Post 13 is (2-1) in the Mid-Atlantic Reg'l tourney.
They take on Post 2 Morgantown, WV today at 1pm and the winner will take on Boyertown, PA at 7pm.
Boyertown run-ruled Morgantown in 7 innings last night with 11-1 victory. Friday night, Boyertown overcame a 11-3 defecit to knock off Post 13 Staunton by the score of 16 to 12.
Post 13 is representing VA very well, best of luck !
Staunton can finish no worse than 3rd place.
Nat'l scoreboard of ALL Reg'l tourneys
Post 13 blows lead, but wins in ninth
Staunton lets early 7-0 margin get away
Staff Report
After Friday's agonizing American Legion Mid-Atlantic Regional Baseball Tournament loss to nearby Boyertown, Pa., Post 471, Staunton Post 13 seeming vented its frustrations on the host team during Saturday's elimination-round action in West Lawn, Pa.
Post 13 battered a pair of pitchers for 10 hits during its first three at-bats, building a 7-0 lead. After Post 13 starter Cameron Cook strung together six scoreless innings, allowing but two hits, West Lawn staged its own dramatic late-game rally to tie the game heading into the bottom of the ninth.
That's when Post 13 used a two-out rally to win the game 8-7 on Daniel "Righty" Wright's pinch-hit single to right.
Post 13 moves ahead to today's 1 p.m. contest. It plays either Morgantown W.Va., Post 2 or Boyertown in another elimination game. Staunton led Boyertown 11-3 on Friday before losing 16-12.
After Post 13's early assault, Owls reliever Mike Latona (6-1) had blanked Staunton for five innings and retired the first two batters in the ninth.
But Post 13 catcher Wes Dimitt drew a walk and Cook helped the cause with a single to left. Post 13 manager Mark Patterson sent left-handed pinch-hitter Ryan McClamroch out to face the Owls right-hander. West Lawn went to the bullpen for lefty John Schultzl. That's when Wright was called off the bench and the Fort Defiance senior produced the game-winning RBI.
Donovan Huffer came to Cook's rescue in the eighth after Ryan Ebner's bases-full triple knotted the score. Huffer (10-1) notched a strikeout to stop the bleeding and then emerged as the winning pitcher.
After a scoreless first inning, Post 13 cranked up its offense in the bottom of the second to take a 4-0 lead.
Sean Britt started the uprising with a single to left. Ryan Shull reached on a fielder's choice with Britt out at second. Ben Wise followed with a single to left and Lance Bragg drove in the first run with another hit to right.
Everyone was safe on John Reid Weller's perfectly placed sacrifice bunt, and leadoff batter Huffer produced a two-run double followed by Travis Weaver's RBI single to left. West Lawn pitcher Isaac Wenrich escaped further damage with a strikeout and a groundout.
However, the hosts' starter would not last through the third. Britt led off with a double, and one out later, Wise poked a hit through the left side of the infield. Bragg produced his second RBI with a single up the middle, bringing on Latona.
A balk moved runners one base before Weller lofted a sacrifice fly to right. Huffer produced Post 13's 10th hit on a liner up the middle for a 7-0 cushion after three inning.
Meanwhile, Cook sailed through the first four innings, allowing only one infield hit.
WEST LAWN 000 000 250 — 7 9 0 STAUNTON 043 000 001 — 8 15 3
Wenrich, Latona (3), Schultz (9) and Sabolis. Cook, N.Balisteri (8), Huffer (8) and Dimitt.
W — Huffer (10-1). L — Latona (6-1). HR — none.
Staunton drops slugfest to Pa. team
Staff Report
After Staunton Post 13 took a 1-0 first-inning lead against Boyertown, Pa., Post 471, it appeared another tight pitchers' duel could be in the offing during Friday's second-round match up in the Mid-Atlantic American Legion Baseball Tournament at Owls Field in West Lawn, Pa.
But neither club's mound staff could hold off the opponent, and four hours later, the Pennsylvania state champion emerged with a 16-12, slugfest win over Post 13.
The Staunton team will play today in the losers' bracket, meeting the host West Lawn Owls at 12:30 p.m. West Lawn stayed alive by beating Cecil County, Md., Post 15 6-4 earlier Friday.
At 4:30 p.m., New Castle, Del., Post 4 play the loser of Friday night's late game between Morgantown, W.Va., Post 2 and Bordentown, N.J., Post 26, which was still being played at press time.
Meanwhile, Boyertown (51-7) will battle the late-game winner in the winners' bracket final at 7:30 p.m.
After blanking the Bears in the top of the first, Post 13 starter Ben Wise soon ran into problems and the runs started piling up for both sides.
Legion team advances
Staff Report
Staunton Post 13 scored three runs in the eighth inning Thursday to rally for a 3-1 victory over East Greenbush, N.Y., Post 1231 in the opening round of the American Legion Baseball Mid-Atlantic Regional at Owls Field in West Lawn, Pa.
The teams matched zeroes through five innings before East Greenbush pushed across a run in the sixth when Donovan Huffer issued a bases-loaded walk. Huffer escape further damage by recording a strike out for the final out with the bases full.
Post 13 did all its damage in the eighth. Travis Weaver led off with a double down the left field line, and one out later, Zac Marion ripped a double to the left-center gap to score Weaver with the tying run.
Wes Dimitt, the MVP of the state tournament, continued his torrid hitting by roping a triple to the right field corner, scoring Marion with the go-ahead run. Dimitt continued home with the insurance tally when the relay throw on his triple was thrown wildly for an error.
Huffer finished the game strong, striking out two in the bottom of the ninth. The Buffalo Gap graduate and Concord University sophomore scattered seven hits, while striking out nine and walking four. Dimitt and Marion paced Staunton's eight-hit attack with two apiece.
STAUNTON 000 000 030 — 3 8 1 EAST GREENBUSH 000 001 000 — 1 7 3
Huffer and Dimitt. Shannon and C.Job.
Staunton team makes regionals for first time since 1968
By Blair J. Parker/staff
bparker@newsleader.com
STUARTS DRAFT — Mark Patterson has been involved with the Staunton Post 13 American Legion baseball team for over 12 years as a manager and in all his time with the team, qualifying for the Mid-Atlantic Regional tournament had been just a dream.
But because of the play of the 17 young men, Post 13’s 39-year absence from the regional tournament will be thing of the past starting Thursday in Pennsylvania.
“I told these boys before the state tournament the most important thing was to play as a group and if they stuck with each other, I would stick with them,” Patterson said.
“The best part about this is that I have had the opportunity to coach the best of the best at this age group. What more could I ask for?”
On Saturday, Staunton blew Roanoke Post 3 out of the water with a 21-4 victory, claiming the team’s first Virginia State American Legion title since 1968.
And the irony for Patterson is that the last time Staunton went to regionals, he was a player on the very team he now holds the reins.
“I remember going to Sumter, South Carolina, all those years ago and having memories from that tournament that still stick with me today, and for these boys to get this once-in-a-lifetime chance, is something really special,” Patterson said.
Expectations continued to rise for Post 13 as the season progressed, but at the beginning no one really knew what to make of a team, especially with so many young players.
“I knew we had a lot of talent, but you never know how they will respond once they get into games,” Patterson said.
Due to summer vacations, camps and family obligations, many of the players didn’t get a chance to play together for a good portion of the year.
But as the season wound down and it got closer to district tournament time, Staunton was finally able to field a complete roster, which couldn’t have come at a more perfect time said Patterson.
“When we finally had a full roster, these guys came out here and played better than they had all year and I think that has a lot to do with the unity among the guys,” Patterson said.
“They use a lot of teamwork and get along great, which makes winning come easier.”
Every player on the Post 13 roster worked hard to get to this point, but for Travis Brake (a rising sophomore at Bridgewater College), Donovan Huffer (a rising sophomore at Concord University) and Wes Dimitt (a redshirt freshman at Radford University, qualifying for regionals is the culmination of four years of commitment to the Staunton squad.
All three players have been with Post 13 since 2004, but this is the first time they have tasted victory at the state level and been able to advance to the Mid-Atlantic regionals.
“Being on this team for four years has made this whole experience even better.
Just knowing we have done something good and have been able to lead by example is really a great thing,” said Dimitt, the state tournament MVP.
Returning to a team with players that range in age from 16-19 after going away to college is a transition that some players might have trouble with, but not Dimitt and his companions.
“It wasn’t that hard to come back because after being at college, I know personally I came back a better player. I got to do a lot more work while there and that has helped me when it comes to contributing to this team,” Dimitt said.
The American Legion field started out with 5,000 teams, but because of their consistent play in the postseason tournament, Post 13 is one of the 54 teams left fighting for the national title.
Staunton left for Pennsylvania today and will get its first chance to make a run at the championship Thursday in the opening round against the New York State champs, Melvin Roads Post 1231.
Game time is at 9:30 a.m. at Owls Field in West Lawn, Pa.
“I am very lucky to be around such a great bunch. Not only are they good ball players, but they truly are outstanding kids, and I know that their only goal at this point is to keep winning games,” Patterson said.
To follow action and view live game updates on the Internet of the American Legion Baseball Regional tournament log onto www.baseball.legion.org and click on mid-atlantic from the menu to see inning-by-inning results.
Legion Baseball
Staunton meets N.Y. state champion in regional opener
STAUNTON — Staunton Post 13's opening-round opponent Thursday in the eight-team American Legion Mid-Athletic Regional Tournament will be the New York state champion, Melvin Roads Post 1231 (42-8) from the Albany/Troy area. The New york club won its state title Sunday.
Post 13 and Post 1231 are scheduled for the first session game at 9:30 a.m. at Owls Field in West Lawn, Pa. The next game features Maryland champ, Cecil County Post 15/135, battling New Jersey winner Edison Post 435. The second session begins at 4:30 p.m. with the Boyertown, Pa., Bears (47-7) playing the Delaware representative. Boyertown has won 20 Pennsylvania state titles and three of the past four. The host West Lawn Owls meet Morgantown, W.Va., Post 2 in the nightcap.
If the Staunton team wins its first contest, it would move to a winners' bracket game at 4:30 p.m. Friday against either Delaware or Boyertown. A loss means Post 13 will meet the Delaware-Boyertown loser at 9:30 a.m. The championship game is slated for Aug. 20.
Players representing Staunton Post 13 include: Ryan Shull and Ben Wise from Robert E. Lee; John Reid Weller from Grace Christian; Travis Weaver, Sean Britt, Brad Dunsmore and Daniel 'Righty' Wright from Fort Defiance; Ryan McClamroch, a Wilson Memorial graduate; Travis Brake (Riverheads), a rising sophomore at Bridgewater College; Marcus Yeago from Riverheads; Wes Dimitt (Stuarts Draft), a redshirt freshman at Radford University; Lance Bragg, Cameron Cook and Zac Marion from Stuarts Draft; Donovan Huffer (Buffalo Gap), a rising sophomore at Concord University; and brothers Tony and Nick Balesteri from Rockbridge County. Tony Balesteri will be a freshman player at Virginia Tech. The manager is Mark Patterson.
American Legion Baseball will provide live game updates on the Internet from all eight regional sites courtesy of GameTracker technology provided by College Sports Television. Go to www.baseball.legion.org and click on regionals and mid-atlantic from the menu to see inning-by-inning results.
Original Post