Troy pounds Wetumpka in title game of Post 70 Summer Classic, 12-2

By KEVIN PEARCEY

Sports Editor

One team brought its bats.

The other didn’t.

Troy knocked out 16 hits in seven innings to beat Wetumpka 12-2 in the championship game of the Post 70 Summer Classic on Sunday at Riddle-Pace Field.

Wetumpka had five hits, three in their final at-bat. By then the game had long since been decided.

Crenshaw Christian’s Adam Wallace earned his first win of the year with Post 70, pitching a five inning shutout while allowing only two hits. Wallace gave way to Matt Johnson in the sixth and seventh inning.

"Adam had it working today and our hitting came through for us," said Troy head coach Russ Jinright. "I’m proud of the way our guys have been playing. They’re playing relaxed and they’re confident in what they’re doing – at the plate and on the field."

Again, a good defensive play highlighted Troy’s game early. The game was scoreless in the bottom of the third. Wetumpka had one runner on and what looked like a sure basehit RBI off the bat of the next hitter, but left fielder Daniel Porter charged on the ball and made a sliding catch for the final out of the inning.

"That was a big play by Daniel because they might have been able to get something going with that hit," said Jinright.

Troy’s hitting overcame the three errors committed on defense.

In the fourth, Blake Phelps finally broke Post 70 through on the scoreboard, driving in Tyson Pugh with a rip down the third base line. Chase Kelly would score also in the inning for Troy, putting Post 70 up 2-0.

Wetumpka tried to respond in their half of the inning as Wallace surrendered his second hit of the game to the visitors. But with one out, Wallace fielded a quick hopper back to the mound, fired to Phelps at second who threw to first base for the double play, retiring the side.

Troy opened up its lead in the fifth.

Jake Kitchens and Brett Pierce led off with singles, Clint Pugh was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Tyson Pugh took a walk for an RBI. Kelly legged out a single, Porter was walked and Phelps was hit with a throw also to score another run. A bloop single by David Doty and sacrifice fly by Chase Clower gave Troy a 7-0 lead.

Wallace sent three down in order in the fifth and Kelly gave Troy an additional run with a single RBI in the sixth.

Johnson would strike out four batters in the final two innings for Troy, while giving up three hits.

Clower and Jeremy Jones started the seventh off with basehits and came home on a two-base error by Wetumpka. Clint Pugh’s two-run homer over left field ended the scoring for Troy.

Johnson surrendered one earned run in the final inning of the game.

Troy Post 70 will play Pike Post 145 tonight at Hogan’s Hole at 7 p.m. Post 145 split a pair of games in Andalusia on Saturday, 5-6 and 11-7.