by Seneca Contomanolis
DigitalSports Richmond
scontomanolis@digitalsports.com
Powhatan Post 201 showed why you play hard until the very last out.
Post 201 scored nine runs in the top of the ninth inning to rally past South Richmond Post 137 12-11 in the third round of the American Legion, District 11 double-elimination tournament on Saturday night.
“All of a sudden we started rolling,” Powhatan third baseman Brent Mikionis said. “We stepped up big, we did great. It’s unbelievable.”
The improbable comeback at L.C. Bird sends Post 201 into the championship on Tuesday night at J.R Tucker at 7 p.m.
Post 137 drops down to the losers bracket and next plays on Monday at Tucker at 7 against the winner of the first semifinal between Post 284B (2-1) and Post 361 (2-1). That game is Sunday at Tucker at 4.
Mikionis tied the game at 11 in the ninth with a two out, two RBI single and catcher Jack Cleary followed him with the go-ahead RBI single.
Eight of the nine runs Powhatan plated in the ninth came with two outs. In the bottom half of the inning Austin Stadler came on in relief and retired South Richmond in order.
Post 137 was in control for much of the contest as pitcher Hunter Ackerman went five strong innings, striking out nine and giving up three runs. One of the runs was a solo home run by Paul Nice in the first.
South Richmond exploded for six runs in the second inning against Post 201 pitcher Sam Scherzer to take a 6-1 lead. Ronnie Shaban (2 for 4, double) capped the inning with a three-run homer to go along with RBI by Dustin Sollars and Ryan Parker.
Cleary responded in the third inning with a towering solo homer for Post 201 that went deep into the woods behind the outfield fence.
With the score 9-3 in the bottom of the seventh, Bradley Shaban (2 for 4) drove in two runs with a single to give Post 137 what looked to be an insurmountable lead.
But after Nice led off against Chris Hardee in the ninth with a ground out it all started to come together for Powhatan.
They loaded the bases and Eamon Schwartz got the first run across on a fielder’s choice. Robert Oldham then hit a sharp grounder that was mishandled and allowed another run to score.
RBI by Austin McGowan, Will Dingus and Ian Harvey and a bases loaded walk to Stadler would then set the stage for Mikionis and Cleary.
“I wasn’t thinking much,” said Mikionis about his hit. “I was just like, ‘let it go’. It’s just baseball. If it happens it’s going my way but it’s just baseball.”
The two-day break for Post 201 will allow the team to be rested for a title round where their opponent would have to beat them twice.
“That’s the main thing, we get all of our pitchers back,” Mikionis said.
Post 201 101 100 009 – 12 15 1
Post 137 061 200 200 – 11 12 1
Scherzer, Granger (7), Stadler (9) and Cleary; Ackerman, Hardee (6), Morrison (9). W: Granger. L: Hardee.
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