Post 95 routed at Divisions

NEW BADEN – Once the Swansea/Fairview Heights Giants began to hit, it didn’t seem like it would ever stop.

And it only did because of the mercy rule.

S/FH scored 11 runs in the fourth inning and kept on scoring to beat Vandalia, 20-3, on Tuesday in the first game of the Fifth Division Tournament, sending Post 95 to its most lopsided loss of the season.

“We got in a pickle with a couple of errors and it started bleeding, and we couldn’t get it to stop,” said acting coach Rod Mueller. “If you can’t make catches and balls are rolling past you, how do you stop it?”

Dalton Crisman roped a two-run double in the second to give Vandalia the lead, and starter Matt Tomazzoli was sharp through three innings, allowing just two base runners and striking out three.

But 10 hits, two walks and an error gave the Giants 11 runs in the fourth, with six of them scoring with two outs.

Mueller said that S/FH “most definitely” earned some runs with its hitting, taking well-located pitches into gaps.

“I guess they just got a read on him,” Mueller said.

Tomazzoli (3-2) took the loss, allowing 11 earned runs in 3 2/3 innings. Clinton Hood fired 1 1/3 innings, and Tristan Wesselman pitched the final frame.

Crisman led off the fifth for Vandalia (32-9) with a single, and he scored on a wild pitch.

He filled in for Brett Mueller, who left the team on Monday for Basic Training.

“He hit the ball well,” Rod Mueller said. “A couple of balls got past him in the outfield, but he came back and hit the ball.”

Post 95 left the bases loaded in the fifth inning, and would have just one other runner in the game.

Meanwhile, S/FH (29-9) added four runs in the fifth and five more in the sixth to blow out Post 95, which had not been beaten worse than 10-2 during the regular season.

Connor Beasley was 1-for-2, with a walk and a run; Austin Schwarm was 1-for-3; and Gavin Ratermann walked and scored.

Tyler Scimio earned the win for the Giants, tossing four innings and striking out two. A pair of relievers struck out five in the final three frames.

The double-elimination tournament continued for Vandalia on Wednesday, with a game against Herrin. Results will be posted at www.leaderunion.com.

With a win, Post 95 would continue play on Thursday at 10:30 a.m.

Tuesday, July 22
S/FH 20
Vandalia 3
V: 0-2-0-0-1-0-0—3-4-4
S: 0-0-0-11-4-5-X—20-18-1
WP: Scimio; 4+ IP, 2 K
LP: Tomazzoli (3-2); 3 2/3+, 3 K
Post 95: Crisman, 2-for-2, 2B, 2 RBI, run; Beasley, 1-for-2, run, BB; Schwarm, 1-for-3, BB; Raterman, run, BB; Kyle Bray, BB; Brock Trexler, BB.
Record: 32-9