Post 217 run-rules Piqua in district

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Staff report

EDITOR’S NOTE: Wednesday’s American Legion district tournament baseball game between Sidney and Troy was postponed until tonight at 7 p.m. at Greenville. Sidney was leading 2-0 in the bottom of the first.

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GREENVILLE — Sidney Post 217 continued its dominance of district baseball opponents by routing Piqua 16-6 in the district tournament opener Tuesday night at Greenville.

Sidney’s run-rule victory put them at 29-14 on the season and set up Wednesday night’s winner’s bracket final against Troy, which defeated Greenville Tuesday.

Post 217 actually fell behind by two runs early to Piqua, despite plating four runs in the bottom of the first inning.

“I told the kids going into the game that Piqua would not go down easy,” said Sidney coach Jim Koewler. “After falling behind by two, I got the kids together and reminded them of what I had told them. That seemed to be all it took to ignite us.

“All of our hits were hard-hit balls whether they were singles or balls hit in the gap,” he added. “Everyone seems to be squaring the ball up real well right now.”

After Sidney scored four in the first, Piqua got a run in the second, three in the third and two in the fourth for a 6-4 lead.

But Sidney came back with six in the fourth and six more in the fifth to put the verdict away and advance to the next round.

In the first, Drew Wehrman was hit by a pitch and Josh Nixon walked. Cam Clark then singled, Brett McEldowney walked and Jackson Hobbs singled. An error let in the final run.

But back came Piqua, with a run in the second on a walk, a passed ball and a single. In the third, Piqua added three more runs on a single, a walk and a home run. Then in the fourth, Post 184 added two more on a single, a hit-by-pitch, a wild pitch and another single.

Sidney came back strong, however, scoring 12 times over the next two frames.

In the bottom of the fourth, Hobbs singled ahead of a double by Daniel Berning and a wild pitch to produce a run. Austin McLain then plated Berning with a sacrifice fly to tie the game up, but Sidney wasn’t done yet.

Wehrman singled and moved up on an error by the right fielder. Kyle Subler walked and Nixon cleared the bases with a triple. Clark then was hit by a pitch and McEldowney walked to loaded the bases. Hobbs then came through with his second hit of the inning, a two-run single.

An inning later, the hit parade continued. Berning led off with a triple and scored on McLain’s single. Wehrman then walked and scored on Subler’s triple. Subler then scored on a double by Nixon.

Clark followed with a double to score Nixon, took third on a wild pitch, and scored on an error to cap off the inning.

Piqua was unable to answer and the game ended after seven innings.

Nixon started and was relieved by McLain. The two allowed just seven hits while striking out six and walking two.

Berning led Sidney’s 12-hit attack, falling just a home run shy of the cycle with his single, double and triple. Hobbs had three singles, Nixon doubled and tripled, Clark singled and doubled and Subler tripled.

“We had a great Sidney fan-following at the game, and that’s always appreciated,” said Koewler.

The linescore:

Piqua`013 200 0`6`7`2

Sidney`400 066 x`16`12`0

UPCOMING GAMES

District tournament

Schedule

Thursday

Loser’s bracket finals at Greenville, 7 p.m.

Friday

Winner’s bracket finals at Greenville (second game Saturday if needed), 7 p.m.

Sidney’s Josh Nixon slides safely back to third base as Piqua’s Nate Lafel attempts to tag him out after a pickoff attempt at Greenville Tuesday in the district Legion tournamnt.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2016/07/web1_SDN071416LegionBase1.jpgSidney’s Josh Nixon slides safely back to third base as Piqua’s Nate Lafel attempts to tag him out after a pickoff attempt at Greenville Tuesday in the district Legion tournamnt.

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