Staff report
TOLEDO — Sidney Post 217’s American Legion baseball team opened its season on Sunday with a doubleheader against Toledo Whitehouse on the road, and dropped both games by scores of 6-3 and 7-6.
The team was back in action Tuesday night at home against the Alumni team, and will host the Dayton Diamondbacks today in a day/night doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m.
In the first game Sunday, Toledo plated two runs in the bottom of the second on a walk, a stolen base and three straight singles, but Sidney came back with three runs in the top of the fifth after two were out to take the lead.
Zach White reached on an error and Dylan Albers and Keaton McEldowney both walked. Austin McLain followed with a two-run single and he came home on a Kyle Subler single.
However, Toledo came back with four in the bottom of the fifth, and there was no more scoring in the game. Three singles and a triple led to the uprising.
Sidney had seven hits in the game, one less than Toledo.
In the second game, Sidney took the early lead with two in the second. Tyler Loudon and CJ Billing both singles and moved up on a sacrifice bunt. White then drove in both with a single.
Toledo got one back in the bottom of the second and added two more in the third, but Sidney got the tying run in the top of the fourth, again with two outs. Albers reached on an error and McEldowney drove him in with a double to the gap.
Toledo responded with two more runs in the fifth for a 5-4 lead on a hit batsman, a single, a sacrifice and a two-run single.
But Post 217 tied it back up in the sixth. Billing walked and Bryce Kennedy and Zach White both singled. Albers walked and McLain then singled.
However, Toledo scored in the bottom of the seventh for a walkoff win. A walk and a wild pitch necessitated an intentional walk, and the next batter singled in the winning run.
Toledo had 11 hits in the game and Sidney 10.
“I thought we played well enough to win at least one of these games, if it weren’t for a couple of mistakes,” said Sidney coach Jim Koewler. “We also had a couple walks and hit batters in situations that hurt us. With all that said, though, we’ll be fine in the long run. The players are learning each other while learning me and me learning them.”
Clay tribute
Sidney will host Pemberville on Saturday, and included in the day’s activities will be a tribute to the late Tom Clay, who passed away last winter and was involved in Legion baseball for 40 years.
The Color Guard will be at the field, along with Clay’s wife.
The ceremony will take place just prior to the 12 noon start of the game.
