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Legion wins 1st game of tourney
Pennington pitches shutout
Legion baseball pic1
Pitcher Connor Pennington pitched a 4-0 shutout complete game against Loganville for Post 247 on Friday afternoon. - photo by Pam Jacobs Dawson Community News

Connor Pennington pitched the game of his life with a 9-inning shutout over Loganville in the first round of the American Legion Georgia State tournament on Friday in Alpharetta.

"I felt really good," said the recent North Forsyth High School grad of his 113-pitch effort. "Coach kept asking me if I was alright. Our defense played good behind me and that was one of the main reasons we won."

He finished the game with seven strikeouts while only giving up five hits and two walks in the victory. It was the first time in Pennington's career that he had pitched a complete 9-inning game.

"Connor pitched a great game," said Coach Kasey Wilson. "That was truly a great performance and allowed us to rest our pitching staff."

Because of great defense and pitching Dawsonville Post 247 carded a 4-0 victory over Loganville. Post 247 had split with Loganville during the regular season.

"This was a big win for us. We now know we will play at least two more games," Wilson said.

The tournament is double elimination.

Dawsonville got the lead runner on base in the sixth and seventh inning on singles by Marlin Hensley in the sixth and McClain Ramey in the seventh.

Hensley was thrown out trying to steal second base thwarting the threat in the sixth and Ramey was stranded on first after an aborted bunt attempt and strikeout in the seventh.

Neither team could manage much offensively.

Loganville pulled their pitcher after 7-innings bringing in a left-hander to face the Dawsonville line-up. That's when the tide turned offensively for Post 247.

Hensley led off the eighth inning with a walk. He scored on a double by Clay McClure, who had worked the count to 3-2 before hitting a shot over the head of the centerfielder for Loganville.

Brett Westmoreland, former White County player, then took the first pitch and lined a smoker over the leftfielders head for a double. Westmoreland advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a sacrifice fly to right field off the bat of Holden Brown taking Dawsonville's lead to 3-0.

Post 247 added a run in the ninth inning to secure the 4-0 victory.

Westmoreland led the offensive attack for Post 247 with two hits, including a double. Hensley also had two singles for Dawsonville. Post 247 managed 12 hits for the game.

Post 247 played Conyers Sunday for the chance to advance. Scores were unavailable at press time.