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The Post 71 Sabres of Johnston County downed Raleigh Post 1 17-4 on Friday night to move on in the American Legion Baseball Area I West Division playoffs. Post 71 will meet the winner between Apex and Cary in a second round series, beginning Monday night.

North Raleigh Post 297 ended Garner Post 232's season with a 4-2 victory on Friday night, giving Post 297 a 3-1 series victory.

Clayton-based Post 71 took control of its American Legion Baseball Area I West Division playoff series against with a 20-10 victory Thursday night at Leesville Road High School. The Sabres lead the best-of-five series, 2-1. Game 4 is set for Friday night back at Leesville.

Meanwhile, North Raleigh Post 297 downed Garner Post 232 16-9, moving Post 297 to a 2-1 lead in the series. Game 4 is Friday night at Millbrook High School.

Garner pulled even with North Raleigh Post 297 in Game 2 of its American Legion Baseball Area I West Division best-of-five playoff series on Wednesday night, taking an 11-7 victory. Philip Myrick picked up the complete-game victory for Post 232, whichs hosts Game 3 tonight at 7 p.m. 

Post 71 of Clayton and Smithfield fell to Raleigh Post 1 12-10 on Wednesday night, evening that series up at one game apiece as well. Game 3 is tonight at Leesville Road High School in Raleigh. First pitch is at 7 p.m.

Clayton-based Post 71 held off Raleigh Post 1 for an 8-7 victory Tuesday night in the opener of their best-of-five American Legion Baseball Area I West playoff series. Logan Smitherman scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth.

Ryan Daughtry struck out the game's final three batters with the potential game-tying run standing on second base.

Game 2 is set for tonight (Wednesday) at Smithfield-Selma High School at 7 p.m.

North Raleigh Post 297 downed Garner Post 232, 6-3, in their opener at Trojan Park. Max Gagnon led the Post 297 pitching effort, which held Post 232 to just five hits.

Game 2 is set for Millbrook High School tonight at 7 p.m.

The N&O is reporting in today's editions that former Smithfield-Selma High School football standout Justin Dixon will attend Hargrave Military Academy before joining the football program at the University of North Carolina. Fellow SSS standout D.J. Bunn is also awaiting word on his admission status to UNC.

You can read the full report by J.P. Giglio online now at http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/story/1589096.html

Results from Monday's championship games at the Southern Johnston Baseball Invitational tournaments at Smithfield Community Park. 

Coach-Pitch League: Garner 11, Wendell Blue 5

Midget League: Wendell Blue 11, West Raleigh (white) 10

Little League: Rocky Mount National 7, West Raleigh (red) 3

Junior League: Wendell 15, Johnston County North 4

We'll have a round up on the tournament in next week's print editions of The Herald of Johnston County and the Garner-Clayton Record. 

Garner Post 232 vs. North Raleigh Post 297

Game 1: Tuesday at Garner High School in Garner, 7 p.m.

Game 2: Wednesday at Millbrook High School in Garner, 7 p.m.

Game 3: Thursday at Garner High School in Garner, 7 p.m. 

Game 4 (if necessary): Friday at Millbrook High School in Garner, 7 p.m.

Game 5 (if necessary): Saturday at Garner High School in Garner, TBA 

Post 71 Sabres vs. Raleigh Post 1

Game 1: Tuesday at Smithfield-Selma High School, 7 p.m.

Game 2: Wednesday at Smithfield-Selma High School, 7 p.m.

Game 3: Thursday at Leesville Road High School, 7 p.m. 

Game 4 (if necessary): Friday at Leesville Road High School, 7 p.m.

Game 5 (if necessary): Saturday at Smithfield-Selma High School, 7 p.m.

Six Carolina Mudcats were named to the Southern League All-Star Team, the league announced earlier this afternoon.

LHP Travis Wood and OF Chris Heisey led the sextet, with both named unanimous selections - the only unanimous selections to the Northern squad.  Wood, 8-3, leads the Southern League in ERA, while Heisey departed the league Saturday leading the batting race. Heisey was promoted to Triple-A Louisville following Friday night's game against Jacksonville.

OF Todd Frazier, IF Zack Cozart, RHPs James Avery and Jordan Smith were also named to the mid-season Southern League classic, which will be played at Regions Park in Birmingham, Ala. on Monday, July 13.  Avery is currently on the disabled list, and will be replaced on the team in the coming days.

The Southern Division team will be announced tomorrow.

The championship games in the annual Southern Johnston Baseball Invitational youth league baseball tournaments at Smithfield Community Park are set. All four games begin at 7 p.m.

Coach-Pitch League

Wendell Blue  vs  Garner (GBI)

Midget League (ages 9-10)

West Raleigh White  vs  Wendell Blue

Little League (ages 11-12)

West Raleigh THL Red  vs  Rocky Mount National

Junior League (13-14)

Johnston County North  vs  Wendell

The games will end a bit late to make this week's editions of the Garner-Clayton Record and The Herald of Johnston County. They'll be featured in next week's editions.