By Maurice Patton
After winning their opening pool play contest in the Independence Day Classic tournament Thursday, the host Post 19 Seniors only needed a victory in either of their two matchups Friday to qualify for the championship semifinals.
That victory didn’t come, as Post 19 fell 7-0 to Tuscaloosa (Ala.) Post 34 and 5-4 to Pontotoc (Miss) Post 16 and fell into the consolation portion of the tourney.
“It’s definitely a disappointment not to make the championship round, especially after winning our first game and having two of our better arms (going Friday),” Post 19 coach Scott Beasley said after Friday’s twin losses completed pool play following Thursday’s 9-2 win over Mayfield (Ky.) Post 26.
“We didn’t hit the ball – four runs over two games. The pitching was there. Four runs (vs. Tuscaloosa) came in one inning that started with an error. But when you get shut out, you’re not going to win.”
After Freed-Hardeman signee Shelton Blackwell took the loss against Tuscaloosa, Spring Hill graduate Dawson Hargrove got the start in the pivotal Pontotoc clash. The Mississippi squad got him for a run in its opening at-bat, then picked up three more in a fourth that included a balk, two walks and a hit batter.
At the end of the frame, Hargrove was ejected for comments he made from the dugout.
His teammates, meanwhile, scratched out a run in the bottom of the inning as Drake Blackwood reached on a walk and scored on a bases-loaded wild pitch. From there, Grant Burleson held Pontotoc’s offense in check over the next two innings, allowing Post 19 to tie the game with a three-run sixth-inning rally.
Brett Bell singled and scored, with a pair of errors resulting in runs by courtesy runner Hudson Adams and Ryan Kirby. The hosts left the bases loaded, though, and Pontotoc scored in the top of the seventh before retiring Post 19 with the tying and winning runs on base.
For the game, Post 19 stranded 11 baserunners.
“At the end, you’ve got to give Pontotoc credit,” Beasley said. “They got the hit to take the lead and they made a couple of plays to keep us from scoring.
“When you’ve got two good teams going at it, the margin of error is so small.”
Post 19 (10-6) will meet Pulaski Post 60 in the 11 a.m. consolation game Saturday at Spring Hill High School. Pulaski went 0-3 in pool play, falling 6-2 to Baldwyn (Miss.) Post 130 on Thursday before losing to Tupelo (Miss.) Post 49 12-3 and Gonzales (La.) Post 81 9-6 in Friday action.
Mayfield will meet Baldwyn in the 1:15 p.m. consolation matchup.
In championship semifinal play at Columbia State, Tuscaloosa plays Gonzales at 11 a.m., followed by Pontotoc and Tupelo at 1:15 p.m. The finals are scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
Photos by Chris Yow / SM-Tn Sports