A-16s top Junction City, stay alive at Zone
By The Emporia Gazette (Contact)
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
The Emporia Legion A-16s survived a big inning early on by Junction City to stay alive in the Zone Tournament with a 10-9 victory Tuesday in Junction City.
Junction City posted six runs in the second inning to take a 6-1 lead at the time, but a steady Emporia offense produced at least one run in every inning except for the sixth to make the comeback despite just four hits as a team.
“We couldn’t avoid the big inning, but at least it was early,” A-16s coach Aaron Lechien said. “We survived it.
“Putting the ball in play was the biggest thing. That gives you a chance to get things going if you can put the ball in play and put pressure on the defense to make a play.”
Little by little, Emporia chipped away at Junction City’s lead. The A-16s scored a single run in the bottom of the second to make it 6-2 and then plated two more runs in the third to close the gap to 6-5.
The A-16s then scored three runs in each of the fourth and fifth innings to jump out to a 10-7 lead after Junction City got one run across in the top of the fifth.
Emporia held off a late rally in the seventh to take the one-run victory, giving the A-16s another day of play in the Zone Tournament after dropping the first game on Monday.
“I was very pleased with how we continued to fight and come back from being down,” Lechien said. “It was either win or go home, and we kept that from happening.”
Emporia starter Dominic Rodriguez went five innings and struck out five to earn the win, while Josh Posey came on and pitched the final two innings to get the save.
Trevor Turney led the A-16s’ offense with two hits and two runs scored. Derek Krause walked, was hit by a pitch twice and scored two runs and Derek Nielsen also scored two runs. Chase Speer and Dylan Smith each knocked out singles.
Emporia next will play the loser of Manhattan Pro Copy and Salina at 6 p.m. on Thursday.