Post 217 secondin Showcase event

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Staff report

SPRINGFIELD — Sidney Post 217 took on a team in the championship Saturday that it blanked in the first game of the Best of Ohio Showcase on Thursday.

But this time, MVP Koopman came away with a 3-1 win to force Post 217 to settle for the runner-up trophy Saturday in baseball action in Springfield.

Sidney won Friday night 16-8 over the Dayton Raiders in just five innings to advance to the championship game.

Three Sidney pitchers allowed five hits and walked nine, but the Post 217 offense made sure it wasn’t close.

Sidney wasted no time, scoring seven times in the bottom of the first inning. There were singles by Dakota Bollinger, Owen Leugers, Braden Goodwin, Josh Koppin and Hunter McMurray, and walks to Jace Barga, Drew Wehrman, Bollinger and Cole Proffitt.

However, the Raiders came right back and scored six times in the top of the second to erase Sidney’s comfort margin. Sidney pitching gave up three walks to start it, then came a hit batter, a single, another walk, a fielder’s choice and another single.

Then an inning later, the score was tied as the Raiders scored on an error, a walk and a single.

But Post 217 responded well, scoring five times in the bottom of the third to take control for good. Hunter McMurray was hit by a pitch, then Barga, Bollinger and Bryant McCarty all singled ahead of Wehrman’s double.

Sidney came back with four more in the fourth on a single by McMurray, a double by Barga, a sacrifice fly by Bollinger and a bases-clearing triple by Goodwin.

“Out pitchers only gave up five hits but we had nine walks and hit one,” said Sidney coach Jim Koewler. “But the strike zone was really small for both sides. The difference was we capitalized with timely hits.”

Barga singled and doubled, Goodwin singled and tripled, and Koppin, Bollinger and McMurray had two hits apiece.

On Saturday, Sidney took on MVP Koopman in a rematch and lost 3-1 in the championship.

Sidney was outhit 10-5, but the game was still scoreless until the top of the fifth when Koopman scored once on a walk, an error and a single. They came back with two more in the seventh on a leadoff homer and three singles.

Sidney scored once in the bottom of the seventh on a single by Koppin and a double by Barga.

Wehrman finished with two singles.

“We had runners in scoring position in five of the innings but we couldn’t get the big hit when we needed it,” said Koewler.

The makeup game with Prospect Legion scheduled for tonight has been canceled, Koewler said. Sidney returns to action Tuesday at home against Findlay.

Upcoming games

Tuesday — home vs. Findlay, 9-inning game, 6 p.m.

Wednesday — at Marysville, 9-inning game, 6 p.m.

Thursday — home vs. Piqua, 9-inning game, 6:30

Saturday — home vs. Pemberville, doubleheader, noon.

Sunday — at Ottawa, doubleheader, 1 p.m.

Tuesday, July 14 — home vs. Miami Valley Wolverines, 9-inning game, 6:30

July 16, 17, 18, 19 — District Tournament at Piqua (Sidney, Piqua, Troy, Greenville)

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