Post 72 lost to Madison Post 9 on Sunday 5-4. Post 9 won the game with a two-out walk off single in the bottom of the seventh inning. The loss ended the local team’s run in the 2025 Indiana Legion Baseball state tournament.
Post 72 tied the game 4-4 in the top of the seventh when Drake Hoffa scored on a wild pitch.
A walk between a ground out and strikeout led to the two seventh inning outs recorded by Madison. Madison’s A Traylor earned the walk and stole second base to put him in scoring position. B Welsh then delivered the 0-1 count pitch to left field chasing home Traylor for the winning run.
The game was close the entire way. Post 72 did lead 3-2 after three innings but fell behind 4-3 in the bottom of the fifth frame.
Post 72 was led offensively by Aiden Ambriz-Cruz who was 2-for-3 at the plate with one RBI. Ambriz also had one stolen base.
Charlie Belcher was also 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Post 72 had eight hits in the game compared to nine for Madison.
Post 72 had more opportunities to score in the game but lost three runners trying to steal.
Keaton Brown started the game pitching for the local team. The righty went 4.2 innings, surrendered four hits and four runs. Brown struck out four batters.
Aiden Riser came in to pitch in relief in the sixth inning surrendering the one run and one hit while striking out two.
Post 72 ends their season with a record of 20-10-1.
In Friday’s first game, Post 72 was defeated by Rockport 13-1 in five innings. Rockport pounded out 12 hits including two homeruns, two doubles and one triple.
Post 72 fell behind 8-0 after one inning and Rockport never let up.
Post 72 was able to rebound on Saturday with a 6-4 win over Valparaiso Post 94.
Hoffa earned the win by pitching five innings and allowing just two runs.
Post 72 had eight hits with two apiece coming from Kyven Hill and Keaton Brown.
Post 72 had several players who can come back to play next season. Coach Kyle Proctor has commitments from many of the current players already which will give the local team a good base to begin building for next season.
Proctor will use the 2026 high school season to scout local talent.
STATE TOURNAMENT CONTINUES
As of Monday there were four teams left in the tournament. Rockport was the lone undefeated team with a record of 3-0. The team from southern Indiana played at 1 p.m. Monday versus Madison (2-1). The second game at 4 p.m. featured Terre Haute (2-1) playing Evansville (2-1).
The two Monday winners play for the state championship at 1 p.m. today and at 4 p.m. if needed.
The winner advances to the American Legion Baseball Midwest Regional to be played at Carol Stream, Illinois. The regional will include state champions from Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin plus the host team and the state runner-up from Wisconsin.
