CROFTON, Neb. — Mitchell’s Palace City Post 18 rebounded from an opening-day loss and finished with a 3-1 record at the Lewis and Clark American Legion Baseball Classic, highlighted by a dramatic walk-off victory over host Crofton on Saturday.
Mitchell opened tournament play Friday with a 6-4 victory over Tabor Post 183 in nine innings. Tied 4-4 entering the final frame, Post 18 scored twice in the ninth. Ethan Hegg lifted a sacrifice fly to bring home Quinton Wilson with the go-ahead run before Jacob Ebert added an RBI single to score Canon Moller.
Hegg led the offense with two hits and three RBIs, while Dawson Adams contributed two hits and two RBIs. Moller, Carter McCormick and Kaiden Allen also collected two hits apiece.
Noah Bennett struck out six over five innings in the start, while McCormick earned the win with 3 2/3 innings of relief, allowing one hit and striking out six.
Post 18 was unable to carry the momentum into its second game Friday, falling 10-1 to Madison Post 25 in six innings. Mitchell led 1-0 through three innings before Madison erupted for five runs in the fourth and never looked back.
Adams drove in Mitchell’s lone run and finished with two hits. Jaxson Hartman also had two hits, while Nolan Widstrom struck out seven batters in four innings on the mound.
The loss proved costly in the race for the pool title.
On Saturday, Post 18 edged Sioux Falls East 7-6 in a back-and-forth contest. Sioux Falls scored three runs in the first inning, but Mitchell answered with five runs in the bottom half. Ian Weber delivered the key blow, a bases-loaded double that plated three runs.
After Sioux Falls East rallied to tie the game in the sixth, Mitchell answered immediately. Kaiden Allen scored the winning run on an RBI single by Hegg.
Weber and Hegg each collected three hits. Weber drove in three runs, while Hegg added two RBIs. Jacob Ebert pitched 5 1/3 innings before Quinton Wilson earned the win in relief.
Post 18 then produced its most dramatic victory of the tournament, rallying from a five-run deficit in the seventh inning to defeat Crofton 10-9.
Trailing 9-4 entering its final at-bat, Mitchell scored six runs in the bottom of the seventh, including five with two outs. Canon Moller capped the comeback with a walk-off single that scored Allen.
Mitchell pounded out 13 hits in the victory, including seven in the decisive inning. Ian Weber finished with three hits, including a double and triple, while Moller and Hegg each added two hits. Moller drove in three runs, and Allen added two RBIs while also striking out six in his start on the mound.
Despite finishing 3-1 in pool play, Post 18 did not advance to Sunday’s championship bracket. Madison also finished 3-1 and claimed the pool title by virtue of its head-to-head victory over Mitchell on Friday.
Post 18 improved to 4-2 overall and is scheduled to travel to Renner for a doubleheader against Post 307 on Monday at 5 pm.