Published: July 23, 2008 10:47 pm            

It’s postseason time for Post 346

Wayne Newton starts sectional play today

TERRE HAUTE — Only once in the last 23 years has a team prevented Wayne Newton Post 346 from winning the local American Legion baseball sectional championship since John Hayes became its manager.

That happened in 2001 and Hayes doesn’t want it to happen again.

He stressed that his squad, which opens this year’s three-team sectional against Vincennes Post 73 at 7 o’clock tonight at Terre Haute North High School, won’t be taking anyone lightly.

“We’ll have our hands full [against Vincennes],” Hayes emphasized. “They swing the bats real well. They have decent pitching, including one real good pitcher [left-hander Matt Igel].”

Wayne Newton owns a 25-12 record for the season, while Vincennes is 12-11.

Awaiting the winner will be Greene County Post 196, which makes its sectional debut at 4 p.m. Friday. Greene County is 7-15.

“We’re missing some guys we thought we were going to rely on,” Greene County manager Shane Evans told the Tribune-Star on Wednesday. “We’ll have to start some young guys, so we’ll just see what they can do.”

The championship game in the double-elimination tournament is slated for 1 p.m. Saturday, with an “if necessary” game to possibly follow.

Evans and Vincennes manager Chris Sievers agreed it will take a monumental effort to dethrone Wayne Newton. Greene County and Vincennes each lost to Wayne Newton twice this season.

“They’re definitely tough,” Evans said. “We gave ’em a little scare [in the sectional] last year. They’re always the team you set out to beat when you get to the sectional. If we don’t play as well as we can play, it’ll get ugly.”

“We know going in it’s not going to be an easy task,” mentioned Sievers, who plans to start Igel (2-1) tonight. “We’ve got to hit the ball, not make any errors and Matt’s got to have a good game on the mound… It’s huge to stay in that winners’ bracket.”

Some of Wayne Newton’s leading offensive performers are shortstop Koby Kraemer (.459 batting average, 12 doubles, two home runs, 15 stolen bases), catcher-first baseman Joe Meggs (.437, three homers, 36 runs batted in), outfielder-first baseman-pitcher Brandon Dorsett (.426), second baseman Jacob Hayes (.396, 13 steals), left fielder Bryan Chestnut (.383, two homers, 34 RBIs) and third baseman Zach Odum (.369).

Its top pitchers include Shawn Walker (5-3, 3.38 earned-run average), Dorsett (4-1, 4.04), Curtis Peters (3-2, 4.13) and A.J. Reed (3-2, 4.16).

Considering Walker has been bothered by an injured toe recently, John Hayes said he may start the lefty Reed or the righty Dorsett on the mound tonight.

The sectional champion will advance to the Rockport Regional, which begins Aug. 1.

Four teams competed in last year’s sectional, but Hayes said French Lick dropped out since then.

• • •

• Junior Legion — Five teams, including Wayne Newton Post 346, will take part in the Junior Legion state tournament, which runs from today though Sunday at Terre Haute South High School.

The first contest, Newburgh vs. Evansville Pate, is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. today.



American Legion baseball sectional

At Terre Haute North High School

Today

7 p.m. — Game 1: Wayne Newton Post 346 vs. Vincennes Post 73.

Friday

4 p.m. — Game 2: Game 1 winner vs. Greene County Post 196.

7:30 — Game 3: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser.

Saturday

1 p.m. — Game 4: Championship game.

About 4 — Game 5: “If necessary” championship game.

        

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