WAYNESBORO – It wasn’t the start that Waynesboro American Legion Post 15 starting pitcher John Kahl was banking on.
But baseball is a seven-inning game, and the next three innings Kahl pitched were nothing short of dominating as Waynesboro shook off a 2-0 deficit to score nine unanswered runs to run away with their Franklin County American Legion League game at Robinson Field.
The inning in question for Kahl was the top of the first. Kahl, who gathers strength and momentum as the game progresses, was not feeling it early on. He surrendered a lead-off single to Wyatt Sokol. Zach Hann reached base on a throwing error, and Zach Williams plated Sokol.
Post 15 finally got the first out of the inning when Kahl fielded a ground ball and threw to first baseman Ethan Hotchkiss.
But Curtis Rebert made it 2-0 with an RBI single that scored Hann. Runners were on second and third with only one out when Kahl started getting into pitching gear. He struck out the next batter and picked up his second assist to end the inning.
Waynesboro had the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the first frame but left them that way thanks to back-to-back pop outs to second base.
Fortunately, Waynesboro could wait another inning to put on the rally caps. That’s because Kahl kept retiring batter after batter. After giving up his second run-scoring base hit, Kahl retired 11 of the final 12 batters he faced. Kahl gave up a two-out single in the second stanza. He set down Gettysburg in order in the third and fourth innings.
Meanwhile, Post 15 got one run on the board in the home second inning. Zach Bowers drew a one-out walk, stole second base (one of 10 in the game) and scored on a single by Riley Eaton.
In the bottom of the third, Waynesboro picked up two runs to take a 3-2 lead, a lead Post 15 would not relinquish. Hotchkiss singled, stole second base, and scored on a Brett Powell single. Powell scored on a double off the bat of Dustin Wagaman.
Then came the bottom of the fourth inning.
During that inning, Waynesboro batted around while scoring five runs on four walks, a hit batsman and a bases-loaded, bases-clearing triple by Bowers, which made the score 8-2.
Eaton walked, stole second base, and scored on a double steal attempt that ended with Gunner Shifflett being tagged out to allow Eaton to score.
Shifflett pitched the final three innings for Post 15.
Next up for Waynesboro is an FCALL game at Fayetteville on Wednesday. Post 15 then hosts Shippensburg on Thursday and Greencastle next Monday in the regular-season finale.
