AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL

MID-SOUTH REGIONAL TOURNAMENT

(Aug. 8-12 at Kirsch-Rooney Stadium)

 

TEAMS AT A GLANCE

 

CAPE GIRARDEAU POST 63

Just the facts: Missouri state runner-up Cape Girardeau, 31-11, plays Louisiana champion Gauthier Amedee (East Ascension), 36-5, in Mid-South Game 3 that begins at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Coach: Josh Meyer, 1st year.

Top players: Cooper Crosnoe, 1B/OF (.330, 19 RBI, 31 runs); Joe Baker, RF, (.351, 13 RBI, 21/23 SBs); Trevor Haas, C (.318, 24 RBI); Bryan McNeely, RHP (6-4, 1.90 ERA, 50 K, 55 1/3 IP/.325, 13 RBI); Austin Dill, RHP/2B (6-0, 0.83 ERA, 38 K, 50 2/3 IP); Reid James, RHP/RF (7-2, 1.93 ERA, 59 K, 50 2/3 IP); Drake Mills, RHP (5-2, 1 SV, 2.37 ERA, 30 K, 44 1/3 IP); Trent Unterreiner, RHP/3B (4-1, 1 SV, 2.22 ERA, 26 K, 34 2/3 IP/.303, 26 RBI).   

Notable: Cape Girardeau was a late addition to the tournament assigned by American Legion Baseball national officials to replace the Oklahoma champion, Ada Post 72 Braves. Ada was forced to withdraw from the tournament last Friday because its roster had been reduced to eight players by a conflict with the start of fall baseball in the Sooner state. Cape’s last regional appearance was in 1994 as a Missouri state champion. Cape lost its Missouri zone tournament opener and was one defeat away from ending its summer before winning five straight games to qualify for the state tournament where it went 2-2. Cape is travelling with a 15-man roster, 3 below the maximum, with Lane Robinson, LF (.279, 23 RBI), forced to remain home due to illness to his mother.

BRYANT POST 298 BLACK SOX

Just the facts: Arkansas champion Bryant, 43-9, plays Kansas champion, the Salina Post 62 Falcons, in Mid-South Game 2 scheduled to start 30 minutes following Wednesday’s 9:30 a.m. opener.

Coach: Darren Hurt, 10th year.

Top players: Logan Chambers, SS; Jake Wright, C/3B/LF; Cade Drennan, C/DH; Scott Schmidt, RHP; Myers Buck, RHP; Logan Grant, RHP; Boston Heil, RHP.

Notable: Bryant seeks a second consecutive American Legion World Series appearance after advancing for the first time in 2017. The Black Sox enter the Mid-South on a six-game winning streak, with all of those wins coming in elimination games following an opening-round loss in the Arkansas state tournament. Bryant defeated the Ada Post 72 Braves, 3-0, in last year’s Mid-South championship game to culminate a 5-1 run that included three final victories in elimination games. Bryant has won five of the last seven Arkansas state titles (2018, 2017, 2015, 2014 and 2012).

 

COLUMBIA POST 19

Just the facts: Tennessee champion Columbia Post 19, 24-6-3, plays Mississippi champion Tupelo Post 49, 29-4, in the Mid-South opener scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Coach: Scott Beasley, 6th year.

Top players: Will McCall, 3B (.446, 2 HR, 31 RBI); Andy Hale, 1B (.424, 3 HR, 26 RBI); Matthew Joslin, 1B/3B/OF (.400, 1 HR, 30 RBI); Ethan Mealer, RHP/3B (2-0, 4.32 ERA, 30 K, 24 1/3 IP/.370, 20 RBI); Brock Young, LHP (5-0, 0.00 ERA, 34 K, 31 1/3 IP); Camryn Kennedy, RHP (4-1, 3.20 ERA, 23 K, 30 2/3 IP).

Notable: Columbia returns 12 of 18 players from last year’s Mid-South entry that went 2-2. Columbia has won nine straight Tennessee state titles and 16 of the last 17. The Tennessee champions, with 13 college players or commitments, enter having won their last seven games and are 9-0-1 in their last 10. Columbia is seeking its second ALWS appearance with the first trip in 2007 producing a World Series championship. Seven players bat .309 or higher, which has helped produce a .344 team batting average.

GAUTHIER AMEDEE

Just the facts: Louisiana champion Gauthier Amedee, 36-5, plays Missouri runner-up Cape Girardeau Post 63, 31-11, in Game 3 of the Mid-South at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Coach: Marty Luquet, 2nd year.

Top players: Zane Zeppuhar, LHP/CF (5-0, 1.32 ERA, 46 K, 42.0 IP/.433, 1 HR, 38 RBI); Jack Merrifield, RHP/1B (2-0, 1 SV, 0.70 ERA, 8 K, 10.0 IP/.394, 4 HR, 47 RBI); Preston Thrash, SS/RHP (.400, 34 R, 13 RBI, 17 SB/0-1, 2 SV, 2.20 ERA, 13 K, 6 1/3 IP); Brayden Caskey, 2B (.359, 44 R, 19 RBI, 18 SB); Reed Babin, C (.365, 3 HR, 25 RBI); Layton Lee, DH (.373, 18 RBI); Dwain Guice, RHP (7-1, 0.90 ERA, 56 K, 11 BB, 46 2/3 IP); Austin Bankert, LHP (0.69 ERA, 23 K, 30 2/3 IP); Chad Kennedy, RHP (4-0, 2 SV, 1.03 ERA, 29 K, 34.0 IP). 

Notable: East Ascension-based Gauthier Amedee Post 81 is making its first Mid-South Regional appearance since winning its last state title in 2013. That season also produced the program’s third and last trip to the AL World Series (2013, 1996, 1992). Post 81 program’s best ALWS finish was as national runner-up in 1996. The Wombats likely are to be without their leading hitter, center fielder Mason Zeringue, who missed the final three games of the state tournament after sustaining a leg injury while sliding into home plate vs. Retif Oil & Fuel. Zeringue was batting .488 with 34 RBI and 32 runs. The Wombats bat .373 as a team and have scored 321 runs in 41 games (7.8). The pitching staff’s ERA is 1.42. Gauthier Amedee has gone 3-2 in five games played since going 5-1 to win its eighth state crown.

JEFFERSON CITY POST 5

Just the facts: Missouri champion Jefferson City, 24-9, plays Louisiana runner-up and host team, Retif Oil & Fuel, 22-7-1, in Mid-South’s fourth and final opening day game scheduled to start 30 minutes following the conclusion of 3:30 p.m. Game 3.

Coach: Curt Vaughan, 3rd year.

Top players: Hayden Hirschvogel, 3B (.525, 22 RBI); Michael Skinner, SS (.420, OBP .560, 25 R); Parker Schnieders, 2B (.310, 26 RBI); Zach Woehr, LF (.345, OBP .444, 7 SB); Skyler Dickneite, LHP (0-0, 0.69 ERA, 20 K, 20 1/3 IP); Connor McKenna, RHP (4-2, 2.60 ERA, 52 K, 45 2/3 IP); Joseph Travis, RHP (5-0, 1.72 ERA, 40 K, 36.2 IP); Jason Rackers, RHP (0-0, 8 K, 4 1/3 IP).

Notable: Jefferson City is making its second straight Mid-South appearance after going 1-2 in last year’s event. This is the program’s third Mid-South trip in five years. Jefferson City went 3-0 in its state tournament following a 2-2 run tin Missouri’s Zone 2 Tournament that produced a runner-up finish and berth in the state tourney. Jefferson’s 17-player roster is drawn from five schools. Dickneite and Rackers have had limited innings pitched due to their volume of work during their college season, but are ready to be unleashed in the Mid-South, Vaughan said.

RETIF OIL & FUEL

Just the facts: Louisiana runner-up and host team, Retif Oil & Fuel, 22-7-1, plays Missouri champion Jefferson City Post 5, 24-9, in the final Game 4 of opening day scheduled for 30 minutes following the conclusion of the 3:30 p.m. Game 3.

Coach: Kenny Goodlett, 1st year.

Top players: Will Moran, LHP/OF (4-2, 1 SV, 2.65 ERA, 33 K, 31 2/3 IP/.404, 21 RBI); Sean Seghers, LF (.361, 1 HR, 23 RBI); Seth Dardar, SS (.358, 2 HR, 19 RBI); Connor Bendeck, 3B/IF (.356, 10 RBI); Tripp Haddad, IF (.351, 8 RBI); Brian Valigosky LHP/1B (.349, 8 RBI); Matt Alexander 2B (.338); Will Hellmers RHP/3B/1B (.337, 1 HR, 21 RBI/6-1, 1 SV, 0.63 ERA, 50 K, 40 1/3 IP); Zack Casbonne, C (.288, 18 RBI); Andrew Cashman, RHP (4-1, 1.72 ERA, 33 K, 36 2/3 IP); Brenden Berggren, RHP (3-1, 1.88 ERA, 27 K, 26.0 IP).  

Notable: Jesuit-based Retif Oil & Fuel’s Loo Wag Ran Post 285 is making its fourth Mid-South appearance in five years, but first under Goodlett, who replaced Joey Latino as Jesuit’s coach during the past prep season. Retif is seeking its first AL World Series appearance since 2015 when it finished as ALWS runner-up. Jesuit’s program has won three ALWS championships in 2012, 1960 and 1946. Goodlett was an assistant coach on the 2012, ’15 teams. Retif has gone 3-2 in five games played since posting a 4-2 mark in the Louisiana state tournament where both losses were to champion Gauthier Amedee.

SALINA POST 62 FALCONS

Just the facts: Kansas champion Salina Post 62, 35-2, plays Arkansas champion Bryant Post 298, 43-9, in the second game of the Mid-South’s opening round with a scheduled starting time of 30 minutes following the conclusion of Game 1

Coach: Luke Curry, 1st year.

Top players: Ben Driver, RF (.437, 23 RBI); Ethan Kickhaefer, RHP/1B (5-0, 1.79 ERA, 38 K, 31 1/3 IP/.453, 1 HR, 25 RBI); Brogen Richardson, 2B (.432, 5 HR, 47 RBI); Ryan Dix, C (.341, 1 HR, 37 RBI); Layne Haddock, LF (.326, 28 RBI); Brayden Pavey, SS (.292, 15 RBI); Richard Davis, RHP (7-1, 1.42 ERA, 45 K, 49 1/3 IP); Cade Sterrett, RHP (7-0, 0.93 ERA, 43 K, 38 1/3 IP); Brady McAfee, RHP (2-0, 2 SV, 0.43 ERA, 12 K, 16 1/3 IP); Seth Catania, RHP (3-0, 0.55 ERA, 22 K, 25 2/3 IP).  

Notable: Salina Post 62 enter as the Mid-South’s hottest team, riding a 12-game winning streak that include a 5-0 and 3-2 two-game sweep of Iola, Kan., in the state finals. The Falcons are making their first regional appearance since 2007 when they won their last Kansas title. Richardson drove in five of the team’s eight runs in the two championship games versus Iola.

TUPELO POST 49 49ERS

Just the facts: Mississippi champion Tupelo Post 49, 29-4, plays Tennessee champion Columbia Post 19, 24-6-3, in the Mid-South opener scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Coach: McKinley Holland, 2nd year.

Top players: Hammer Franks, RF (.518, 6 HR, 32 RBI); LaBryant Siddell, LF (.442, 3 HR, 21 RBI); Chad Stephens, UTL (.407, 11 RBI); Coleton Ausbern, RHP/SS/2B (6-0, 1.09 ERA); Will Armistead, RHP (4-0, 0.58 ERA); Pate Phillips, RHP (4-0, 3.45 ERA); Austin King, RHP (4-3, 3.12 ERA); Kyle Crigger, RHP (5-1, 2.58 ERA).

Notable: Tupelo Post 49 enters play on a seven-game winning streak that includes a 3-0 run through the Mississippi state tournament. Pitching-rich Tupelo recorded its 15th state championship after finishing as state runner-up last summer. The 49ers won a 2-1 record against Mid-South qualifiers Columbia Post 19 and Gauthier Amedee. Tupelo’s last AL World Series appearance was in 2011 when the 49ers advanced to the championship game before losing, 5-4, to Eden Prairie, Minn., in 13 innings. Tupelo’s roster is drawn from 11 schools.