SHELBY — All season long, the Robeson County Post 5 American Legion team has won with its depth, as coach Jamie Dover says his roster is filled with No. 1 players from top to bottom.

Everyone contributed once again Tuesday as Post 5 won consecutive elimination games to advance into the final day of the American Legion state tournament in Shelby.

“Both games, we had runners on base about every inning, runners in scoring position,” Dover said. “I kept challenging our players, who’s going to be the one that’s going to take our shoulders and get the run in — and several people stepped up.”

Post 5 defeated Hickory Post 48 7-6 on Tuesday afternoon, then beat Cleveland County Post 82, the tournament hosts, 4-2 in the nightcap. They’ll face Wayne County Post 11 at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Against Hickory, Karli Godwin homered in the fourth inning to take a 6-4 lead. Then, after Hickory came back to tie the game, Torrie Butler led off the sixth with a go-ahead homer for the 7-6 lead.

“That was huge,” Dover said of the two home runs. “That gives your team a lift.”

All three Post 5 pitchers split time in the circle in the game, with starter Chan Locklear pitching two innings, Halona Sampson pitching three and Ava Jacobs pitching the final two.

Butler, Santana Anderson and Chan Locklear had two hits each in the first game.

In the second game of the day against Cleveland, Post 5 took an early 2-0 lead on a Santana Anderson two-RBI single. Cleveland tied the game with single runs in the second and third innings; Post 5 retook the lead in the sixth when Dora Locklear led off with a single and scored on an error. Wilkes, who reached on the error, scored on a Chan Locklear RBI single.

“Dora came off the bench and got a two-strike hit, then she ended up scoring the go-ahead run that make it 3-2,” Dover said. “That was just huge. That’s the story of the year, different people just pass the baton to somebody else.”

Cleveland was held at two runs after Sampson relieved Jacobs in the third inning, leaving the bases loaded and allowing just one hit over the rest of the game.

“(Sampson) came in and did a great job,” Dover said. “She came in and shut them down. That’s not bad for a (15-year-old); she’s the youngest player on the team.”

Winning two close games Tuesday, Post 5 continued a trend from throughout its season of coming through at the right times in those close games to earn victories.

“We had some big plays in those tight one-, two-run games,” Dover said. “But one thing I told the girls is we had to win a few close games this year, and it takes you knowing how to win in those situations. We came through in two very tight games.”

Post 5 was facing elimination Tuesday after losing its tournament opener 9-1 to Wayne County Monday; they’ll now face Wayne County again in an elimination game Wednesday at 10 a.m. The winner will advance to the 1 p.m. championship game against Davidson County Post 8; Davidson County defeated Wayne County 8-2 Tuesday.

“We’re looking forward to it,” Dover said. “We respect Wayne County — great team, great coach — but we’re glad to get the opportunity to play them again.”