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By PAUL DELANEY
Staff Reporter 

Medical Lake's Legion streak halted by Rogers

Visitors rout ML in opener, win with walk-off run in nightcap

 

Last updated 6/23/2016 at 12:26pm

Paul Delaney

Bennet Soliday from Medical Lake fouls off a pitch in the opening game of a June 15 American Legion A League doubleheader against Rogers. The Spokane visitors collected an easy 17-3 win and won the nightcap 7-6.

The Medical Lake American Legion A team had a cold dose of reality splashed in their faces June 15 at Holliday Field.

A five-game winning streak that had head coach Kerry Kelly happy, as much as puzzled, crashed with a pair of losses to Rogers, 17-3 and 7-6, which dropped their record to 7-4 overall.

The key factor in the opening game of the pair was Medical Lake scratched together just enough bodies to fill the nine positions as a number of players were attending various summer sports camps, Kelly explained.

"We just got enough players to start the game and many were not even in their usual positions," Kelly said of the game where his team trailed 16-0 through five innings. And the Rogers team that plays in the local American Legion's National Division, is solid, Kelly added.

The second game was a better look at the team, Kelly said. "Game two was a heartbreaking loss, giving up two runs in the bottom of the seventh after getting two to go ahead in the top of the inning," he wrote in an email.

Miscues led to the loss in game two.

In the bottom of the seventh Dylan Vercoe struck out the lead batter, but he reached first on a dropped third strike and a subsequent error from the first baseman. Rogers got runners on first and second with a single. A fielder's choice moved them to second and third. Then an "excuse me" bloop hit over first base scored to give Rogers, the home team, a walk off victory.

Drew Hostetter started game two and threw six strong innings, allowing just four hits and striking out six. Hostetter also was 2-for-4 with a double.

"The boys played a great game just came up a bit short," Kelly said. "Overall I was happy with the way they responded in the second game."

Medical Lake traveled to Deer Park this past Tuesday for a single game and are home Friday, June 24 against the same team in a doubleheader beginning at 5:30 p.m. They meet Shadle in a 5 p.m. contest Monday, June 27 at Al K. Jackson Field.

Paul Delaney can be reached at pdelaney@cheneyfreepress.com.

 

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