Thursday, July 23, 2009

Post 295 repeats history to win division (Montgomery)

Defending state champions win crown with consecutive rallies over Post 104 Tuesday, July 21, 2009 by James Peters Staff Writer Gazette.net

The reigning American Legion state champions topped Gaithersburg Post 104 twice on Sunday, 8-4 and 13-11, to win the Montgomery Division crown at Damascus Regional Park.
Six years ago, Post 295 cruised into the Montgomery Division tournament final assured a spot in the Maryland State American Legion baseball tournament. Regardless, Post 295 recorded a two-game championship sweep of Damascus Post 171 and used the momentum to capture the state title.

"We don't want to be the team that just gets in because we're the host," said Post 295's Zach Skellchock, who closed out the second contest on the mound while also scoring three runs and driving in a run. "We want to get in because we won our county."

Top-seeded Post 295, which is hosting this year's state tournament in College Park, found itself in exactly the same position again Sunday when it squared off with the division's No. 3 seed, which entered the final without a loss in the double-elimination tournament, just like 2003.
And just like in 2003, Post 295 rallied from an early deficit in the first game to force a second championship contest that it also came from behind to win. It marked the team's ninth division crown since 1990 and sixth in the last seven years.

"We just wanted to win," said Skellchock, "We didn't feel right losing to them in the first game [a 3-0 Post 104 victory in Thursday's winners' bracket]. We just wanted to come out and beat them in both games and come out and be county champs."

Despite failing to capture the division crown, Post 104 (18-10) also qualified for the state tournament to help round out the eight-team field. It will play Post 295 (25-6) in the first round at the University of Maryland's Shipley Field on Friday.

"It's painful," Post 104 manager Joe Stolz said. "That's all I can say. I thought we had them up 4-0 in the sixth inning [of the first game] but they're like the ghoul in the movie, ‘Friday the 13th;' you can't kill them. It's hard to take."

Led by the pitching of ace hurler Nick Riley and hitting of Mike Campos and Ben Silverman, Post 104 grabbed the early four-run lead. Post 295 ace Jimmy Reed (7-1, 1.62 ERA) cruised through the first three innings, but Post 104 broke through on three straight base hits, including a run-scoring single by Campos for a 1-0 lead in the fourth. Back-to-back doubles by Sam Buonomo and Silverman pushed the lead to 2-0, then Campos slapped a two-run single in the fifth.

Post 295 came back to take the lead for good and chased Riley from the game in the sixth inning with six runs on five hits and an error. Ten batters came to the plate, with run-scoring hits by Spencer Pearman, Matt Civetti, Nick Loftus and Dominique Vattuone. Gary Schneider then put the game away with a two-run home run in the top of the seventh.

"It was all hitting," Schneider said. "It was just matter of getting one hit and the team starts rolling. It was definitely a pride thing. We don't want people to say they're already in and they don't deserve to be there."

Post 104 raced out to a 5-0 lead in the second game, capitalizing on two costly errors by Schneider, Post 295's starting hurler, who overthrew first base on two sacrifice bunt attempts. Evan Pappas also successfully worked a suicide squeeze to cap the five-run explosion.

However, Schneider and crew showed resolve with three runs in the top of the second, eventually taking a 7-5 lead in the bottom of the third inning. Nick Karis led the way with a three-run homer. Post 104 closed to within 12-11 when Skellchock halted the slugfest with a scoreless seventh inning that included a game-ending double play.

"Things just didn't go our way," Post 104 pitcher-infielder Kory Smigocki said. "We started off great but we kind of lost of the intensity. It's tough, but we'll get them back in Friday's state tournament."

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Montgomery Division playoff field ready to go

Tuesday, July 14, 2009 by James Peters Staff Writer http://www.gazette.net/

The field for the 2009 Montgomery Division American Legion baseball tournament was set this past weekend, as the regular season concluded with a flurry of make-up games. The tournament began Tuesday, too late to be included in this edition, and will conclude Sunday at Damascus Regional Park.

Gaithersburg Post 295 (21-5, 19-5 Montgomery Division) claimed the regular season title. Sandy Spring Post 68 (18-5) secured the No. 2 seed in just its second year of existence.
Gaithersburg Post 104 (16-8) returns to the playoffs as the No. 3 seed after missing postseason play a year ago, while Laurel Post 60 (14-12, 13-11) finished fourth.

Sandy Spring actually bested Post 295 in two out of three games this year and would have grabbed the No. 1 seed with one more win. The team's scheduled game Friday against Cissel Saxon Post 41 (13-11, 11-11) was postponed after umpires failed to arrive, but Post 68 manager Matt Cangas decided not to make up the game.

That left Sandy Spring one game short of a full slate, and Post 295 in the No. 1 spot.

"We did not have to forfeit the game to Cissel," Cangas said. "I decided not to play the game, since it meant nothing to either team. They were out of contention for a playoff spot and we were already in the second seed."

Sandy Spring closed the season with 13 wins in its final 14 games. Post 41 fell out of playoff contention with seven losses in its final 10. Playoff mainstay Damascus Post 171 finished 11-13.
Tuesday's match-ups consisted of Post 295, the defending division and state champion, hosting Laurel, who lost all three games against Gaithersburg, and Post 68 hosting Post 104, which also fell three times to its first-round opponent. The winners and losers of Tuesday's games will play Thursday.

With Post 295 hosting the Maryland State American Legion tournament at College Park at the end of the month, the Montgomery Division will place two teams in the state tournament. Post 295 automatically qualifies as the host. If it wins the division title, the runner-up will also. If Post 295 stumbles, the division champion will head to the state tournament with Gaithersburg.