TERRE HAUTE — The Byron Cox Post 72 American Legion team qualified for the Indiana State Finals Tournament with a second-place finish in the Region 3 Tourney this past weekend.
Two wins over Elberfeld were sandwiched with two losses to Terre Haute, as both Crawfordsville and the host squad (Post 346) advance to the state final eight in Rockport starting this Friday.
“The goal at the start of the season is to make the State Finals,” Post 72 coach Kyle Proctor said. “We have accomplished that, and we have also achieved another goal with 20-plus wins. We have shown we can play with any team in the state.”
Post 72 takes a 22-10 record into next weekend, with 17 total games being decided by two runs or less. The are 9-8 in those close games. Five of the total losses have come to Terre Haute, all but one in that two-run window. Terre Haute is also one of the early favorites to win the state championship. Post 72 also has a 5-3, extra-inning win over Terre Haute Post 346 is 31-3.
There was plenty of action at Terre Haute North High School over the weekend, and some non-action time.
TWO WINS OVER ELBERFELD
Post 72 started their weekend with a marathon matchup against Elberfeld on Friday.
Following the 7:30 p.m. start, both teams scored two runs in the first inning, and then there were two separate hour-long lightning delays, and then the game went into extra innings.
Two runs in the top of the 10th secured the 4-2 win for Crawfordsville, as the final out was recorded at 12:40 a.m. Saturday.
Dillon Heaton endured both long delays, and struck out 12 batters before giving way to Creux Riemann, who went three innings and picked up the win. Talyn Sheldon came in to pitch the bottom of the 10th and got the save. For the game, all three hurlers totaled 17 strikeouts.
Aiden Riser and Peyton Grimmett each had RBI hits in the first inning, and the 10th started out with a Keaton Brown pinch-hit single and steal of second. Aiden Ambriz-Cruz dropped a bunt single.
Riser drove in Brown with a sacrifice fly and Ambriz-Cruz scored on a wild pitch.
The Saturday evening win, after a loss to Terre Haute, saw Post 72 break open a close game late.
Ambriz-Cruz reached on an error and scored in the first, but that was all the scoring until the fourth, when C’ville got a pair of runs from the bottom of the order.
A five-run fifth made it all Post 72 as they won 8-1.
Ambriz-Cruz scored twice, as did Kohen Bonebrake, who was the courtesy runner when Mason Foster reached base twice. Riser had four RBI.
Ethan Wooten went the distance on the mound, scattering five hits.
TWO LOSSES TO TERRE HAUTE
After the late finish Saturday morning, it was a noon start for the next game, this one against Wayne Newton Post 346.
The teams have faced off in tournaments each of the last three weekends, from the wooden bat event in Danville, Illinois to the Post 72 Invitational, to the regional, and in all cases, it was close but always Terre Haute coming out on top.
The Saturday morning game was tied 2-2 in the fourth, but the hosts found a way to score once in the fifth and again in the sixth to win 4-2.
Heaton scored the first run for Post 72 in the third when he walked and advanced on an error when Ambriz-Cruz a bunt down that was misplayed. Riser drove him in with a hit. Kaden Smith walked in the fourth, moved to second on a passed ball, and scored on a Kyven Hill single.
Post 346 had scored one in the first and a second on a home run in the fourth to tie the game, and won it with the two late runs. Riser went the distance on the mound and took the loss.
The Sunday noon game was another close one, as Post 72 got a run in the first, fifth and sixth, but Terre Haute scored one more, with two runs in the first to go with one in the fourth and fifth.
Heaton walked and scored on a Wooten single in the first. Sam Gooch singled in the fifth with two outs, stole his team-best 17th base of the season, and scored on a Kaden Smith hit. Hill doubled to lead off the sixth and scored on a passed ball. Sheldon went the distance on the mound.
It is the third-straight trip to the finals for Post 72 and Proctor.
The coach, in his eighth season in charge, also led the squad to the 2021 final eight where they lost in the state championship game.
“For a younger team, we have performed well,” Proctor said of his charges. “We have gelled well since the start of the season. They are coachable, and have played well together. They are a fun group to be around. We just need to keep listening, and keep playing and keep learning. That will make them better.”
Post 72 will open play on Friday with a 2:30 p.m. game against Lafayette. They have two wins — a one-run and two-run victory over Post 11 in the regular season.
