Post 11's offensive struggles continue

LANCASTER – Post 11's offensive struggles continued Tuesday as it opened play in the 23rd annual Lancaster Post 11 Annual Baseball Classic.

Post 11 fell to Coshocton Post 65, 6-2, in the opener, and things didn't get much better in the game as Lancaster lost 14-4 in six innings against Circleville Post 134 at Beavers Field.

Against Coshocton, Lancaster was right there, tied 2-2 heading to the fifth inning. However, Post 11 couldn't get off the field when the team had recorded two outs. Coshocton scored three of its five runs with two outs.

"That has been issues we've had, when we get to two outs, we can't shut the door," Post 11 coach Al Beavers said. "We just can't figure out a way to get ourselves off the field. We give up a couple of hits, a walk, and three of the runs were two-out walks and that is always a deadly regardless what level you playing at. We just have to figure out a way to get that third out and try to get this offense going.

"We have been off a week because of the weather, and we aren't in any kind of rhythm. We are working in the cage, but that is not translating what we are teaching them from the cage to the field. When you don't play for a week, you can't develop a rhythm and see live pitching like we need to see. You have to see pitching day in and day out, and with a week off, that hurt us."

Curtis Lands, who went 2-for-3 and scored both runs in the first game, scored on a double steal for Lancaster's first run against Coshocton. Jack Young, who also had two hits, had an RBI single to score the other run.

Coshocton took a 4-2 lead in the fifth and added two more runs in the seventh, both coming with two outs.

"Curtis has done a nice job at the top of the lineup for us, and it is up to the rest of the guys to find a way to get him in on a more consistent basis. We have to figure out a way to hit the ball," Beavers said.

"We just aren't going a very good job of that right now as a collective unit. No one is hitting the ball well right now, and it is one of those team slumps that you hope we break out of soon."

Timely hitting has been Post 11's downfall all season. In the second game against Circleville, Post 11 loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the first inning. Lands walked, Mason Childers and Jackson Rucker then followed with back-to-back hits.

However, the next two batters struck out. Ian Strang had a base hit to score one run, but Post 11 left the bases loaded when the next batter grounded out. After Circleville took a 6-2 lead in the top of the second inning, Post 11 cut the deficit to 6-3 on a sacrifice fly by Rucker and an RBI single by Bailey Scott.

Post 11 had the bases loaded again in the fourth but once again managed to score only one run on an infield hit by Chris Waidelich.

Lancaster will return to action Thursday in the 10-team tournament that will conclude Sunday. Post 11 will play Troy Post 43 at 8 p.m.

twilson@lancastereaglegazette.com

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