79ERS’ JUNIOR LEGION IMPROVES TO 13-1

One night after blasting Alexandria 19-1, the Post 152 Junior Legion won twice more at Crofton, Neb., sweeping a doubleheader against Post 128 with 12-0 and 2-0 victories. The 79ers improve to 13-1 on the season while Crofton drops to 9-7.

In the first game, Post 152 was led at the plate by Logun Pankratz, who went 3-for-3 including a double and an RBI, and Al Knittel, who accounted for three RBI.

Tannen Auch singled twice and had two RBI,

Also knocking in runs for the 79ers were Jarret Andretta (2), Easton Tschetter (1), Trey Maske (1), and Oliver Waltner (1).

Auch was also dominant on the mound, giving up one hit through four innings pitched and striking out eight without giving up a walk. Pankratz pitched the final inning of a game shortened by the mercy rule, striking out two.

The bats weren’t as lively in the second game of the twin bill, but Post 152 did enough to win thanks to another strong effort from the pitchers. This time it was Tayden Kerrigan and Andretta who allowed just one hit combined in the five-inning game, with Kerrigan striking out six without a walk in 2 2/3 innings pitched, and Andretta striking out three in 2 1/3 innings of hitless ball, giving up two walks.

The 79ers collected just three hits — two singles from Izayah Ulmer and a single and an RBI from Logun Pankratz, who has seven hits in his last 10 at-bats.

Auch also recorded an RBI on a sacrifice fly.

The Post 152 Junior Legion plays at Menno against Tabor — its only loss of the season — Friday afternoon in Menno starting at 1:30 p.m., and again in Freeman against Madsion Sunday at 2 p.m.

79ers crush Alexandria

It was a dominant night for the Post 152 79ers at the expense of Post 41, the American Legion chapter out of Alexandria, which not only suffered two losses, but two blowouts — and on its home turf.

In the first game of the night Tuesday, July 1, the Post 152 Junior Legion won 19-1, which was followed by the Post 152 Senior Legion putting up a 14-0 win.

Here’s what went down.

The Junior Legion (16-under) lit up the box score in Alexandria, walloping Post 41 in four innings by an 18-run margin. The 79ers — the American Legion team made up mostly of players from Freeman, but also from Menno, Scotland and Marion — collected 12 hits and put up two massive innings: an 11-spot in the third and seven additional runs in the fourth.

Oliver Waltner doubled for the 79ers and had four RBI on the night, while Tannen Auch went 2-for-2 from the plate with three RBI. Easton Tschetter went 2-for-2 with a pair of RBI, and Tayden Kerrigan also accounted for two RBI.

Others batting in a run were Logan Pankratz (2-for-4), Jarret Andretta (3-for-3), Trey Maske (1-for-2) and Rylen Tommeraus, who also earned the win on the bump. Tommeraus pitched three innings of one-hit ball, striking out two and walking three. Andretta threw the final frame and struck out two.

The Post 152 juniors improved to 10-1 and will play a doubleheader at Crofton, Neb., Wednesday night starting at 6 p.m., against a Post 128 team that is 9-5.

They will then play Tabor in Menno Friday, July 4 at 1:30 p.m., and Madison in Freeman on Sunday, July 6, at 2 p.m.

In the second game of the night, the Senior Legion (19-under) scored 14 runs on 14 hits and took advantage of eight Alexandria errors en route to the 14-0 victory. A Trent Guthmiller home run highlighted the offensive output for he 79ers, which also saw doubles from Easton Miller, Evan Scharberg and Sawyer Wipf.

Miller went 2-for-3 and had three RBI on the night and Scharberg and Rocky Amman both had a pair of RBI, with Riley Tschetter going 3-for-4 on the night with an RBI. Luke Peters and Erick Buechler also both knocked in a run.

Sattler had another nice outing on the mound, giving up just two hits in five innings pitched, striking out four and walking one.

The Senior Legion — now 8-6 — will next face Tabor on Friday as part of Menno’s Fourth of July celebration. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m. The seniors are then home in Freeman Sunday, July 6 as part of the Independence Day celebration here, facing Madison with first pitch scheduled for 4:30 p.m.

Senior Legion vs. Salem June 30

The Post 152 Senior Legion split a pair of games against Salem Monday night, June 30 in Freeman, losing the first 2-1 while winning the second 1-0.

Hits were hard to come by in the first contest, with Easton Miller and Tayden Kerrigan collecting the only two singles for the 79ers, with the lone RBI going to Miller. Salem, meanwhile, had three hits and did just enough to squeak out the win, scoring the go-ahead run in the fourth inning. Evan Scharberg three 3 2/3 innings, allowing one earned run while walking five and striking out one. Tannen Auch threw 1 1/3 innings of clean ball, striking out two.

In the second game, Miller and Riley Tschetter combined for a no-hitter, with Miller pitching four innings, striking out five, and Tschetter closing it out in the fifth and final inning, striking out two of the three batters he faced.

Miller had two of Post 152’s three hits and Auch had the other. Luke Peters collected the game’s only RBI when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

Juniors play in Sioux Falls June 27-28

The Post 152 Junior Legion was in contention for a championship at the 32-team Sioux Falls Invitational over the weekend after going 3-0 in pool play Friday and Saturday, June 27 and 28, but bracket play was canceled on Sunday because of wet weather.

All games were played at Harmodon Park.

The 79ers defeated Renner 7-3 and Mankato East 8-4 before slipping past Bennington — Post 266 out of Omaha, Neb. — 4-3 in extra innings.

Against Renner early Friday afternoon, Post 152 was powered by Oliver Waltner, whose monster day at the plate included a 4-for-4 showing with two triples and three RBI. Izayah Ulmer also had two singles and Easton Tschetter had a double to help supplement the hitting attack. Lane Pavel collected two RBI.

Riley Keppen drew the start for the 79ers and threw five innings of six-hit ball, giving up three earned runs, walking three and striking out four. Tayden Kerrigan pitched two innings of one-hit ball, striking out two and walking two.

Then against Mankato East later Friday afternoon, Post 152 trailed 4-1 in the sixth inning but scored seven runs in the bottom of the frame to take control. Those seven runs came in part on back-to-back doubles by Tschetter and Kerrigan, and the 79ers also took advantage of walks, errors and one hit-by-pitch in that game-changing sixth inning.

Kerrigan’s two hits and two RBI led the offense while Waltner — coming on in relief — picked up the win on the mound. Waltner gave up three hits and one earned run in 4 2/3 innings pitched, striking out two and walking two. Garret Lehr drew the start for the 79ers, pitching 2 1/3 innings and surrendering two hits and one earned run, while walking two.

Then on Saturday, Post 152 won a dramatic game over Bennington Post 266, walking it off 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth inning.

The 79ers took a 2-0 lead early thanks to RBIs from Kerrigan and Waltner in the first and third innings and led 2-1 going into the seventh, but Bennington — down to its last three outs — took advantage of an error to tie the game and force extra innings.

Bennington then took a 3-2 lead in the top of the eighth, but Post 152 responded thanks to an RBI single by Waltner that tied the game. The 79ers then held Post 266 in the top of the ninth and won it in the bottom of the inning after loading the bases and then scoring the winning run on an infield error.

The 79ers were seeded fourth in the single-elimination championship bracket based on record and runs scored and runs allowed in pool play and were scheduled to face Mankato West in the first game on Sunday. Three more wins would have secured the championship.