Post 95 picks up two big wins over weekend

The Senior Legion team looks as if it has finally turned its season around. This past week, Post 95 won three of its five games, including three in a row, and a sweep of Olney.

The offense that struggled to score just a few weeks ago has now scored 34 runs over the past five games.

Perhaps the biggest reason for the recent offensive surge is lineup changes. Dallas Gray, who usually holds down the fourth spot in the lineup, has led off the last three games. In those games, he is combined 6-for-11 with two home runs, a double and four runs scored.

Behind Gray is the speedster Zack Murfin. Murfin struggled at the plate before the lineup shift, but since, he is 7-for-11 with a two walks, four runs scored and an RBI. Ryan Thiele and Cody Wimberly make up the rest of the top four. Wimberly was struggling in the first half of the season, but since opening his batting stance, at Stewardson-Strasburg, he has been hitting for power and contact. He went 6-for-11 in the last three games with five RBIs and four runs scored.

Highland 12 – Vandalia 7

Despite scoring seven runs Monday night at Highland, Post 95’s could not pull off the win.

Vandalia defense and pitching, which at the beginning of the season had been its strength, was its weakness against Highland. Walks and errors extended innings, giving Highland more chances to score, and they took advantage.

Post 95 was in the game for the first few innings. In the first, Murfin reached base on a hit and moved up to second when Thiele walked. Wimberly and Zack Marquess delivered back-to-back hits, putting Vandalia up 2-0.

Murfin got the start for Post 95 and had a rough outing. He walked two batters and gave up three runs before getting out of the inning.

Andy Hosick led off the second by reaching base on an error that also allowed him to move up to second. Hosick would steal third before being driven in by Colby Cooper to tie the game, 3-3.

Highland got to Murfin, and the Vandalia defense again in the second with four more runs to take a 7-3 lead.

Vandalia’s offense continued to keep pace with Highland. The first four batters of the third inning reached base. Marquess took a bases-loaded walk to cut the lead to 7-4. Zack Thompson hit into a double play that allowed another run to score. Hosick would reach base on another Highland error. A run scored on the play and Vandalia trailed by one, 7-6.

Two more runs by Highland in the bottom of the third pushed the lead back to three at 9-6.

Murfin reached base again in the top of the fourth on a fielder’s choice. He moved up to second on a steal and scored on a base hit by Wimberly to right field to get Post 95 back within two at 9-7.

“Early in the ball game, I still didn’t feel like we were out of it for a long time,” coach Steve Hosick said. “Then we got in about the fifth inning or so and you could just about see the kids were let down and ready to be done.”

Highland would score three more runs over the last three innings, and Vandalia would fail to even get another hit.

Murfin took the loss. He walked eight batters and gave up 10 runs, only four of which were earned, during his four innings on the mound.

Hosick described what happened as a double-edged sword.

“When the pitcher is walking a lot of batters, the infielders tendencies are to sit back on their heels, thinking the next pitch is going to be a ball,” he said. “Then you’ve got the guys not ready to make a play and when the ball is hit to them, they go in to almost scramble mode, because they weren’t ready to make a play.”

Vandalia 14 – Olney 6

Post 95 had without a doubt its biggest win of the season Sunday afternoon. Not only did Vandalia win big; it also won its third consecutive game, and fifth of the season.

In the first inning of game two of a doubleheader against Olney, Post 95 sent eight batters to the plate, scoring two and leaving three runners stranded.

Vandalia tacked on a run in the second to make it a 4-0 game. The game got away from them a bit in the top of the third, as they gave up four runs. A lead-off walk would lead to a run three batters later on a base hit. Then with bases loaded, a double cleared them and tied the game at 4-4. Olney took a 5-4 lead with a run in the top of the fourth.

In the bottom of the fourth, Post 95 used a slew of singles to take a 10-5 lead. Vandalia batted around, hitting eight singles as they added six runs. The first four batters (Gray, Murfin, Thiele and Wimberly) all reached base, and the first three would score. Wimberly was thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double. After Thompson struck out, the Vandals scored three more runs, with two outs.

Olney was able to score once in the fifth but Vandalia would hold and expand its lead with one on the bottom of the fifth, and three more in the sixth.

Gray went 4-for-5 with a double and two runs scored. Murfin went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a walk. Wimberly was 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored.

Every player had at least one hit, and all but one player scored.

Vandalia 7 – Olney 4

Vandalia won its second consecutive game with a 7-3 win over Olney.

Recent lineup changes now featured Gray leading off for Post 95, and the switch from the middle of the lineup to the top seemed to suit him just fine. Gray led off the game with a home run ,putting Vandalia up 1-0. In the top of the third Gray went yard again, pushing the lead to 2-0.

The hits and home runs kept coming for Vandalia. In the fourth inning Thompson hit his first home run of the season, making it a 3-0 game.

However, Olney started to come back in the bottom of the fourth. An error and couple of stolen bases opened the door for them to score two runs and make it a 3-2 game.

After hitting home runs in his first two at bats of the game, Gray was hit by a pitch in his third trip to the plate, in the fifth inning. Murfin followed with a single. After a fly out to right, Wimberly hit a three-run homer to put Vandalia up 6-2.

Post 95 plated another in the sixth.

With a four-run cushion entering the bottom of the seventh, Vandalia was just three outs away from back-to-back wins for the first time this season.

After the first batter struck out, a single, walk and another single loaded the bases for Olney with one out. A fly ball to right was easily caught for the second out, but the throw to the plate for the runner tagging up was off the mark and the runner from third scored. The runner who was on second tagged up and tried to score on the overthrow. Hosick who was backing up theplay, retrieved the ball and threw it home in time to get the second runner out and end the game.

Gray was 2-for-3 with two home runs. Thompson was 1-for-3 with a home run, and Wimberly was 1-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs.

Vandalia 3 – T-Town 2

In part two of a doubleheader on Thursday night, Post 95 was on the winning side of a one-run game. Vandalia won on a walk-off base hit by Wimberly.

Wimberly was also on the mound for Post 95, and he received some early run support when Murfin led off the second inning with a double off the wall. Marquess followed with a base hit to left, scoring Murfin. Later in the inning with runners on first and third, Gray doubled off, pushing the lead to 2-0.

T-Town cut the lead in half by putting up a run in the fourth on a fielder’s choice.

In the top of the seventh, Wimberly allowed the lead-off man to reach base ,and Hosick replaced him with Gray.  Gray would retire two and put another man on. With runners on first and second and down to its last out, T-Town got the hit it needed. A line drive to right scored the tying run. Gray was able to get out of the inning without giving up any more runs.

Thompson led off the final frame with a base hit, and Thiele followed with a hit of his own. Wise loaded the bases with his single. Wimberly’s liner to the right side scored Thompson, giving Vandalia the 3-2 win.

T-Town 3 – Vandalia 2

Last Thursday, Post 95 lost its eighth one-run game of the season to T-Town.

Murfin was on the mound for his first start and second appearance since returning from an ankle injury he suffered, several weeks ago.

Although Murfin was falling behind in the count early to hitters, he still managed to keep the Post 95 in the game. Murfin said the fact he was falling behind in the count probably was mostly due to missing time due to injury.

Post 95 missed its first scoring opportunity in the second inning. Back-to-back walks for Thompson and Murfin put two on, and Thiele ripped a base hit through the left side. Thompson rounded third and went into home standing up, and was tagged out on a close play at the plate.

In the bottom of the fifth, Vandalia broke up a scoreless game, and took a 1-0 lead. Hosick has always said he like to cause chaos when on offense. Chaos makes the defense panic and hurry, thus making mistakes. Murfin laid down a bunt to lead off the inning and a rushed throw to first went over the first baseman’s head, allowing Murfin to advance to second.

“They (the defense) were back,” Hosick said. “They were back the whole ball game. I told Murfin we needed the lead-off hitter to get on.

"He laid down a good bunt, they throw the ball away and we get a guy on second base with nobody out in a tie ball game.”

Hosick gave the bunt signal a second time, this time to Thiele. He laid down a sacrifice, moving Murfin up to third.

For the third consecutive batter, Hosick gave the bunt signal, a safety squeeze play. Wise dropped a perfect bunt and, Murfin scored as Wise was thrown out at first.

“When you’re playing teams and only getting two or three runs a ball game, you’ve got to find a way to mix things up and make some stuff happen,” Hosick said.

Going into the bottom of the seventh, Vandalia still held its slim 1-0 lead. Murfin was able to get one out before loading the bases. T-Town called for the squeeze and, it was successful, tying the game at 1-1. The next batter ripped a base hit to right, scoring two more.

Down 3-1, Vandalia had one last chance. Jon Spicer led off the inning with a single. With two out and two on, Gray drove in Spicer with a base hit. Wimberly then grounded out to end the game.

Murfin went seven innings and struck out 11.

“Murfin pitched a great game today,” Spicer said.

Vandalia will wrap up its regular season this coming week with seven games over the course of five days.

Post 95 will travel to Jasper, Ind., for two games during the Fourth of July weekend. Friday, they will play Jasper in a nine-inning game, starting at 8 p.m. On Saturday, they well face Jasper a second time in another nine-inning game. at 11 a.m.

On Sunday, Vandalia will play a doubleheader at Newton, at 1 p.m. The Vandals split a two-game series with Newton at home on June 6.

Monday, they will host Trenton at 7:30 p.m. and wrap up the regular season with a doubleheader against Toledo, at home, next Tuesday at 6 p.m.

With a week left in the season, now is the time or Post 95 to correct any problems they might be having. After the team’s performance Monday night, Marquess feels the team needs to work on its defense.

“Defense was struggling tonight; we had a lot of errors,” he said “They hit the ball pretty good. We just need to get better on defense.”

Hosick will be focusing on not just defense, but also on hitting. He’s seen what this team can accomplish when the hit the ball well.

“We’re going to focus on hitting the ball hard and hope that whenever the ball comes their way, they’re focused enough to make the play,” Hosick said. “We’re going to try to put up runs. Whenever we put up seven or eight runs with this pitching staff, I do expect to win.”

Post 95 is now 7-14 on the season.

The Junior Legion team had a make-up game scheduled for this Wednesday at 5:30.