Riverton pitcher Kaleb Clark has made strides to fit in with Pittsburg Post 64

Riverton hurler Kaleb Clark almost did not get a shot to play baseball this summer.
But, luckily, he has friends ... with connections.
After Riverton was unable to field an American Legion baseball team, Clark connected with his good friend, Jesse Watt, whose dad, Mike, coaches Pittsburg Post 64 — made up primarily of players from Pittsburg.
“Jesse and I talked a lot about me coming up and playing here,” Clark said.
So, after some conversations between Mike Watt and Riverton High School baseball coach Danny Weaver, Clark became a member of Post 64 during the summer.
“I told him [Weaver] that if they were going to have a team, he [Clark] should play for them,” Mike Watt said. “But, their team fell through and he was just looking for a place to play.”
All that was left was a little encouragement from Jesse Watt and Clark was sold.
“We’ve been friends for the last several years and he is a good pitcher,” Jesse Watt said. “I just kept calling him and it all worked out.”
Despite knowing Jesse Watt, Clark still had thoughts of not playing baseball during the summer months.
“It crossed my mind many times that I wouldn’t get to play this summer,” Clark said.
But now, Clark has seemed to find a second home with a 10-2 Post 64 squad that has seemingly embraced him as if he were a springtime teammate.
“It has been great and they really treat me like family,” Clark said. “It is a great team with a great facility.”
He said that adjusting to playing with Post 64 and some players that he doesn’t know, has not been that big of an issue.
“With the exception of the drive, it really hasn’t been a big adjustment,” Clark said. “It is kind of an adjustment pitching-wise but, this is a great team and it has been pretty easy.”
Mike Watt said that Clark has been a welcome addition to Post 64 thus far this season.
“He shows up for every practice and he is very eager to learn,” Mike Watt said. “He makes the extra effort to make himself better.”
And, most importantly, playing for Post 64 keeps Clark on the baseball field over the summer months. That includes a trip to the 2009 Decker Sports College World Series baseball tournament in Omaha, Neb., last week, where Clark picked up a 15-2 win over Boulder, Colo.
In that game, Clark struck out four and gave up six hits.
“I hope the experience has been good for him,” Mike Watt said. “What he has been able to do is something that he may not have been able to do if he wasn’t here.”
Also, Clark has also earned the friendship of some players that he was not acquainted with prior to this summer like fellow pitcher, and Pittsburg High School alum, Brandon Spear.
“He is a good pitcher,” Spear said. “He’s here to learn and he competes and that is a big plus for him.”
With plenty of summer ball remaining for Post 64, Clark has already decided that he is happy for the opportunity to get to play for Pittsburg.
“I love it,” Clark said. “I wouldn’t trade it for the world ... these are just great guys.”

Matthew Clark can be reached at matthew.clark@morningsun.net or at 620-231-2600, Ext. 140. Follow Morning Sun sports at twitter.com/mssports.