Post 642 needs 11 innings to reach finals

The Sedalia Post 642 junior Legion baseball team faced a must-win situation when it took on the Nevada Red Sox on Saturday in the 2008 Missouri AA State Tournament.

A win would move Sedalia into the finals against Ste. Genevieve and a loss would end the season.

Sedalia overcame an early deficit to win 10-3 in 11 innings at Liberty Park Stadium. After struggling at the plate for most of the game,

Sedalia scored seven runs in the top of the 11th inning to secure the victory.

Nevada scored two runs in the first inning against Sedalia starting pitcher Jordan Dey, and Nevada starter Ryan Austin didn’t look like he would need any more run support.

Austin, who held Sedalia scoreless for 6 1/3 innings, used all of his allowable innings and was forced to leave the game. A player may not pitch more than 10 innings over a three-day stretch.

“It was unfortunate for them that their pitcher was at his limit in the three-day period because he dominated us for 6 1/3 innings. I mean, he dominated us,” said Sedalia coach Jeff Mays.

Sedalia immediately roughed up reliever Ron Johnson with two runs in the top of the seventh to extend the game.

Jacob Bush provided the big hit, blasting a triple to right that scored two runners and gave Sedalia new life.

“I tell you what, that was a tough game,” Mays said. “... Jordan was a little shaky in the first inning, nerves were running, but he settled down and he threw great after that.”

Though both teams had opportunities to score in the eighth and ninth innings, neither could push across the decisive run.

Sedalia grabbed a 3-2 lead in the top of the 10th when Keil Allison doubled, went to third on a sacrifice and scored on a sacrifice fly by Alex Lang.

Nevada scratched out a run against Sedalia reliever Dominique Smith in the bottom of the inning to tie the game again. Taylor Scotten had an RBI double with two outs that kept Nevada alive and forced the two tired teams to play another inning.

The Sedalia bats got hot in the 11th, starting with a single by Dylan Mays that was misplayed, putting Mays at third with no outs.

Dustin Broaddus brought Mays home with a double to left, putting Sedalia in front 4-3.

Bush added a bloop double to left that pushed the lead to 5-3. Allison singled to score another run, Lang drew a bases loaded walk to make it 7-3, and Allison increased the lead to 8-3 when he scored on a wild pitch.

Mays capped the seven-run inning with a two-run single and Sedalia had a comfortable lead.

Smith finished the win by putting Nevada down in the bottom of the 11th.

“It was a good ballgame,” said Mays. “Played more than we wanted to right there, but you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.”