Post #118 falls in district semi-final

A defensive meltdown by the Irwin-Easley Post #118 team led to three Monett runs in the top of the seventh inning. Then Joey Robbins retired the Cassville bats in order to give Post #91 a 6-3 victory in an elimination game on Friday at the American Legion AA tournament at Carl Junction.

Post #118 lost a 6-3 contest to the Mt. Vernon 39ers on Thursday, while Monett fell into the elimination bracket with an 11-6 loss to the host Carl Junction team.

For six innings, the Cassville and Monett clubs battled to a 3-3 draw. Post #91 drew first blood in the top of the first inning when Isaac Long doubled and later scored on an error. But the Irwin-Easley team tied the game in the bottom of the second inning.

Kaleb Sparks drew a one-out walk and reached second on a sac bunt by Andrew Whitham. Brett Nickles' groundball eluded the Monett shortstop, and Sparks scored to knot the score at 1-1.

Post #118 took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second. Chase Jackson singled and then scored on a throwing error. Monett's club answered with two runs in the fourth to take a 3-2 lead. Jordan Hall led off with a single, and Tyler Ash lashed a double to center field. Zach Hammond hit into a fielder's choice to score Hall, and then Ash scored on a wild pitch.

The Cassville club tied the game in the bottom of the fifth as Ty Craig singled and later scored from third base when Gabe Kirk hit into a fielder's choice.

The game turned in the top of the seventh. Marcus Weatherman issued a leadoff walk but then struck out the next two Monett batters. The next three Post #91 hitters reached base and two runs scored on defensive errors. Then Hall ripped an RBI single to create the 6-3 score.

Robbins struck out the first two batters in the bottom of the seventh, and Kirk flied out to center to end the game and the season for the Irwin-Easley team.