WHEELERSBURG — A five-run first inning for the Portsmouth Post 23 Jr. team helped set the tone in Wednesday’s 8-5 home win over Chillicothe Post 757.
After the Post 757 Jr. team broke onto the scoreboard into the top of the first, Post 23 batted around in the home half of the first — scoring five runs and never looking back from their 5-1 lead through one complete.
Rhyan Queen, Nathaniel Berry, and Brady Kessinger drove in runs during the first as five of the first six Post 23 batters reached to start the contest.
Berry led Post 23 with a team-high three hits and was one of eight different Portsmouth players to score a run in the victory.
Post 23 also drew six walks and three hit-by-pitches against Post 757 pitching.
Portsmouth’s four pitchers that took the mound combined for 12 strikeouts of the 37 Chillicothe batters faced.
Kessinger started the game and allowed four hits and three earned runs on 67 pitches. Leelind Spurlock allowed no hits and walked a pair while striking out five in his two innings of relief.
Portsmouth travels to Hillsboro on Thursday for a double-header versus Post 129.
BOX SCORE
Post 757 1 0 2 0 0 0 2 — 5 6 4
Post 23 5 0 0 1 1 1 X — 8 7 1
Post 23 hitting
JD Matiz 1-3, 2R, BB
Owen Young 1-4, R
Aodhan Queen 0-1, R, RBI, BB
Kolton Salyers 1-2, R, RBI, BB
Rhyan Queen 0-2, R, RBI
Nathaniel Berry 3-4, R, RBI
Brady Kessinger 0-2, 2RBI
Jakob Tipton 0-1, RBI
Leelind Spurlock 0-0, 2BB
Rowdy Watkins 0-1, R
Jack Picklesimer 1-2
Post 23 pitching
Brady Kessinger 3IP, 4H, 3ER, 1BB, 4K
Leelind Spurlock 2IP, 0H, 0ER, 2BB, 5K
Jake Clevenger 1IP, 1H, 2ER, 2BB, 1K
Rhyan Queen 1IP, 1H, 0ER, 2BB, 2K
