Sr. Legion outlasts Taylorville to move to 6-3

Post 95 rolled to its sixth win of the season last Wednesday, defeating Taylorville, 10-8. The Senior Legion team demonstrated on Wednesday that it can score runs at an impressive clip, and despite giving up eight runs, the pitching was strong, for the most part.

"The offense looked pretty good. We started to finally get most of our kids here," coach Mark Lewis said. "We looked pretty solid tonight

Caleb Randall from Hillsboro was on the mound to start the game for Vandalia. It took him an inning to settle in, as he gave up a back-to-back hits to start the game, and a sacrifice fly to shallow right field put Taylorville up 1-0.

Vandalia’s offense also got off to a nice start, plating three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Cody Wimberly drove in a run on single to left and Zach Thompson doubled to right field, scoring two runs.

Randall and the Vandalia defense settled into a nice groove in the second, retiring three straight.

Matt Hoffman led off the bottom of the third with a walk, and Colby Cooper followed with an infield single. With the bottom of the lineup reaching base, the top of the order was set up to drive in more runs. Luke Murfin of Patoka and Andrew Mauer of Greenville came through, driving in a run each. Murfin doubled to left to score Hoffman, and Cooper scored on a ground out to third by Mauer, putting Post 95 up 5-1.

Vandalia’s defense rolled right through the top of the third inning and its offense picked up another run the bottom half. Post 95 and Taylorville traded runs through the fifth, with Vandalia holding a 9-3 lead when Randall exited after the fifth.

"Caleb did a great job. He threw five innings for us. He had a couple of runs that were unearned, so only three runs in five innings was a solid outing," Lewis said.

Mauer started the sixth, and like Randal, he hit a rough patch to start, allowing a run to score after the runner reached on an error.

"Andrew hasn’t pitched for three or four weeks, so we only gave him a couple innings," Lewis said.

The bottom of the sixth marked the first time Vandalia did not score a run or even get a hit, as all three batters grounded out to the shortstop.

Mauer was roughed up in the seventh, allowing two runs on a walk followed by a triple that led the batter scoring on a throwing error to make it 9-6.

Rudy Cerutti led off the bottom of the seventh with a single and moved up to third after stealing second and moving to third on a throwing error by the pitcher. Thompson singled, scoring an insurance run for Post 95.

Cooper took the mound to start the eighth and retired Taylorville in order. Taylorville made one last push in the top of the ninth. Cooper forced a ground out and got a strike out to start the final inning, but the next five batters reached base and two of them scored to make it a 10-8 game, with the bases load and two out. The next batter hit a screaming line drive at Ian Murell at first, which he put a way with ease to end Taylorvile’s scoring threat.

"Cooper was rolling there until we needed that last out," Lewis said.

Post 95 has a busy week ahead, playing five games in the next four days. On Friday, Vandalia hosts New Baden for a doubleheader at 6 p.m. On Saturday, it hosts Lawrence County for two games, starting at 1 p.m. Vandalia is on the road Monday at Granite City, starting at 6 p.m.

Post 95 is 6-3 this season.