By James Costello Sports Writer
PLYMOUTH — Post 27 went out, but the team refused to go down without a fight.
With a field full of subs and facing a nine-run deficit in the bottom of the seventh, Plymouth rallied back in the remaining two and a half frames with five of eight total hits for seven runs, while holding Muncie Post 19 to just two runs. It was a valiant effort, but it wasn’t enough, as Post 27 took a 14-10 loss at the American Legion state semifinal, after it looked like the team might get dimed by the Chiefs Saturday evening at Bill Nixon Field.

“I really wasn’t surprised by the guys that came in and played because all year long they’ve been subbing in and the whole team knows their roles,” said Post 27 assistant coach Greg Briles. “When they come in we’re not losing anything really... (Cody) Bucher’s behind the plate, he’s making plays there. (Joel) Solis is making plays at third; (Dustin) Kreft is making plays out in center. They never quit, and they fought. They played their hearts out, and we’re looking at those guys for next year.”
Down 12-3 in the seventh, Post 27 brought in the reserves as Solis replaced Brody Solmos at third, Bucher took over for Mo Weddington behind the plate, and Kreft came in for Jeff Himes in center. Although not technically a sub with both starts at first Saturday, Jay Badell looked especially sharp with seven put-outs and an assist versus Muncie.
“Jay’s a kid that you can put anywhere on the field: He just likes to play,” said Plymouth manager Will Hostrawser. “He’s just a kid that does what you ask him to. You want him to pitch, he’ll pitch. You want him to play first, he’ll play first. He’ll play the outfield, he’ll play second, whatever. He’d probably even catch if you asked him to. That’s the type of stuff you need to be successful, and we appreciate his efforts.”
For the first time in recent history, Plymouth batters had trouble recording hits in the Muncie match-up, as Post 27 batters finished with just eight total — only three of which came in the first six innings. Muncie, meanwhile, rapped out 21 hits in the game with five hits for four runs to break it open in the third, including a home run by clean-up batter Coty Gadbury and a Thomas McCowan double in the same inning.
“We’ve been hitting the heck out of the ball, and I don’t know what happened,” Briles said. “It’s a long season. We’re at 30-plus games, and some of these boys are practicing football. They’re tired and getting worn out, and unfortunately, the hits just didn’t go our way today.”
Second baseman Nate Wottring 3 of 5 with a sacrifice bunt to help advance Steve Cornett and set the stage for a Brandon Elliott RBI double in the top of the first. Elliott finished 2 of 4 with two walks and two RBIs, one of them a perfect bunt down the first baseline on a squeeze play in the fifth that scored Cornett once more. Wottring also scored in the frame on a Badell sacrifice fly out to deep center.
Plymouth plated four runs in the seventh to cut its deficit to five runs as Bucher and Badell drew two straight walks to start the inning, Solmos was hit by a 3-1 pitch, and a hard-to-handle blooper by Jake Bloom in the nine spot turned into an RBI single. Cornett — who was officially 0 for 2 but drew four walks for three runs scored — grounded out to short to score Bloom, and Wottring slapped a hard chopper to short for an RBI single. The former Rochester player also doubled down the third baseline in the ninth to score Bloom and Cornett. Wottring was plated in turn on a sacrifice fly by Brent Easterday, after the big Plymouth clean-up hitter went cold in game two Saturday with an 0 for 5 performance including three strikeouts.
Post 27 fared much better in the opener Saturday against Bristol, which it had already topped 16-10 in the regional semifinals the previous weekend. Chase Byerly mixed it up on the mound for Plymouth, pitching well into the eighth, and Easterday went 3 for 5 at the plate with two runs and two RBIs on a long two-run shot over center as Plymouth broke it open during a four-run sixth. Post 27 recorded 14 hits over the course of the game en route to a 10-7 win.
“Anytime you’re coming from the loser’s bracket, you’ve got to have a good push with your pitching, and Chase obviously did a nice job out there today,” Hostrawser said. “His pitch count was pretty good. He wanted to finish it, but going into the last inning, we were a little gun-shy after last night... One thing I noticed about Chase was his leadership in the dugout. He was cheering guys on and was very focused throughout the whole game.”
Elliott was 3 of 5 hitting with two runs scored and three RBIs off a pair of singles in the first and sixth innings. Cornett was 3 of 4 with an RBI double to deep center in the second. He also reached on an error in the top of the first to score Post 27’s opening run.
Post 27 closed out its season Saturday with the loss to Muncie following a loss to Rockport Friday night in the double-elimination tourney.
American Legion State Tournament
At Bill Nixon Field
Semifinal
• MUNCIE POST 19 14,
PLYMOUTH POST 27 10,
Post 27:  1 0 0  0 0 0  4 0 3  — 10  8  5
Post 19: 1 0 4  0 1 5  1 1 1 — 14  21  3
Greg Heban, Matthew Helm (5, W), Matthew Jennings (6), Josh Ludy and John Clawson. Tyler Shook (L), Ryne Sweeney (6), Michael Fansler (6) and Mo Weddington, Cody Bucher (7).
2B: Nate Wottring (27), Brandon Elliott (27), Dustin Kreft (27), Coty Gadbury (19), Thomas McCowan (19).
HR: Zach Tanner (19).
Loser’s bracket championship
• PLYMOUTH POST 27 10,
BRISTOL POST 143 7
Post 19: 2 1 3  0 0 4  0 0 0  — 10 14  1
Post 143: 3 0 0  0 0 2  0 1 1 —  7  13 2
Chase Byerly (W), Tyler Shook (9) and Mo Weddington. Taylor Futterknecht (L), Ian Neilsen (6), Neil Hacket (9) and Zach Price.
2B: Neilsen 2, Colin Doherty (143), Futterknecht, Steve Cornett (27), Brandon Elliott (27).
HR: Chris Cassella (143), Brent Easterday (27).