POST 152 HEADED FOR STATE — AND IT WASN’T EVEN CLOSE

Playing in just its second year as part of the 19-and-under American Legion baseball program, Post 152 left little doubt that they are the best team in Region 4B and belong among the state’s elite teams.

A 19-0 win over Tabor in a championship game will do that.

That’s what went down in Platte Thursday afternoon, July 24 as the Post 152 team made up of players from Freeman, Menno, Scotland and Canistota — which play by the moniker 79ers — knocked the socks off Tabor in the tilt for the region title.

The 79ers jumped ahead 1-0 early, built a 5-0 lead in the second thanks to a game-seizing grand slam by Riley Tschetter, went ahead 10-0 in the third thanks in part to a two-run blast from Rocky Amman, and then posted a nine-spot in the fourth inning to put the lead into another stratosphere.

The game ended after five innings thanks to the 10-run mercy rule that Tschetter nearly implemented  himself with to a 4-for-4, nine-RBI performance.

For Post 152, the 19-0 win over Tabor was the cherry on top of a region tournament that saw a 6-1 win over Wagner in the opening round on Tuesday and a 7-4 victory over Tabor on Wednesday. The only way the 79ers were not going to take the title is if Tabor could come back and beat them twice on Thursday.

Turns out they didn’t even score a run.

The 79ers will take an 18-11 record into the Class B Senior Legion state tournament in Milbank Aug. 1-5. A bracket has not yet been announced.

The Post 152 Junior Legion will play in its region tournament Monday and Tuesday, July 28 and 29 in Tabor. The 17-and-under 79ers take a 19-2 record into the postseason.