WAYNESBORO – The American Legion baseball season is still young.
For most teams, getting into a rhythm has been a challenge. Waynesboro Post 15 has had to reschedule two games (Biglerville and Greencastle) due to opposing teams being short on players; another game against McConnellsburg scheduled for Monday will have to wait until another day since Southern Fulton High School is still competing in the PIAA tournament.
But it must have made the Waynesboro players satisfied after Post 15 defeated Fort Loudon, 14-1 in a game shortened by the 10-run rule. Waynesboro posted five runs in each of the first and third innings and put up four more in the home fourth.
Now, Waynesboro will see if Friday’s win was a sign of things to come..
““I had some guys at the beach – senior week – they’re slowly starting to come back. They were focused tonight,” said Post 15 manager Dan McCleaf.
One cog on the wheel that will go a long way in determining the success of Waynesboro is pitcher Luke Martin.
Martin pitched a strong three innings before giving way to Bradley Butts.
“He did good,” McCleaf said. “He’s been throwing strikes. He threw a little bit in high school. I knew I could count on him. We’re going to need him. I told him he was going to see the mound a good bit this year; he’s ready.
“Bradley came in and pitched well.”
Butts gave up a run in the fourth but got out of a jam in the fourth inning thanks to a unique double play. Fort Loudon had five runners on base in the frame and scored after a lead-off double, a walk and a single.
Shortstop Kellan Smith gloved a pop up for the first out of the inning. A hit batsman loaded the bases. Then, left fielder Garrett Blount made what could have been the play of the game if the game were closer. He fielded a hit into left field and threw a strike to catcher Tyler Caron, who got the first out at home. Caron then threw another strike to third baseman Caden Green to complete the inning-ending twin killing.
Meanwhile, it was probably Waynesboro’s best outing at the plate in six games played.
Post 15 tallied five runs in the first inning to take command early.
Lead-off hitter Logan Clapsaddle walked and Smith was hit by a pitch. Josh Clapsaddle followed with a two-run triple and scored on an error to make it 3-0 just like that.
Bryce Shaffer reached first base on the same error that allowed Josh Clapsaddle to score. Shaffer stole second, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a one-out triple off the bat of Green. Green came home on a single by Blount.
Martin was behind the eight ball early when Fort Loudon got two base runners in succession to start the game. But the defense came through with ground outs to end the threat and set up Waynesboro’s big inning.
Post 15 plated five more runs in the third stanza on only one hit. That’s because Fort Loudon walked six batters. The one hit was a big one though, as Smith cleared the bases with a triple.
Waynesboro made the 10-run rule win easier when it score four runs in the fourth inning. Josh Clapsaddle came up to bat with the bases loaded and delivered a bases-clearing double for his third, fourth and fifth runs batted in of the game.
He came around to score on a single by Shaffer.
Waynesboro (4-2) will play at Fayetteville next Wednesday for its next game.
