Post 70 sneaks by Tallahassee
Published 3:00 am Friday, August 5, 2016
Editor’s note: Updated at 8:50 a.m. to correct pitching stats, information.
Five multi-run innings helped Troy’s American Legion Post 70 advance in the Southeastern Regional Tournament on Thursday with a 12-11 win over Tallahassee Post 13.
“It was a lot of fun watching the guys fight like they did,” said head coach Rush Hixon. “There was no many emotions that ran through our guys in the last 24 hours … our guys found a way to get it done.”
Chase Hartley took to the mound and pitched the game’s last five innings, earning the win. Hartley allowed six runs, three of which were earned on six hits. Chandler Davis and John Kelso pitched the first four innings, and they combined to allow eight runs with six of them being earned.
Errors have been a problem for Post 70 during the tournament’s first two games. Four errors have led to nine unearned runs.
“That is very uncharacteristic of us,” Hixon said. “We have been a solid team on defense all year. They are on a bigger stage, and they are still getting used to that.”
Post 70 scored four runs in the first inning. Casey Henderson came around to score the first run of the game when Hunter Bower reached on an error. John Miller scored the second consecutive unearned run when Hartley reached on a fielding error by the second baseman. Hunter Jones drove in the final two runs when he laid down bunt scoring both Hartley and Bower.
After Post 13 cut the lead in half in the bottom of the inning, Troy scored two runs in the third. Miller scored on a walk and Hartley scored on a sacrifice fly from Andrew Griggs.
Post 13 scored three runs in the third to bring the score to 6-5. They took an 8-6 lead in the fourth.
Troy scored two runs in the fifth, with RBIs by Jones and Griggs.
With the game tied at eight heading into the sixth inning, Post 70 regained the lead. Miller scored the first run of the inning on a Jones single and Logan Thompson scored on a wild pitch.
Post 13 scored three runs in the eighth inning, forcing the Post 70 offense to step up in the ninth inning.
“That really showed a lot for them to come back,” Hixon said. “It says a lot about their character and who they are not only as baseball players, but as men.”
Jones got a one-out base hit and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Griggs followed and was intentionally walked, putting runners on second and first with one out. Jackson Bryd walked to load the bases, and Casey Henderson drove in Jones for the game-tying run on a sacrifice fly. With two outs in the inning, Parker Warren raced home on a wild pitch to give Post 70 the lead.
Hartley shut down Post 13 in the bottom of the ninth inning to secure the win.
Post 70 finished with 11 hits and was led by Jones who finished the day 4-4 with four RBIs.
Post 70 will be back in action at noon today when they take on South Carolina.