Lebanon
Lebanon led, 9-2, before surrendering eight runs during the top of the ninth inning. Nonetheless, it loaded the bases with one out during the bottom of the frame, only to see its No. 3 and No. 4 hitters strike out to end the game.
The loss means Post 22 can finish no better than third in New Hampshire District A, which sends its top four teams to next weekend’s eight-team state tournament. Lebanon (10-5) entered Friday night’s game at Concord with a shot at winning the district title but also blew a lead in that contest, committing multiple errors and losing by a run, 4-3.
Post 22 needs to beat Keene (2-13) at noon today at Lebanon High to avoid a fourth-place finish in the regular season. Sweeney (12-3) plays Plymouth today in hopes of finishing first alongside Concord (13-3), with which it split two games earlier this summer.
“Tomorrow’s a big day to try and wake up,” said Lebanon outfielder Will Smith. “Hopefully, we can get out of there in seven innings (via the 10-run rule) and not use up too much pitching. After today, though, we can’t write anyone off.”
Lebanon squandered a strong outing by starting pitcher Derek Griffin, who allowed five hits and one run during six-plus innings. He struck out two batters and walked four and his team led, 9-1, at the time of his exit.
“He was getting good pitches down low and on the corners,” Smith said. “It sucks that we couldn’t finish it off for him.”
Sweeney scored once during the seventh inning but was retired in order during the eighth. The visitors’ first batter in the ninth flied out, but a single was followed by a home run and the score moved to 9-4. Cedric Elkouh, who had relieved Griffin, gave way to Dashiel Fukushima, who walked a batter and hit another before being replaced by Smith.
The recent Hanover High graduate surrendered a run-scoring double and a run-scoring single and hit a batter to load the bases. He then induced three consecutive ground balls to third baseman Matt Braley, who threw each of them wildly in the direction of catcher Henry Day. The score was now 9-9, and Post 22 coach Rob Woodward had Braley switch positions with first baseman Eli Jaynes.
Smith hit another batter, resulting in a 10-9 Sweeney lead. He was replaced by Caleb Broughton, who struck out the inning’s 13th and 14th batters to momentarily end Post 22’s agony.
Fukushima led off Lebanon’s half of the ninth and was hit by a pitch. A Day sacrifice bunt moved him to second, and Smith and Trey Parker drew walks to load the bases with one out. Broughton struck out looking against pitcher Connor Lyons and Braley went down swinging, ending the game.
“We had them,” said Woodward, whose postgame displeasure with his players could be heard from 50 yards away. “They’re getting lessons learned to them with these losses. They can see that what you’ve been preaching all year is coming back to bite them.
“We have to go into the tournament without bad things happening. It’s bad enough that we can’t put tournament teams away.”
Notes: If Post 22 wins today and finishes third in District A, it will open the state tournament at noon Friday at Manchester’s Gill Stadium against the second-place finisher from District B. If it loses and finishes fourth, it will play at 4 p.m. against the District B champion. … Lebanon’s Kyle Hammond had a Jaynes foul ball zip within 2-3 feet and smash into the fence while he was standing in the on-deck circle during the fourth inning. Did he see it coming? “No, and I’m glad I didn’t,” said the Kimball Union Academy student. … Post 22 business manager Pete St. Pierre said his organization pays $42.50 per wooden bat and ordered 72 of them for this season. Each player on the post’s junior and senior teams receives one bat to start the season. … Lebanon wore its navy blue camouflage jerseys from the Bob Ammel Memorial Game earlier this season.
Tris Wykes can be reached at twykes@vnews.com or 603-727-3227.