Sports Editor

Troy Post 70 was able to get past both Dale County and Montgomery, advancing without a loss in the American Legion Junior District Tournament held at Frazier Field this week.

Troy took on the winner of Dale County-Montgomery in the 7:30 game on Wednesday night. A loss there would set up a winner-take-all game today at 4 p.m.

However, win or lose, Post 70 will take on a team out of the Mobile district on Saturday in a single-elimination playoff game.

"We’d like to win this whole thing," said Post 70 head coach Russ Jinright. "But with these two wins under out belt, it’s assured that we’ll play on Saturday. That’s when we’ll have to bring our A game, because if we lose then we’ll be finished for the year."

Troy’s two runs in the seventh inning proved the difference in Tuesday night’s game against Montgomery. The game was scoreless up until then when Justin Sims reached on a single and Wesley Wright was walked. Chase Clower followed with a fielder’s choice to get both runners home and keep Post 70 on top of the winner’s bracket.

"Up until that point in the game we were doing nothing against their (Montgomery’s) pitching," said Jinright. "I was glad to see our guys come through when we needed it."

Sims recorded the only hit in the game for Troy. Prior to the seventh, Sims and Drew Kilpatrick had been the only two Post 70 players to reach in the game; Sims on a walk in the first and Kilpatrick on a walk in the fourth.

Montgomery also found the going rough on the day with one hit- a second inning single- in 21 trips to the plate. Sims was the Post 70 pitcher and pitched a complete game , striking out 12 and walking just one.

13 Troy batters struck out in the game.

Tuesday’s game was a far cry from Monday’s opening tournament win over Dale County. Post 70 won 14-5 on the strength of Daniel Porter’s and Clower’s three hits apiece.

However, like the game against AUM, Troy didn’t come alive until the latter stages of the game. Dale County was up 3-1 before the host team scored three runs in the fifth, five in the sixth, and concluded the game with a four run spurt in the seventh inning.

Troy’s Chase Kelly, Clint Pugh, Kilpatrick and Blake Phelps all had two hits each, while Brett Pierce, Sims and Wright had three hits combined.