Published: July 02, 2009 11:20 pm      

Legion loses nail-biter at Centralia

By JACK CLARK

jackclark@mvn.net



CENTRALIA - Despite a valiant six-run effort in the fourth inning, the Mt. Vernon American Legion Post 141 baseball team fell to Centralia, 8-7 on Thursday afternoon at Sprehe Fields.

Through the first three innings, Centralia starting pitcher Derek Teitsort hand-cuffed the King City team, not allowing a hit.

"It seems like it took us the second time through (the batting order) to get to him," said Post 141 coach Chris Braden. "Then we put together that good inning. I'm pleased with their effort today."

Centralia took a 3-0 lead in the opening frame. Leadoff batter Cody Stevenson homered, then Drew Furlong walked and Mitchell Broughton doubled. Furlong scored on a single by Aaron Newcomb, while Broughton crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly.

Fory Albert and Dustin Smith added runs in the second inning, while Newcomb and Teitsort each scored in the third.

Then came the top of the fourth. And the Post 141 bats came alive.

Klayton Hahn walked. Ethan Gowler singled. Jim Mulvaney also walked to load the bases for James Jackson, who singled, scoring Hahn and Gowler.

Ethan O'Neal then cracked a one-out double, plating both Mulvaney and Jackson.

Travis Carello then walked and Ryan Quick hit a two-out triple, scoring both O'Neal and Carello.

Centralia got another run in the fifth to take a 8-6 lead. Post 141 got their final run in the sixth, when Carello scored on a double by Quick.

"I let the kids swing a few times when I probably should have moved the runner," Braden said. "But, I'm letting them get their swings because we haven't played that many games yet. I probably would have played that differently in the tournament."

Each of the teams were, in effect, playing short-handed, as each only had nine players available for the game.

"Today we had a lot of kids going to camps and on vacation," said Braden. "So we weren't at full strength."

Braden said that Post 141 will play next on Tuesday at Trenton in a game that will be somewhat of a barometer for the team's progress.

"That's going to be our test," Braden said. "Trenton is always good. Hopefully we can split with them, because it's awfully hard to go there and win both games. If we could sweep them, I would be extremely happy."