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PITTSBURG —
The game Saturday afternoon between Pittsburg Post 64 and the KC Express boiled down to one team capitalizing on its opportunities and the other team failing to maximize its opportunities.
Post 64 left six runners on base and the Express produced five run-scoring hits during a 9-1 run-rule win for the Express.
“We played a very good team, a very talented team,” Post 64 head coach Mike Watt said. “I thought we competed very well. It was 3-1 in the fourth and I think we started to lose command, walked a few guys and we had some pop-ups that were tough plays. Against good teams, you have to make those kinds of plays and you can’t give them extra outs. That’s basically what happened. We gave them opportunities and they took advantage.
“In the top of the second, we had runners on second and third with one out. We come up with a hit there and we take the lead. Any time you take the lead, it puts pressure on the other team . . . it just changes the atmosphere of the game when you have the lead. Again, good team. I didn’t think we played poorly, we just didn’t play good enough.”
After both teams exchanged 1-2-3s in the first, Post 64 designated hitter Cody Grilz led off the second with a fortuitous bloop single in between the first baseman and the right fielder in shallow right. Christian Cedeno then drew a walk after being down in the count against Express starting pitcher Tanner Swisher. Post 64 catcher Dylan Gromer did his job with an ideal sacrifice bunt advancing both Cedeno and Grilz 90 feet.
With one down, Post 64 had two runners in scoring position and a chance to put the first runs on the board.
However, in a crucial turn of events, Swisher buckled down and struck out the next two Post 64 hitters to avert damage.
Missouri State recruit Tayler Ross (Clinton, Mo., native and 2012 HS graduate) blasted his first home run of the game leading off the bottom of the second, then came two more runs on three more Express hits. Matt Olsen doubled and later scored on a 4-3 groundout. Jake Stafford reached on a single, stole second and came home on a Brian Reed single.
Post 64 pushed across its first run in the fourth. With one down and two runners in scoring position, Gromer again did his job by lofting a fly ball deep enough into left to score the speedy Sam Gilbert, despite a strong throw by the Express left fielder. Blake Vail reached on a walk but Post 64 again fizzled out with two outs and runners in scoring position.
The game Saturday afternoon between Pittsburg Post 64 and the KC Express boiled down to one team capitalizing on its opportunities and the other team failing to maximize its opportunities.
Post 64 left six runners on base and the Express produced five run-scoring hits during a 9-1 run-rule win for the Express.
“We played a very good team, a very talented team,” Post 64 head coach Mike Watt said. “I thought we competed very well. It was 3-1 in the fourth and I think we started to lose command, walked a few guys and we had some pop-ups that were tough plays. Against good teams, you have to make those kinds of plays and you can’t give them extra outs. That’s basically what happened. We gave them opportunities and they took advantage.
“In the top of the second, we had runners on second and third with one out. We come up with a hit there and we take the lead. Any time you take the lead, it puts pressure on the other team . . . it just changes the atmosphere of the game when you have the lead. Again, good team. I didn’t think we played poorly, we just didn’t play good enough.”
After both teams exchanged 1-2-3s in the first, Post 64 designated hitter Cody Grilz led off the second with a fortuitous bloop single in between the first baseman and the right fielder in shallow right. Christian Cedeno then drew a walk after being down in the count against Express starting pitcher Tanner Swisher. Post 64 catcher Dylan Gromer did his job with an ideal sacrifice bunt advancing both Cedeno and Grilz 90 feet.
With one down, Post 64 had two runners in scoring position and a chance to put the first runs on the board.
However, in a crucial turn of events, Swisher buckled down and struck out the next two Post 64 hitters to avert damage.
Missouri State recruit Tayler Ross (Clinton, Mo., native and 2012 HS graduate) blasted his first home run of the game leading off the bottom of the second, then came two more runs on three more Express hits. Matt Olsen doubled and later scored on a 4-3 groundout. Jake Stafford reached on a single, stole second and came home on a Brian Reed single.
Post 64 pushed across its first run in the fourth. With one down and two runners in scoring position, Gromer again did his job by lofting a fly ball deep enough into left to score the speedy Sam Gilbert, despite a strong throw by the Express left fielder. Blake Vail reached on a walk but Post 64 again fizzled out with two outs and runners in scoring position.
Unfortunately for Post 64, the wheels started falling off in the bottom of the fourth. Hard-throwing pitcher Matt Standlee began losing his control on the mound, walking three batters who all later scored during the floodgate inning. Watt brought on Nick George in relief and he gave up consecutive big hits — a two-run single by Kyle Carroll and a two-run home run by Ross.
The Express kept Post 64 from scoring in the fifth to force an early game.
Onlookers from Missouri State and William Jewell were in attendance. Missouri State finished its 2012 season 40-22, eliminated by Stony Brook in the Coral Gables Regional of the NCAA Championship. William Jewell plays in the Great Lakes Valley Conference and finished 2012 with a 19-28 record.
Post 64 (23-10) closes out the Pittsburg Legion/FSCC Classic tonight against the Cass County Cats, a Missouri team featuring players mostly from Harrisonville and Raymore-Peculiar.
Pittsburg Legion/Fort Scott Community College Classic
KC Express 9, Post 64 1 (5 innings)
PITT 000 10 — 1 3 1
KCX 020 6X — 9 7 0
Matt Standlee, Nick George (4) and Dylan Gromer. Tanner Swisher and Nicolas Codemo. WP: Swisher. LP: Standlee. 2B: Matt Olsen. HR: Tayler Ross 2. SB: Cody Grilz, Sam Gilbert; Jake Stafford 2. CS: Olsen. SH: Gromer. SF: Gromer; Jordan Rice. HBP: Gilbert, Grilz. LOB: PITT 6, KCX 3.
Pittsburg Legion/Fort Scott Community College Classic schedule
Today
KC Express vs. Tulsa Tide Blue, 9 a.m.
Tulsa Tide Black vs. Lawrence Raiders, 11:15 a.m.
Valley Center Renegades vs. Tulsa Tide Blue, 1:30 p.m.
Valley Center Renegades vs. Natural Baseball, 3:45 p.m.
Cass County Cats vs. Lee’s Summit Lakers, 6 p.m.
Cass County Cats vs. Pittsburg Post 64, 8:15 p.m.
