Post 18 sweeps S.F. East

Solid pitching and a well-executed squeeze bunt helped Mitchell Post 18 to a Legion baseball doubleheader sweep of Sioux Falls East Tuesday at Cadwell Park in Mitchell.

Mitchell defeated Sioux Falls East 3-2 in game one and followed that up with a 4-3 win in the nightcap.

“It was good to see that we came out focused,” Mitchell coach Luke Norden said. “We booted a ball here or there, but the next opportunity we had we did a good job of covering it up and made some great plays.”

Post 18 needed just two pitchers on the night to claim the victories.

Derek Miller pitched the first game, allowing two runs on four hits and four walks. He struck out three.

Jacob Rice won game two, allowing three runs — two earned — on four hits. He didn’t walk a batter and had one strikeout.

“I wasn’t expecting two complete games,” Norden said. “The guys have been doing a great job of knowing that we’re short-handed and that they’ve got to go out and throw strikes and that’s what’s been winning us games.”

Mitchell took advantage of its opportunities all night to come away with the wins. With the score tied at 3 in the bottom of the fifth of the second game, Michael Sadler dropped down a squeeze bunt to score Rice, which wound up to be the game-winning run.

A three-run second was all of Post 18’s offense in the first game.

Back-to-back doubles by Miller and Seth Cavanaugh started the inning. After Kirby Fuerst was hit by a pitch, Rice moved the runners to second and third with a bunt and with two outs Evan Mastel came through with a two-RBI single, lacing a live drive over the infield.

“We executed a bunt and came through (both games),” Norden said. “Everything worked out great for us.”

Mitchell finished the night with nine hits in the games and nobody had a multiple hit game. Sadler reached base three times in the first game, all via the walk.

“We had just enough to get it done,” Norden said. “We’ve been relying on our defense and our pitching lately.

“Generally, all summer you have to rely on those things and just let the offense come through.”

Mastel finished the night with three RBIs. He had two in the first game and had an RBI single in the second game.

The wins improved Post 18’s record to 26-15 and the team returns to action against Brandon Valley at 6 p.m. today in Valley Springs. The two will face off with one nine-inning game.

Sioux Falls East fell to 25-13 with the losses.

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