By HUNTER O. LYLE
lyleoleanstar@gmail.com
BRADFORD, PA – With stellar play on both sides of the plate, the Bradford Legion Post 108 baseball team dominated Crosby Post 979 11-1 as they continued their hot opening to the summer season.
Despite seeing the bases loaded, Bradford would survive the first frame unscathed. After earning the first out via pop fly, Post 108 would walk back-to-back batters before earning the second out on a single and fielder’s choice to third. One slugger later, Crosby would fill the diamond, however, Post 108’s outfield would hold off the attack.
Crosby would not share the same defensive success.
Tarren Reese led off for Post 108, nabbing a single before being moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from AJ Lama. A walk and single from Trey Buchholtz then put Bradford in prime position to break the game open. On a subsequent wild pitch, Reese made the dash for home but was ultimately unable to beat the play as Post 108 suffered their second out. However, on a repeat passed ball immediately after, Bradford capitalized, with Buchholtz and Ethan Obgerfell rounding home.
AJ Lama hits a bunt during the bottom of the first. Despite being thrown out at first, Lama helped set up Bradford’s two run first frame as they built up an early lead. | Photo by Hunter O. Lyle
Holding an early advantage, Post 108’s defense took over. Despite allowing two hits in their second time staring down Crosby’s bats, crisp plays in the infield kept them from advancing past first. In four batters, Bradford had retired their opponents and although they were unable to increase their lead in the bottom of the second, Post 108 continued to stunt Crosby in the third.
“It came down to practice and having the will to win,” said Bradford Post 108 head coach Jim Henry on the defensive effort. “Trey works hard. He works really hard and he covers a lot of ground.”
Short stop Trey Buchholtz fires a throw to first during Bradford’s third win of the season. Anchored by Buchholtz, Bradford’s defense held Crosby scoreless through the first five innings of their Wednesday win. | Photo by Hunter O. Lyle
Stepping up to the plate for the third time, Bradford would punch in another run. Drayden Norton reached on a walk before making it to second on a sac-bunt from Reese. AJ Lama then recorded his first hit of the afternoon in the form of a single, putting a man on first and third. With one out, Obgerfell tallied his first RBI on a fly out, bringing in Norton after tagging up on third.
But then, Bradford’s flawless defense began to show cracks. After allowing a man on from a lead-off walk, a missed catch in the outfield gave up a single, albeit leading to an out at second. In the next two batters, Crosby loaded the bases for a second time after a walk and another error with just one out. With their backs against a wall, Bradford dug in their heels.
Crosby’s Kellen Veilluex smacked a hard-hit grounder into the glove of Lama. Quickly turning and dishing out a shuttle pass to second for out No. 2, Buchholtz then fired a rocket to first, turning the double play and staving off Crosby for another frame.
Still fired up from Buchholtz’s big play, Post 108’s bats were amplified. To start the bottom of the fourth, Nik Manroe and Brody Haviland reached on back-to-back full-count walks, followed by a hard bunt from Ben Woodhouse that put a runner on every base. Stepping into the batter’s box, Braylen Austin, who had yet to find contact at the plate, ripped a grounder past second, driving in two runs to expand Bradford’s lead to five. Filling the diamond again two batters later, Bradford scored three more runs before the end of the inning with a pair of walks and a wild pitch. Heading into the top of the fifth, Post 108 stood atop a 8-0 lead.
Nik Manroe narrowly avoids a tag as he steals his way to second base. | Photo by Hunter O. Lyle
“I was very satisfied. The bats came alive today,” said Henry, “and I’m hoping we can keep doing that all season.”
Although their shutout was eventually broken on a wild pitch that gave Crosby their lone run of the evening, Bradford would go for the kill in the bottom of the fifth. Through their first three batters, Post 108 loaded the bases with three consecutive walks. Reaching the top of the order once again, Reese nailed a single into the outfield that scored a pair. Another single from Lama would reload the bases, setting up Obergfell for another RBI, this one coming as the final nail in Crosby’s coffin.
Six Bradford batters ended with hits throughout the win, with Reese (2-for-3) and Lama (2-for-3) leading the pack. Reese finished with two RBIs and one run scored while Obergfell drove in three scores and rounded home once. Along with his flawless defensive efforts, Buchholtz ended 1-for-2 with one RBI and one run.
“We just have to keep working hard,” said Henry. “Keep working hard and having fun and good things will happen.”
Up next, Bradford faces their most formidable opponent in DuBois in a double header on Sunday. The first game is slated for a 1 p.m. start at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford with the closing game starting at 3:30 p.m.
“We’re going to throw Trey and probably Brody the first game and hopefully play strong defense and hopefully keep the bats going,” said Henry. “(DuBois) is going to be tough. They have a lot of good talent up that way.”
AT BRADFORD
R H E
Crosby 000 01 1 2 0
Bradford 201 53 11 8 3
Crosby: Roessner (2 SO, 4 BB), Smith (4) (0 SO, 1 BB), McDowell (4) (1 SO, 2 BB), Wilfong (5) (2 SO, 3 BB) and Rounsville
Bradford: Reese (1 SO, 2 BB), Haviland (5) (2 SO, 3 BB) and Lama
