Post 11 can’t capitalize on scoring opportunities
LANCASTER – Post 11 continued to struggle offensively in the Lancaster Post 11 Annual Baseball Classic, but it had plenty of opportunities to score Thursday against Troy Post 43.
Amazingly, Lancaster loaded the bases four times, but was only able to score two runs in a 6-2 loss at Beavers Field.
“We had bases loaded so many times and we just couldn’t get the job done,” Post 11 coach Alan Beavers said. “We gave up a couple of flares early and a couple of walks that really hurt and it just kind of snowballed. We just couldn’t get the key hit again. It’s the same scenario, different page.
“We had opportunities the whole game, but we just couldn’t get the key hit to push us over the edge. We got the guys on, but we just couldn’t get them in.”
On the flip side, Troy scored all of its runs with two outs, including three in the third inning. With two outs in the inning, Post 11 pitcher Jared Faulkner walked the next two batters and gave up a bloop single over the first baseman’s head that scored a run. A single scored the next two runs.
In the fourth inning, Faulkner once again recorded two quick outs, then walked a batter. He then gave up a double that plated a run to give Troy a 4-0 lead.
After loading the bases in the second inning and not being able to push across a run, Lancaster loaded them again in the bottom of the fourth on a single by Jack Young and back-to-back walks by Mason Childers and Will Poling. Bryce Deibel’s single scored Young, but Post 11 was unable to come up with another clutch hit.
Troy scored two more runs in the fifth inning on back-to-back two-out singles.
Post 11 came right back and looked as if it was going to have a big inning. With one out, Larry McDaniel walked, Tyler Hill singled and Jackson Rucker hit the ball to third, but the third baseman threw wide of second base in a force attempt to allow McDaniel to score. After a pop out and a walk loaded the bases, the runners were left stranded.
Post 11 also loaded the bases in the seventh inning with one out, but was unable to score. In all, Lancaster stranded 17 base runners.
Even though Faulkner gave up six runs, he pitched well enough to have a better fate.
There are some things you can’t control,” Beavers said. “You make the pitches and hope they make the plays behind you, but you have to be mentally tough as a pitcher. Jared made some quality pitches, but you can’t control them hitting flares. But that’s baseball.”
Post 11 drops to 0-3 in the tournament and will be back in action at 8 p.m. Friday against Prospect.
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