GREENVILLE – Greenville American Legion Post 140 defeated the Muncie Post 19 American Legion team 8-6 in Wednesday night action at Greenville’s Sater Heights Park with Brookville’s Nathan Waggoner picking up the win.
“We didn’t have Waggs last week,” said Post 140 coach Chad Henry. “He played in the (high school) All-Star Game, so we weren’t able to use him. We were excited to get him out here and see him on the mound. We haven’t seen him since last year at state. Anytime you get Nate out on the mound, he’s going to battle, he’s a workhorse, he’s efficient, he can work out of any count, he looked every bit of what we remembered from last year.”
The teams played a scoreless first two innings before Muncie dented the board for three runs in the top of the third to lead 3-0 with Post 140 coming to the plate in the bottom of the inning and put four runs on the board to lead 4-3 after three complete.
Greenville Post 140 used a back-to-back Layne Hocker and Braeden Wills walks to open third inning play, and an Adam Edwards single loading the bases with no outs. Eli Keiser picked up an RBI with a hit by pitch, Sam DeLand picked up a fielder’s choice RBI, and Waggoner stroked a 2-run single to center, accounting for Greenville’s runs.
Muncie Post 19 made a pitching change with two outs in the fourth inning.
“Their first pitcher was very effective, but we got deep in the counts because we worked him, we got his pitch count up, we were able to get him out of there pretty early,” Henry noted. “We were able to chase this guy in the fourth inning. This guy is a good pitcher. We battled, we got his pitch count up, and we got him out of there and took advantage of who came in in relief.”
Post 140 tacked on a fifth inning run, taking advantage of a two-out DeLand walk, a Waggoner single to left, and an RBI single off the bat of Isaac Kerg, giving Greenville a 5-3 advantage after five innings.
Greenville Post 140 stretched its lead to 8-3 in the bottom of the sixth with a one out Mendenhall single to left, a Wills two-out double to the wall in center, an Edwards walk, and a basses clearing 3-run double off the bat of Keiser giving Post 140 a 5-run lead with one inning to play.
Muncie Post 19 battled back with three runs in the top of the seventh before a groundout with runners on first and second to Edwards at third brought the game to a close with an unassisted out, giving Greenville American Legion Post 140 an 8-6 win.
“I would take these guys against anybody,” Coach Henry stated. “Muncie won state a few years ago. That’s a really good program that we do a home and away each year. Their first pitcher was very effective, but we got deep in the counts because we worked him, we got his pitch count up, we were able to get him out of there pretty early, we got him out, and took advantage of who came in in relief.”
Versailles’ Sam DeLand once again had a solid game at shortstop for Post 140, cleanly handling all balls hit to him, including a double play.
“Sammy does everything the right way,” said Henry. “We have had him here since he was in the eighth grade. He goes about it the right way, he plays the game the right way, he doesn’t talk, he does just exactly what you need out of a ballplayer. If you have nine like him, you’re going to be really good.”
Waggoner earned the win, tossing 6.2 innings of 5-hit ball, allowing one earned run, four walks while striking out three. Owen Mendenhall picked up the save, pitching 0.1 scoreless innings of no-hit ball.
Waggoner went 2-3 with 2 RBIs, and Isaac Kerg was 2-3 with an RBI. Edwards went 1-2 with a walk, 2 runs; Keiser 1-2, a double, a HBP, 4 RBIs; Wills 1-2, a double, a walk, 2 runs; Mendenhall 1-3, 1 run; L Hocker a walk, 1 run; DeLand 2 walks, 1 run, 1 RBI; Ian Bergman 1 walk.
BOX SCORE
123 456 7 R H E
003 000 3 6 5 2 Muncie Post 19
004 013 X 8 8 3 Greenville Post 140
