CODY LEIST

PDT Sports Writer

Another day, another two-game sweep took place Friday evening for Post 23.

Big innings for the hosts in both games of a five-inning doubleheader helped Post 23 reach its longest winning streak of the season at 12 games with victories of 6-0 and 5-3 respectively over Morehead (Ky.) Post 126.

“We had nine good defensive innings and well-pitched innings,” Post 23 coach Jack Branon said. “…It’s important for us to play well defensively and back up (starters CJ Burk and Sean Lawless).”

In the first game, Burk struck out four, walked one and allowed three hits in his first decision of the summer.

“I thought he did a nice job of mixing his pitches up and just going fastball, curveball and his knuckleball mixed in there some,” Branon said.

His help came in the third and fourth innings as Post 23 struck each time for three runs off Post 126 starter Brett McKinley.

In the third, Post 23 used small ball tactics after Lawless led off the inning by being hit by a pitch to score the first three runs of the evening. Brett Hood was 2-for-3 with a run scored in the contest.

In the finale, Lawless found ways to breeze through innings and found a way to get the job done late for his first win of the season.

“I thought Sean just went out and went after people,” Branon said. “He had some really quick innings where he went out and made pitches and got ground balls and popups.”

The Ironton product has taken big steps in Branon’s eyes ever since preseason tryouts took place.

“He came in and we didn’t know him, the coaching staff didn’t know him,” Branon said. “We watched him in tryouts and we thought there was some talent there and he deserved a chance to contribute to this team. He’s hit the ball decent, there’s been some games where he’s had a couple of hits and he’s playing the outfield a lot better.”

Austin Boyer recorded a Little League home run in the first to give Post 23 an early 3-0 lead. It was his only hit of the game.

Tas Shupert was a perfect 2-for-2 with a double. Of the nine starters in the second game for Post 23, eight recorded hits.

Post 126 made the game interesting in the fifth by scoring three runs before back-to-back fielder’s choices ended the game. Branon felt that was the only damper on what was otherwise characterized as another positive day at the ball park.

Post 23 returns home today with a standard seven-inning doubleheader against Chillicothe Post 62. The first contest is slated for 1 p.m.

Cody Leist can be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 242, or cleist@heartlandpublications.com.

Game 1

Post 126 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 3 1

Post 23 0 0 3 3 x — 6 7 0

Post 126 — Richmond 1-3, Huston 2-2, Denniston 0-0 (BB).

Post 23 — Bailey 1-2 (R), Hood 2-2 (R), Shears 1-1 (HBP, SAC, RBI), Sanford 0-2 (BB, RBI), Noel 1-3, Shockley 1-1 (BB), Moore 1-2 (R), Burk 0-1 (SAC), Lawless 0-1 (HBP), Shupert 0-0 (SB), Howard 0-0 (R), Kenyon 0-0 (R).

W — Burk (1-0)

L — McKinley (n/a)

Records — Post 126 n/a; Post 23 25-13.

Game 2

Post 126 0 0 0 0 3 — 3 5 3

Post 23 3 2 0 0 x — 5 8 1

Post 126 — Cox 1-2 (BB, RBI), McKinney 0-3 (RBI), Wagoner 1-3, Richmond 1-2 (R), Clark 0-2 (R), Owens 0-0 (2 BB, R), McKee 1-2 (RBI).

Post 23 — Noel 1-3 (SB, RBI, R), Howard 1-2 (BB, R), Shears 1-2 (BB, R), Boyer 1-3 (RBI, R), Shockley 1-2, Shupert 2-2 (2B), Brown 1-2 (2B, R).

W — Lawless (1-1)

L — Wagoner (n/a)

Records — Post 126 n/a; Post 23 26-13.