Third inning rally puts Highland Legion baseball team back into the win column
A timely third inning rally proved to be just the tonic to put the Highland Legion baseball team back in the win column on Thursday night.
Entering the bottom of the third in scoreless pitchers duel between Edwardsville lefthander Brendan Seehausen and Highland righthander Joe Kunz, Post 439 erupted for three runs and then added three more runs over the final four innings and parlayed an efficient pitching outing from Kunz into as 6-1 victory at Glik Park in Highland.
It was as nice bounce back win for Highland (7-5), which dropped a 4-3 decision to Trenton Post 778 on the road on Monday.
“It was a fantastic game and we’re now 7-5 and that’s why we needed a bump like that,” Highland manager Todd Kunz said. “Trenton beat us the other night for the third time and that was frustrating, so it’s good to come back and get a win and hopefully some winning ways again.”
Both teams went scoreless in her first two innings as Seehausen and Kunz were sharp early on the mound. Post 439 got to Seehuasen in the bottom of the third to get control.
David Carroll got the scoring going with a RBI single to right field. Carroll was glad to come through at the top of the order “That was a big hit for us and the offense has been going good but that really kind of opened the game up so that was big,” Carroll said. I’m always trying to go the other way, so I saw an outside pitch, the first itch and I just went with it.
Kunz was pleased with Carroll’s clutch hit in the third. “That’s why I put him at the top of the lineup tonight because he’s had one of those seasons where he just keeps getting on base, finding a way and finding grass out there for his hits to drop in,” Kunz said.
Nathan Terhaar and Justin Terhaar followed with back-to-back sacrifice flys to right field, pushing the score to 3-0.
Edwardsville (0-6) managed its only run of the night in the top of the fifth as Kyle Campbell a run scoring double to left, cutting the lead to 3-1.
Kunz settled back in after that and did not allow another run the rest of the way as threw just 90 pitches in getting the complete game win.
“Joey did great and he only threw about 90 pitches to get that complete game,” Kunz said. “He did a great job.”
Post 439 added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth and a run in the bottom of the sixth to round out the scoring.
Winners of five games since June 15, Post 439 will look for another win next Tuesday at 7 p.m. when they play host to Aviston Post 1239.
“I think we’re settling in,” Carroll said. We’re seeing the ball better, hitting the ball better and playing better defense.”
This story was originally published June 28, 2024 at 5:17 PM.
