Posting a pair of dominating Ninth District victories, the Washington Post 218 Junior Legion team improved to 10-3 overall and 7-1 in the Ninth District this week.
Phillip Kleekamp’s team ripped Warrenton Post 122 Tuesday at Rotary Recreational Complex - Ronsick Field in five innings, 10-0.
On Wednesday, Washington whipped St. Charles Post 312 in six innings, 11-1.
“As a team, we have been taking much better at-bats over the course of the last week,” Post 218 Manager Phillip Kleekamp said. “Our coaching staff really has been preaching about going to the plate with a good approach and looking for a quality pitch to drive. The boys have responded well and the runs are coming in bunches in the moment. Hopefully, we can keep the pace through the weekend. We will have our hands full, but we will be ready to come out swinging.”
Post 218 returns to action Friday with a nonleague game at 6 p.m. against Manchester at the Parkway South High School JV Field.
On Saturday, Washington hosts a Ninth District doubleheader against Wentzville. The first game is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
Creve Coeur of the 10th District comes to town Sunday at 3:30 p.m.
On Monday, Post 218 plays St. Peters at the Rec-Plex Field at 7 p.m. in Ninth District action.
Next week, Post 218 hosts Festus in nonleague action Wednesday at 6 p.m. and O’Fallon in Ninth District competition Friday, June 15, at 6 p.m.
Warrenton
Post 218 breezed to a five-inning victory over Warrenton Post 122 Tuesday at Rotary Recreational Complex - Ronsick Field, 10-0.
“The bats were certainly working tonight,” Kleekamp said. “We were able to score early and often to defeat Warrenton 10-0 in five innings.”
Post 218 set the tone early with three runs in the bottom of the first. Washington added one run in the second, three in the fourth and three more in the fifth.
Justin Schuler pitched all five innings for Washington, allowing two hits and one walk while striking out 10 Warrenton batters.
“Justin has been lights out in his last two starts,” Kleekamp said. “As one of our more experienced players, Justin understands what he needs to do to be successful on the mound, and he has been doing it very well over his last two starts. Our pitching staff continues to go beyond the call of duty. We have not had a poor outing by a starting pitcher yet. Starting pitching is such an important aspect of this game, and we are somewhat spoiled with the outings we have been getting thus far. Every person we run out there is doing a great job. Our defense is progressing with each game. When you have great pitching and great defense, you tend to win your fair share of ball games.”
Offensively, Washington rapped out nine hits to two for Warrenton. The visitors committed two errors to Washington’s one.
Ross Seitter, Sam Katzung and Brian Trigg each had two hits for Post 218.
Seitter’s hits were doubles. He also scored three runs, drove in two and stole a base.
“Leadoff man, Ross Seitter, did a great job of getting things going tonight,” said Kleekamp. “Ross’ bat is really starting to come around and is a tough out for any pitcher.”
Katzung scored one run and drove in two.
“Sam has been our workhorse behind the plate, and it was great to see him have another solid game offensively,” Kleekamp said.
Trigg scored twice and stole three bases.
Batters with one hit each were Aaron Meyer (triple), Todd Kleekamp and Teddy Harrison.
Kleekamp scored twice while Meyer and Harrison each scored once.
Meyer drove in two runs while Harrison and Grant Ruediger had one RBI each.
Meyer, Anthony Chance and Harrison each walked.
Kleekamp stole three bases and Harrison also had one stolen base.
Curtis Bauer and Mike Moreau had the hits for Warrenton.
St. Charles
Washington picked up where it left off in Tuesday’s game by scoring early and often in an 11-1 win.
Post 218 scored once in the first and five times in the second.
St. Charles scored its run in the third, but Washington matched that in the bottom of the inning.
The home team then added one run in the fourth, two in the fifth and one in the sixth.
Post 218 outhit St. Charles, 10-4, and took advantage of 10 St. Charles errors in the game.
Chance pitched for Washington, allowing one run on four hits and three walks. He struck out two St. Charles batters.
“Anthony Chance continues to impress,” Kleekamp said. “Even though he allowed his first earned run of the season, Anthony was still great all night. He keeps the ball down and doesn’t try to overpower the hitters. Anthony gets his share of strikeouts, but he is successful because he is locating his pitches and getting ahead early in counts forcing hitters to swing at tough pitches. Location, along with being able to consistently throw his curveball for a strike, really seems to give hitters problems. Anthony is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with. We will need him as well as all of our pitching staff to continue to improve throughout the course of the season if we want to be successful in the Ninth District.”
Offensively, Post 218 had three hitters who had two hits each. Kleekamp, Katzung and Tyler Straatmann led the Post 218 offense.
Kleekamp doubled and added two runs, to RBIs, one walk and a stolen base.
Katzung doubled, scored once, drove in two and walked.
Straatmann scored once and drove in a run.
Batters with one hit each were Kevin Birk (double), Seitter, David McNeal and Harrison.
Seitter and McNeal each scored twice. Birk, Katzung, Peter Coulter and Luke Knight each scored one run. Meyer drove in one run.
Meyer, McNeal and Knight walked. Seitter was hit by a pitch.
McNeal stole four bases while Seitter and Birk also had stolen bases.
