Staff report
Sidney Post 217 reached the 20-win mark for the season Wednesday night in a non-league game against the visiting Dayton Patterson Dodgers at Custenborder Field, then got another win Thursday without taking the field.
Sidney found itself trailing 4-0 after two-and-a-half innings on Wednesday, but battled back to take a 9-7 win and raise the season record to 20-7.
Post 217 was supposed to host Greenville in a Western Ohio League game Thursday night, but Greenville forfeited the game because it was short of players. That not only gave Sidney a 21-7 record on the season, but also put them at 5-0 in the WOL with only Piqua remaining at home next Thursday.
The regular-season league champion is the top seed for the Region 2 tournament, which will determine the state tourney participant. Play begins July 11 in Troy.
“Our guys have really settled in now and are accepting their roles as we head into the stretch run of our schedule and start preparing for the tournament,” said coach Jim Koewler. “This game gave me a chance to play some of the guys that haven’t seen a lot of action as position players. It gave us a good tuneup for the upcoming weekend in Cambridge.”
Post 217 had 11 hits against the Patterson Dodgers Wednesday, with Austin Knapke and Daniel Kearns getting two singles apiece and Maddux Liles a double.
Pitchers Elliott Bruns and Zac White allowed six hits and combined for 11 strikeouts and three walks.
The Dodgers jumped to a 3-0 lead in the top of the second on two singles and two doubles, then made it 4-0 with another run in the top of the third on a walk, a stolen base, an error and a sacrifice fly.
But Post 217 had had enough by that point and came back with two in the third and six more in the fourth.
In the third, Kearns singled and Zac Griesdown was hit by a pitch. Zach White then singled and both Evan Monnier and Liles walked to force in runs.
In the fourth, six runs crossed to put Sidney on top 8-4. Austin Shinaberry walked and Kearns reached on an error. Griesdorn, Monnier, Austin Knapke, CJ Billing and Jack Dapore all singled in the inning.
Post 217 added one more in the fifth when Kearns singled and scored on Liles’ double, before the Dodgers scored two more in the seventh.
Sidney is back in action Sunday thru the 4th of July at the Don Cross Invitational in Cambridge. Sidney plays Parkersburg at 1 p.m. and Tusky County at 6 p.m. Sunday, and Cambridge at 3 and Findlay at 5:30 on Monday. The championship will be played on the 4th at 5:30.
Upcoming games
Sunday thru 4th of July — Don Cross Invitational, Cambridge
Thursday (July 6) — Piqua at Custenborder Field, 7 p.m.
Saturday (July 8) — Findley at Custenborder Field, doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.
Sunday (July 9) — Hillsboro at Custenborder Field, doubleheader starting at noon.
July 11-15 — Region 2 Tournament at Troy. Winner to State Legion Tournament July 26-30 in Lancaster.
