GREENVILLE – Greenville American Legion Post 140 16U defeated the Greenville ACME baseball team 9-6 in a Wednesday night matchup at Sater Heights Park.
“It was a great baseball game on a great night,” said Greenville ACME coach, Ryan Delk. “Just come up a little short.”
“Austin Baumgardner and Kyle Mills are their coaches – I have a lot of respect for them,” added Coach Delk. “We love to play each other and we have a good time. We’re all in it for the right reasons.”
Post 140 grabbed an early 5-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning only to have the ACME team battled back with four runs in the top of the third to make it a 5-4 Legion lead where the score would stand though four innings of play.
Greenville ACME took its first lead of the night scoring two fifth inning runs to lead 6-5 while keeping Post 140 off the board in the bottom of the inning.
“That has kind of been our season all year,” Baumgardner said. “Start out slow and then fifth and sixth inning these guys rally. They don’t ever quit. Young group and we’re bringing a lot back next year.”
The local American Legion 16U team plated four runs in the bottom of the sixth to give the junior Legion team a 9-6 advantage that would hold up for the final score of the night.
The 16U Legion team is made up of all freshman (incoming sophomores) but one and a single incoming freshman making up the 2023 roster.
“My job is to get them ready for Chad’s (18U Legion team coached by Chad Henry) team,” Baumgardner stated. “I like being a part of the American Legion program. It stands for something really cool. They come out here and play for a good cause and have fun doing it.”
“We played hard, we battled there at the end,” said Delk. “I love playing the Legion team. There are some Greenville kids on there so it’s always a great time. It was a great baseball game on a great night – we just come up a little short.”
