Sports Editor

DOTHAN – Despite a valiant effort at the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning, Troy Post 70 was unable to overcome four early runs by Dothan Post 12 and fell to the defending state champions 4-3 at the American Legion Senior District Tournament on Friday night.

In a game that didn’t get started until 9 p.m. due to heavy rain showers, Post 70 stormed back in the final inning of play to score three runs, falling just short when Post 12 winning pitcher John David Adams struck out Jason Barron at the plate for the final out of the game.

Chris Logan led off Troy’s comeback attempt in the seventh with an infield single and was in turn driven home courtesy of an RBI double by Daniel Hayes. Jonathan Neely then delivered a double into the outfield to score Hayes.

Adams put out David Taylor when he fielded a linedrive off of Taylor’s bat. Brett Laney scored Neely on a single for Troy’s final run of the game.

Neely was charged with the loss. He pitched a complete game, giving up four runs off of five hits while striking out seven batters and issuing nine walks.

Clint Wade, Adam Tucker, Adam King, Daniel Hart and Adams all had singles to lead Post 12’s hitting and Jonathan Adams had a sacrifice fly to score a run.

Post 12 score two runs in the first and one run each in the fourth and fifth innings of play.

Troy faced elimination in a Saturday 1 p.m. contest against the Dothan Tigers, but won 5-2 to move into a rematch with Post 12 which was supposed to be played at 4 p.m. on Saturday. However, rain brought a halt to the action for the day and the game will be played today at 1 p.m. with a second game, if necessary, to follow.

Troy scored two runs in the bottom of the first against Dothan as Scott Stetson reached on error, Hayes singled and Neely drove both runners home with a double.

In the bottom of the sixth, Troy added three more runs with Barron scoring one run on a single and Stetson getting an RBI off a sacrifice fly.

Taylor, Stetson and Neely combined on the mound to pick up the win for Troy Post 70.

The winner of the District 5 championship moves on to the state tournament which will be held in Montgomery on Aug. 1-5.