Potthast’s bases loaded single lifts Highland past Steeleville for first win of season

Eric Potthast just wanted to just to put a ball in play and give his team a chance to win Friday, June 17, at Glik Park in Highland.

Potthast indeed came through for Highland Post 439 in the bottom of the seventh as he slapped a bases-loaded single off the Steeleville first baseman, scoring Tom Kunz from third to lift Highland to a 6-5 walk-off win in the first game of Pool B play in the 2022 Trenton Post 778 Gator Classic tournament.

The walk-off victory was a thrill and relief for Potthast and Highland Post 439, which snapped a four-game losing streak to get its first win of the summer.

“It feels pretty good (to get this first one),” Potthast said. “It’s just how everybody likes to play. Sometimes we don’t do our best every now and then, but we all gave it our best today and came through today.”

Steeleville jumped on top 1-0 in the top of the second thanks to a run-scoring double from Gage Hasemeyer. Post 480 added another run in the top of the third on a Jacoby Gross RBI-single to left field.

In the bottom of the third, Post 439 got the bats going against Steeleville starter Reid Harris.

Down 2-1, Post 439 tied it 2-2 on Tyson Kunz’s RBI-groundout to second. With two outs, catcher Adam Overby followed with a run-scoring single, and Potthast then laced an RBI double down the right-field line for a 4-2 lead.

Post 480 touched up Highland starter Joey Kunz a bit in the top of the sixth with a three-run rally. Cale Newby’s two-run double to right evened the score at 4-4. Steeleville then took the lead 5-4 as Avery Hamilton reached first on a fielder’s choice throw that was late to home plate.

Highland battles back

Highland, however, answered in the bottom of the sixth. Overby drew an intentional walk with two out and two on and Chad Barker reached on an infield grounder, scoring Mason Barnes to tie it 5-5.

Joey Kunz then held Steeleville in check on the top of the seventh, stranding two baserunners.

“A great job pitching today by Joey Kunz,” Highland manager Todd Kunz said.

That set the stage for Potthast. The big first baseman, who attends Triad High School, worked the Post 480 hurler for 10 pitches and then slapped a hard grounder off, up and over Steeleville first baseman Jared Kranawetter’s glove hand.

‘We finally broke through’

Tom Kunz came home with the game-winner sending the Highland bench into a frenzy. Potthast went 2-for-3 with a double and 2 RBI, including the game-winner.

“It felt pretty good to come through in that situation,” Potthast said. “We finally broke through.”

“It was a heck of an at-bat with all those foul offs,” Kunz said. “Big Eric Potthast, the kid’s gonna hit for us and I think he’s gonna be a beast by mid- to late-season for us.”

Kunz struck out six and went all seven innings to get the win for Post 439.

Highland finishes 3rd

A day after knocking off Steeleville on the first day of Pool B play in the 2022 Trenton Post 778 Gator Classic, the Highland Post 439 Legion baseball club ended the weekend with a two-game split Saturday, June 18, at Trenton City Park.

In their final Pool B play game Saturday morning, Centralia defeated Post 439 12-1. That led Highland into the third-place game in the afternoon and Post 439 (2-5) rebounded for a 7-3 victory over host Trenton.

Mason Barnes had two hits while Eric Potthast drove in two runs to lead Post 439 in the win against Trenton. Post 439 finished the tournament with a 2-1 slate.

This story was originally published June 18, 2022 at 1:53 AM.