Junior Legion ends four-game skid, wins two straight

Tuesday night Vandalia defeated Centralia, 6-5, to win its second straight game.

Trevor Montgomery was on the hill the whole game for Post 95, rebounding from his last start when he lasted just two-thirds of an inning and gave up 10 runs.

Ian Murrell, Kyle Hawkins, Russell Snow and Jacob Rau each drove in a run for Vandalia.

Post 95 also played a doubleheader at T-Town Wednesday at 6 p.m.

The district tournament begins Friday, Vandalia will play at Salem, at 5:30 p.m.

Vandalia 9 – Trenton 4

Post 95 picked up a much-deserved win Monday night at home against Trenton. Vandalia was on a four-game losing streak and in desperate search of a win.

“The biggest [problem] tonight was some of the metal errors we made,” coach Luke Hohlt said. “It didn’t end up costing us, but those guys have to understand that it could cost us in a close game. That’s what makes this game so great—this is a thinking man’s game and we have got to start thinking.”

Murrell continued to swing a hot bat for Post 95. In the bottom of the first, a sharply hit ground ball, by Murrell, bounced off the third baseman’s foot, scoring T.K. Kinkead, who doubled earlier in the inning. Vandalia would load the bases with back-to-back walks, but were unable to scratch across any more runs in the first.

Kyle Dugan led off the bottom of the second by reaching base on a dropped third strike, a bunt moved him up to second and a single to left by Kinkead scored Dugan to put Post 95 up 2-0.

Hurler Kyle Hawkins was able to keep Trenton off the board through the first three innings and work out of trouble when putting several runners on.

A two-run double by Hoffman and an RBI single by Rau put Vandalia up 5-0 in the third. The insurance runs would come in handy, as in the top of the fourth, Vandalia’s pitching and defense allowed Trenton back into the game.

Hawkins gave up four runs on five hits in the inning, while the defense committed two errors.

Another RBI single by Murrell in the bottom of the fourth pushed the lead to 6-4. Murrell ripped a two-run double in the fifth to put Vandalia up 8-4 and gave him four RBIs on the day.

“He’s got quick hands for a big guy,” Hohlt said. “And being a big guy he’s got a little power to put behind it.

“[Murrell’s] biggest thing is staying positive and shaking off mistakes out there. He’s going to end up being a good ballplayer if, he can do that.”

Russell Snow’s blooper into left to scored Murrell to give Post 95 a 9-4 lead.

Dillion Goldsmith was brought on to pitch in the top of the seventh. He loaded the bases before getting the third out and securing the win for Vandalia.

Salem 9 – Vandalia 8

Game two of a doubleheader against Salem last Wednesday looked more like a comedy of errors than a baseball game.

Post 95 got off to a solid start, Murrell gave Vandalia a 1-0 lead in the first on an RBI single.

When Murrell was on the pitcher’s mound in the bottom half of the inning, he set down the first three batters on less than a dozen pitches.   

Salem did manage to plate a run in the second, tying the game, 1-1.

Montgomery led the third inning off by taking a pitch in the back. He moved up to second on a steal and would score on a passed ball.

Bloemker walked with one out and moved up to third with the help of a couple of passed balls.

With two out, Hoffman walked. Hoffman stole second, and on the throw down to second, Bloemker scored putting Vandalia up, 3-1.

Things began to fall apart in the bottom of the third inning. The defense committed three errors and gave up four runs, giving Salem a 5-3 edge.

Murrell continued to carry the team on offense in the fourth. With two out and two on, his base hit drove in two runs, tying the game 5-5.

Two runs by each team over the next two innings kept the game tied.

With the game tied 7-7 in the top of the seventh, Kinkead hit an RBI triple that gave Vandalia a one-run lead.

In the bottom half, Salem was able to get a runner on via a walk and would drive him in with a double, tying the game once again. With a runner on second and one out, a routine ground ball to the shortstop went under the fielder’s glove.

The winning run scored for Salem, and they secured the sweep of Post 95.

“You hate to see a game end that way but it’s going to happen,” Hohlt said. “You’ve got to keep your heads up.

Salem 14 – Vandalia 7

A 10-0 deficit after the top of the first would be to blame for Vandalia’s loss to Salem in game one of last Wednesday’s doubleheader.

Montgomery, the starting pitcher, didn’t even get out of the first inning. He pitched just two-thirds of an inning, giving up 10 runs on six hits, a walk and a hit batter. Montgomery also gave up a grand slam. His poor start, compiled with several errors by Post 95’s defense, had it in an almost insurmountable hole.

Replacing Montgomery on the mound was Hawkins, who was able to get through the next two innings unscathed before giving up a run in the top of the forth.

“He gave us a chance to come back and win,” Hohlt said “He pitched really good for five or six innings. You couldn’t ask for a better performance from him in a relief role.”

In the bottom of the fourth, Post 95 finally got on the board. Back-to-back walks by Bloemker and Hoffman gave Murrell some runners to work with. Murrell hit ground ball to third, and the third baseman stepped on third and threw to first for a double play.

Hoffman would move up to third on an error and score when the catcher attempted to throw him out on a snap throw that sailed in to left field.

Montgomery got one run back in the fifth when he hit a solo home run to left-center, making it an 11-2 game.

Another run by Salem in the sixth pushed the lead back to 10.

Murrell and Kinkead both singled through the left side to start off the bottom of the sixth.

Murrell would take advantage of Salem’s lack of urgency on a passed ball. He moved up to third easily and when he saw that Salem had still not gotten to the ball, he rounded third and headed for home. He slid in safely, cutting the score to 12-3.

Two batters later, Rau walked, to put runners on first and third. Berning hit into a fielder’s choice and Kinkead scored from third. Rau was out at second and Berning would move up to second when a wild throw to first went past the first baseman.

A base hit would score Rau, and Blowmker doubled to drive in two more before the inning ended with Post 95 down just 12-7.

Salem, however, would not relent. They tacked on two more runs in the seventh to double up Vandalia, 14-7.

Vandalia managed to get two runners on in the bottom of the seventh before Salem turned a double play to end the game.

“Getting going earlier is what we need to do,” Hohlt said, “because we can’t wait until the third or fourth inning to start hitting the ball and expect to be in games.

“If we get that intensity at the plate that we have in late innings, early, I think we’re going to win some games and pull off some tournament wins.”