The Zig Drywall Post 348 Senior Legion baseball season is well underway.
“I think there's a ton of potential,” coach Jerry Wellwood said May 22 in Fort Calhoun.
The Pioneers, however, stood at 0-2 that night after a 9-6 home loss to Omaha Concordia.
“Offensively, we're just too passive right now,” the coach said. “And, pitching-wise, we're just giving up too many free base runners.”
Both factors led to an 8-1 deficit to the Post 1 Mustangs despite AJ Duros' RBI swing during the third frame.
Post 348 gave itself a chance with a five-run bottom of the sixth, though. First, with the bases loaded, Jordan Back walked to cut Concordia's lead to just six runs.
Later, after a pitching change, the Pioneers' Eric Koterba substituted in for his one-and-only at-bat of the night.
“He's aggressive, so he's a guy that I know isn't going to stand there and take too many strikes,” Wellwood said.
Sure enough, the slugger turned another bases-loaded situation into a grand slam. The ball flew beyond the left field fence to cut Fort Cahoun's deficit to 8-6.
“We felt like we needed a spark, and (Koterba) was going to go try and ambush something,” Wellwood said. “Even if he didn't hit it out of the park, I think he was going to barrel it somewhere and give us a shot.”
It was as close as the Pioneers would get, though. Concordia added a seventh-inning run and won by three when Post 348 struck out twice during the bottom half.
The loss, however, came with good news for Wellwood's team, too. Catcher Chase Premer played behind the plate for the first time since the early spring season.
“It was great having Premer back tonight, finally, after eight weeks, to catch,” the Calhoun coach said. “That really solidifies our defense.”
It, overall, left Wellwood optimistic going further into the summer American Legion campaign.
“Once we get our passiveness at the plate figured out — and once we get throwing more strikes on the mound figured out — we're going to be just fine,” Wellwood said. “It is a good group, a talented group. They play well together.”
Juniors drop game to Mustangs
The Fort Calhoun Junior Legion baseball team lost its home game to Concordia on May 22, too.
The Post 348 Pioneers were outscored, 10-2. They outhit their opposition 9-8, though.
POST 348 SENIOR LINE SCORE
May 22
Omaha Concordia 9, Fort Calhoun 6
OC 0 3 1 0 1 3 1 — 9
FC (0-2) 0 0 1 0 0 5 0 — 6
