AHOSKIE – Post 102 scored 11 times Wednesday night, but it wasn’t enough.

Kinston Post 43 took a 20-11 victory and now lead the best-of-five first round series of the Senior American Legion playoffs two games to none.

Kinston opened the scoring with four runs in the top of the third inning and then added another in the fourth to push their advantage to 5-0.

Ahoskie rebounded in the bottom of the fourth when Josh Morris hit a solo homer to left to cut the deficit to 5-1.

Ahoskie then added another run in the bottom of the fifth frame. Aaron Hoggard doubled to left and went to third on a wild pitch. Hoggard scored on a Joe Harrell RBI-single to trim the deficit to 5-2.

Kinston, however, scored five times in the top of the sixth to take a 10-2 lead.

Post 102 came back to plate three in the home half of the sixth inning.

Brent Bowen reached on an error just before Edward Joyner belted a two-run homer. Gavin Mizelle then hit a solo shot to make it 10-5 with Kinston still leading.

Post 43 scored again in the top of the seventh and took an 11-5 lead, but Ahoskie came right back with three runs of their own.

Morris doubled to left and then moved to third on a Grayson Toms double to left field. Morris and Toms then scored on a Travis Ellis single to center. Ellis stole second and scored on a Joyner RBI-double that trimmed the Post 102 deficit to 11-8.

Kinston put the game away with two runs in the top of the eighth and seven more in the top of the ninth as they led 20-8.

Ahoskie, however, scored three times in the bottom of the ninth, but it wasn’t enough.

Bowen singled to left before Ellis drew a walk. Bowen moved to third on a wild pitch and then Ellis stole second. With one out, Bowen scored on a Kyle Hughes RBI-single to center which moved Ellis to third. Mizelle then walked to load the bases.

Ellis scored on a Zeek Williams bases-loaded walk and then Hughes came home when Morris was hit by a pitch. A double play ended the game, however.

Ahoskie used six pitchers during the contest including Chad Gurganus, Morris, Eli Spruill, Dakota Young, Williams and Ellis.

Post 102 totaled 13 hits paced by Joyner who had three hits and added three RBIs. Morris and Mizelle had two hits each.

Ahoskie fell to 5-18 after the loss.