Post 154 pitchers combine for no-hit game

BY COREY GESFORD

Correspondent

Montrose Post 154 snapped a four-game losing streak in spectacular fashion as three pitchers combined to no-hit Dingmans Ferry Post 851 in their regular season finale.

Starter Eric Lee combined with Dylan Fernald and Ethan Hitchock to tame Post 851 and the locals exploded for 12 runs in the fourth and fifth innings to gain the 16-0 victory.

Lee struck out five and walked four in his three innings of work to earn the victory. Fernald struck out two in the fourth, and Hitchcock struck out one to close the game.

“They (Dingmans Ferry) are a young team,” said Coach Ed Dieck. “Our guys pitched well and we were able to overpower them a bit.”

Lee helped his own cause with two hits, including a triple, and two RBIs, and Rich Arnold led the way with three doubles and three RBIs. Hitchcock, Joe McAleer and Nate Pettyjohn also were two-time hitters for Post 154. Bryden Jerauld homered and drove in three runs and Zach Dieck doubled.

Earlier in the week, Post 154 dropped a pair of games on July 3rd in the blistering heat. South Scranton Post 948’s Jason Carpenter held Post 154 to four hits and struck out 12 to South Scranton past the locals 4-1 in a game held at Connell Park.

Nick Warriner had two singles to lead Post 154. Despite only surrendering four hits and two earned runs over five innings, Kevin Valvano took the loss. Valvano struck out two and issued four walks. McAleer pitched the final inning allowing two runs on two hits and walking two.

The bats came alive for Post 154 later that night Scranton’s Cawley-Battaglia Field but couldn’t outslug Lakeland-Carbondale Post 221 as Post 221 erupted for five runs in both the third and fifth innings on their way to a 12-7 victory.

McAleer led the way offensively for Post 154 going 3 for 3, scoring twice, and driving in a run. Valvano chipped in with two hits and drove in three runs, and Arnold ripped a double.

“We were a little shot physically,” said Dieck. “We kind of hit a wall in the third inning. It’s tough to play five, six hours of baseball with just a couple guys on the bench.”

Warriner took the loss holding Lakeland-Carbondale in check before surrendering the five runs in the third. Overall Warriner scattered four hits and walked three in two-plus innings. McAleer got Post 154 out of the third and pitched two-thirds of the fourth allowing two runs on one hit while striking out three. Pettyjohn relieved McAleer and surrendered five runs on three hits while striking out three over the course of an inning. Fernald closed out the game surrendering a hit and striking out one in one and third innings.

Post 154 finished the regular season with a record of 6-8 and faced Lakeland-Carbondale in a rematch on Monday night in the first round of the playoffs. Dieck is excited about the playoff and likes the team’s chances if they can get solid pitching.

“If we can get a good outing from our pitchers that will be the key,” Dieck added. “Our defense has been strong, and if we throw strikes we’ll be competitive.”