Washington Post 218 took care of the first part of what it needed to do Friday night.
The Post 218 Juniors (30-6) held off Daniel Boone Post 262, 3-2, to force a winner-take-all game in the Ninth District Tournament at Rotary Recreational Complex - Ronsick Field.
Post 218 was led by Peter Coulter, who limited Daniel Boone to just two runs (one earned) on three hits. He also hit two batters.
“Pete Coulter started the first game and gave us another great performance,” Post 218 Manager Phillip Kleekamp said. “He went the distance allowing only one earned run. Pete has been in these kinds of games before. The other coaches and I were confident that Pete would handle the situation well, and he did not disappoint only allowing three hits against a good-hitting team.”
Post 218, which lost to Daniel Boone Wednesday night in the winners’ bracket final, came back through the losers’ bracket by beating Elsberry Thursday. Friday’s first championship game was the sixth game between the teams and Washington’s third victory.
Daniel Boone also got a strong pitching performance from Josiah Longenecker in the game. He allowed three runs on seven hits and two walks while hitting two batters and striking out two.
Washington made six errors in the game. Daniel Boone was charged with two.
The visiting team, Post 218 came out by scoring two runs in the top of the first inning. With two outs, Aaron Meyer lined a single to plate both Ross Seitter and Sam Katzung to put Washington on top.
“We were the visitors in the first game and we were able to jump out to an early 2-1 lead after the first inning,” Kleekamp said. “Aaron Meyer came up and delivered a single that plated our first two runs.”
But Daniel Boone responded in the bottom of the inning to score once and make it 2-1.
That’s how the game stood in the top of the second when the umpires sent the teams off the field due to a thunderstorm which passed through the area. Enough rain fell that Post 218 officials covered the home plate and mound areas with tarps.
After a lengthy delay, the game finally resumed. However, it took much longer for the offenses to heat up again.
Post 218 scored another run in the top of the fourth inning. Tyler Straatmann scored on a single by Brian Trigg to make it 3-1.
Daniel Boone got one run back in the bottom of the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly, but the scoring ended after that and Washington held on for the 3-2 victory.
Meyer led Post 218 with two hits in the game while driving in a run. He also made a diving catch at first base to end the fifth inning.
Straatmann had the only extra-base hit for Washington, a double. He also scored.
Seitter, Katzung, David McNeal and Trigg singled. Seitter and Katzung also scored and walked. Trigg added an RBI.
Kevin Birk and Justin Schuler were hit by pitches. Trigg added a sacrifice bunt.
Austin Forney, Tanner Kulpa and Hunter Hindman singled for Daniel Boone. Brian Land and Hunter Murphy were hit by pitches.
Land and Hindman scored the runs.
