville Post 233 Monday at Henson-Carr Legion Field in a game that ended too late for this edition. The teams meet again Wednesday at Loganville at 7 p.m.