By DAN BISER

It was again a matter of too little, too late for the Whiteville Post 137 American Legion basball team Monday night.

The Whiteville squad fell behind visiting Hamle Post 49, 5-0, after five innings and did not show any serious type of offensive spark up to that time. It managed to cut the lead to 5-2 in the seventh inning, but the Hamlet squad went to take an 8-4 victory.

The loss dropped Whiteville to 2-6 in Area II-West League play and 5-9 overall. It traveled to play Fayetteville Post 4 Wednesday night (see result in A-section).

Daniel Britt was the losing pitcher. He was relieved by Robbie Penny in the fifth inning and Dustin Williamson pitched the ninth.

Dustin Nelson was the winnng pitcher for Hamlet, holding Whiteville scoreless through the seventh inning when he was relieved by Thomas Grooms.

Lee Webb put Hamlet ahead to stay in the first inning with a solo home runs with one out. The Post 49 squad adde run in the second, two in the third and one in the fifth before finishing out with three in the ninth. The ninth-inning runs all came with two outs.

Hamlet finished with 11 hits, including three by Josh Roller. Webb, Hunter Lear and Scott Kelly each had two hits.

Marquis Smith and Quan Gaddy each had two hits for Whiteville. Ryan McCleney, J.D. White, Donovan Watts, Jeremy King and Williamson had hits for Whiteville, which left 11 runners on base.

Whiteville Post will entertain Spring Lake Friday night at 7.

Hamlet	112	010	003	-	8	11	2
Whiteville	000	000	202	-	4	9	2

Nelson, Grooms (7) and Sessoms; Britt, Penny (5), Williamson (9) and Proctor.