Clayton Post 71 survived a marathon battle with Raleigh Post 1 Tuesday night to advance to the semifinals of the American Legion Baseball Area I West playoffs. Post 71 took a 20-5 win in eight innings, on a night that included a two-hour delay for rain and lightning.

Post 71 will meet North Chatham beginning Thursday night in a best-of-three series. The series schedule is as follows...

Thursday, Game 1: Clayton at North Chatham (Northwood High School), 7 p.m.

Friday, Game 2: North Chatham at Clayton (Smithfield-Selma High School), 7 p.m.

Saturday, Game 3 (if necessary): Clayton at North Chatham (Northwood High School), 7 p.m.

Garner Post 232 meets Cary in another semifinal series, also beginning Thursday. We're waiting on the series schedule on that one.

Garner Post 232 completed a two-game sweep of Roxboro in the American Legion Baseball Area I West playoffs Monday evening, taking a 9-5, rain-shortened road win. Post 232 took a 4-0 win in Game 1 of the series.

Clayton-based Post 71 stayed alive with an 13-11 win over Raleigh Monday night at Smithfield-Selma High School. The deciding third game of the series is set for tonight (Tuesday) at East Wake High School.

Garner faces either Apex or Cary in the second round, beginning Thursday.

The first round matchups in the Area 1 West Quarterfinal American Legion Baseball playoffs, which begin Sunday night, have been set. All series are best two-of-three games. We'll update the progress each day here.

Sunday, July 3
Game 1 of 3
Clayton at Raleigh (East Wake), 7
Roxboro at Garner, 7
Monday, July 4
Game 2 of 3
Raleigh at Clayton (Smithfield-Selma High), 7
Garner at Roxboro, 4
Tuesday, July 5
Game 3 of 3
Roxboro at Garner, 7 (if necessary)
Clayton at Raleigh (East Wake), 7 (if necessary)

Garner Post 232 started its 2011 American Legion Baseball season over the weekend, while Smithfield-based Post 71 starts its slate this weekend. You can find Garner's full schedule here: http://legion.carolinagen.com/NCPost0232/

The Post 71 Sabres schedule is attached as a downloadable PDF

Documents:

Cary Post 67 earned a spot in the American Legion Baseball State Championships later this month Friday night, topping Johnston County-based Post 71, 5-4. Post 67 won the series three games to one.

Blair Betts clinched the win for Cary, striking out a Post 71 batter with the bases loaded in the top of the ninth inning.

Look for more on the series next week in The Cary News, The Southwestern Wake News, the Garner-Clayton Record or The Herald of Johnston County.

Cary Post 67 topped Johnston County-based Post 71 14-9 Thursday night in Game 3 of their American Legion Baseball Area I West Championship Series. The win moves Post 67 ahead 2-1 in the best-of-five series.

Correspondent Michael Held, who is covering the series for the N&O Community Newspapers, reports that Post 67 pounded out 20 hits. The Sabres of Johnston County fell behind 9-3 but rallied to tie the game at 9 in the sixth. Cary went back ahead for good on a two-run double by Stephen McKinney in the top of the seventh. McKinney was 6-for-6 on the night with seven RBIs and two home runs. He also earned the win in relief, as Post 71 was unable to score over the final three innings of play.

Post 71 of Johnston County grabbed the first game of the series but has lost the past two games in the series. Game 4 of the series will be played Friday night at 7 at Cary High School. If necessary, Game 5 will be Saturday at Cary.

Cary Post 67 roared back Wednesday night to even up the Area I West Championship Series against Johnston County-based Post 67, taking a 12-3 victory in an American Legion Baseball playoff series. The win evens the best-of-five series at a game a piece. Game 3 of the series is tonight at Spartan Field on the campus of Smithfield-Selma High School. First pitch is at 7 o'clock.

Johnston County-based Post 71 rallied by Cary Post 67 11-9 Tuesday night to take Game 1 of their American Legion Baseball playoff series. North Carolina recruit Tate Parrish hit a three-run home run in the top of the eighth inning to put Post 71 up 9-8.

The Sabres added to their lead in the ninth and held on for the win with Logan Smitherman picking up the victory in relief of Dane Hardee.

Game 2 of the five-game Area I West Championship Series is set for tonight (Wednesday) at Smithfield-Selma High School. First pitch is at 7 p.m.

Johnston County-based Post 71 will take on Cary Post 67 beginning tonight in a best-of-five set in the American Legion Baseball Area I West Finals to determine one of the eight qualifiers for the state championships later this month. Games are played every day until the series is complete. Here's the rundown:

Game 1: Tuesday at Cary High School

Game 2: Wednesday at Smithfield-Selma High School

Game 3: Thursday at Smithfield-Selma High School

Game 4 (if needed): Friday at Cary High School

Game 5 (if needed): Saturday at Cary High School

Johnston County-based Post 71 defeated Apex Post 124 13-9 Sunday night to advance to the third round of the American Legion Baseball playoffs. Post 71 will meet Cary Post 67 in the Area I West Championship Series, beginning Tuesday night.

Cary eliminated Garner Post 232 from the playoffs with a 12-2 victory in seven innings on Sunday night.

The Post 71-Cary series will be a best-of-five format. The schedule has not been announced as of this morning.