Derrick Webb, Reporter10:31 p.m. EDT June 29, 2016
CHILLICOTHE - In its first two meetings with Chillicothe Post 757 this summer, Chillicothe Post 62 was outscored 12-3 in two losses.
But the third meeting was a charm for the Riverbats (10-7) as they beat the Colts on Wednesday night by a 6-1 final at Ross County Park.
The victory came on the heels of a superb pitching performance from starter Josh George, who tossed all seven innings without allowing an earned run. The right-handed knuckleballer struck out four, walked two and allowed nine hits.
"Josh wanted this game bad," Post 62 coach Bo Popp said. "He played for Post 757 last year so he told me: 'I'm going all seven innings.' I just told him to do what he does. But he pitched well tonight and carried us."
While the Colts (7-13) were kept off balance thanks to George, Post 62's offense tagged the ball well throughout the game. Facing Colts' starter Jacob Chester, the Riverbats came up with timely hitting and took advantage of each Post 757 fielding miscue.
"Right now, we're in the swing of things and we're hitting the baseball like we should right at the right times," Popp said. "These boys are playing their hearts out. I'm extremely proud of them."
In the bottom of the first, Post 62 took an early 1-0 edge when Russell Throckmorton pranced home on an RBI single off the bat of Gage Jones. That lead would stay the same until the bottom of the fourth.
Hunter Hopkins started the fourth with a single into left field, followed by a double from Tanner Doles to put runners on second and third with none gone. After Chester struck the next batter out, Throckmorton singled into right field, scoring Hopkins and moving Doles to third. With the score 2-0, Jeremy Brooks grounded out to second, plating Doles and making it 3-0.
Carson Stauffer then stepped to the plate with two outs and singled home Throckmorton, allowing the lead to swell to 4-0.
Post 757 finally got on the board in the top of the fifth. Hayden Henness led the inning off with a single before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt. Henness then scored on an RBI single from Zack Stapleton, cutting the deficit to 4-1.
But that was the only run the Colts would muster.
In the bottom of the sixth, Post 62 added two more insurance runs on RBI singles from Owen Diehl and Tanner Popp to seal the deal.
"We're playing really good baseball right now, and we feel like we're hitting our stride at the right time," Bo Popp said. "We beat Athens in the 12th inning in our last game and we won like we did tonight. We've got to use that momentum now to get the ball rolling even more."
The Riverbats pounded out a team total of 15 hits; six players had two each. Both teams left nine on the base paths.
For Post 62, Throckmorton was 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI; Stauffer was 2-for-4 with a run, two stolen bases, and an RBI; Jones was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI; Diehl was 2-for-4 with an RBI; Popp was 2-for-4 with an RBI; and Doles was 2-for-3 with a run.
Chester took the loss for the Colts, throwing six innings and allowing six runs — five earned — on 15 hits. The southpaw struck out three and walked one.
At the plate, Henness finished 2-for-3 with a run and Stapleton was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Eli Kunkel and Bo Dratwa both chipped in as well, going 2-for-4 and 2-for-2, respectively.
Post 757 will be back in action Thursday night against Hillsboro Post 129 at Hoffman Field in Chillicothe's Mary Lou Patton Park. Post 62 also will play again Thursday, traveling to Branch Rickey Park to take on Portsmouth Post 23.
dwebb@chillicothegazette.com
Twitter: @dw1509
