By Staff
The Post 33 Junior American Legion baseball team finished a successful 2007 summer season with a 24-9 record, while recording a 4-2 record in the state tournament and finishing as runner-up.
After claiming the Northern District Championship in Florence, the team traveled to Ozark to participate in the state tournament. This was the second consecutive year that the team qualified for the state tournament.
According to state American Legion Officials, there are approximately 68 Junior American Legion teams in the state. Junior American Legion teams are comprised of players who must be less than 17 years of age and can't be 18 until after August 1.
Tuscaloosa Academy 5,
Post 33 (4)
Post 33 starter and eventual state tournament Most Valuable Player Trey McNutt pitched six strong innings allowing only four hits and one earned run while striking out 12.
Ward led the team with three hits, while Korey Pounders and Drew Whiteside had two hits each. Corey Flanagan, Torey Baird, Matthew Crawford and John Batchelor each added one hit.
Post 33 (8), Monroeville 6
Forced into the loser's bracket by its opening-round loss, Post 33 responded with an 8-6 victory over Monroeville in second-day action.
Ryan Forester pitched six innings, scattered 11 hits and struck out four. Ward collected the save by striking out two of the three batters he faced and retiring the other batter on a groundout in the seventh.
Ward finished 3-for-4, scored three runs and had three RBIs. Baird added one hit and an RBI.
Post 33 (10), G.W. Long 8
Post 33 faced host team G.W. Long on Sunday and pounded out a 10-8 win while collecting 13 hits.
Mathew Crawford earned the win and three relievers finished the game. Ward collected his second save of the tournament by pitching 1 2/3 innings to finish the game.
Baird reached base four times and scored two runs.
Post 33 (6), Butler 5
In its fourth game of the tournament, Post 33 came out of the losers bracket to play the only remaining undefeated team in the tournament, Butler Post 237 of Huntsville.
Judson Sherrill went 5 1/3 innings to start the game, and Kameron McCreless, Ryan Forester, Pounders and Ward combined to pitch the next 2 2/3 innings as Post 33 claimed a 6-5 win in an extra-inning victory.
Post 33 (6), Opelika 0
Post 33 earned its berth in the championship game with a convincing 6-0 win over Opelika.
McNutt pitched a complete game for the win. He allowed five hits while striking out 15 and walking none.
Baird finished 3-for-4 at the plate while scoring two runs and driving in two more. Flanagan and Ward each added one hit.
Butler 2, Post 33 (1)
Caleb Thompson earned the starting nod for Post 33 in the championship game against Butler. Thompson, who was returning from a basketball camp, provided five solid innings allowing only six hits . He struck out two and did not allow a walk.
Post 33 loaded the bases with two outs when Flanagan, Baird and Sherrill all walked, but Butler starter Chad Moss retired the next hitter on a ground ball to end the inning.
Butler would threaten in the second inning after loading the bases on a single and a pair of Post 33 errors, but Thompson forced a groundout to end the inning.
Both teams were held scoreless in the third inning. Post 33 would gain a one run lead in the top of the fourth inning when Whiteside singled and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Batchelor. Whiteside advanced to third on a wild pitch. Forester walked, and Whiteside scored from third.
Butler claimed a two-run lead in the bottom of the sixth on three consecutive singles with the third driving in the tying run.
Post 33 players are Caleb Thompson and Corey Pounders of Phil Campbell; Korey Flanagan, Torey Baird, Matt Crawford, Mark Davis, Jake Ward and John Batchelor of Russellville; Trey McNutt, Drew Batchelor, Kameron McCreless, Destin Dye, Ryan Forester, Kaleb McCreless, Judson Sherrill and Drew Whiteside of Haleyville. Post 33 is coached by Sean and Bret Whiteside.