WAYNESBORO – For all the mistakes that Waynesboro Post 15 made in Monday’s 7-6 loss to Greencastle Post 373, it still had a chance to win.
Trailing 7-4 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Post 15 scored two runs and had runners on second and third bases with two outs. Relief pitcher Max Bear secured the save with a game-ending strikeout.
With the win, Greencastle comes closer to winning the Franklin County American Legion League title. Post 373 already has a spot in the upcoming Region 4 tournament hosted by Shiloh from July 18-23.
Greencastle took over sole possession of first place with a 12-3 record. Fayetteville AA is in second place at 11-3, but due to player availability for the regional tournament, they won’t be playing. That means Chambersburg (11-5) becomes the second team from the league to play in the tournament.
The good news for Post 15, which is 10-5-1, is that, due to a lack of players in other counties, Waynesboro might be playing as the third Franklin County team. Head coach Dan McCleaf said he will know on Tuesday if that is the case, or if Monday’s game was their last.
Teams from Cumberland County, Franklin County, Dauphin County, and York County – plus Shiloh – will be represented in the eight-team tournament.
Greencastle scored two runs in the top of the first inning. Cole Barnhart led off with a single. Jarek Szaflarski also singled, and both advanced on stolen bases. Starting pitcher Carter McCauley hit an RBI groundout, and Logan Shifflett drove in Szaflarski with a base hit.
Waynesboro responded with three runs of its own in the home first, with all three runs coming with two outs. Brett Powell, Ryan Jenkins, and Ethan Hotchkiss all walked to load the bases. John Kahl emptied the bases with a triple to left field.
Post 373 put up three more runs in the second inning with the usual suspects that produced the two runs in the first frame. But first, number eight hitter Brock Cunningham led off with a single. Following a flyout, Barnhart reached base on an error. Szaflarski followed with a single to score Cunningham. Szaflarski was forced out at second base, but Barnhart scored on a hit by Shifflett to give Greencastle a 5-3 lead.
Waynesboro scored a run in the third inning when Gunner Shifflett singled, stole second base, advanced to third on a balk call, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jenkins.
Post 373 again responded, this time scoring a pair of runs to take a 7-4 lead in the top of the fourth inning. Once again, it was the top of the order that came through, as Szaflarski was hit by a pitch and McCauley walked, and both scored on sacrifice flies.
