SENIOR LEGION: Post 11 gets another shot at Wilson

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on July 5, 2017 1:43 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

MOUNT OLIVE -- Quiet as church mice they gathered in the dugout.

Each player, their face shrouded in disappointment, found a place to sit on the wooden bench.

The scoreboard remained lit.

Visitors 14, Trojans 1.

Nemesis Wilson Post 13 had just handed Wayne County Post 11 its second-most embarrassing, mercy-rule loss of the season.

Although most of his post-game lecture can't be scribed in words, the venacular of head coach Jason Sherrer's piercing monologue didn't go unheeded.

Errors.

Poor plate appearances.

Missing signs.

Each miscue -- mental and physical -- led to a disastrous regular-season finale on Post 11's home diamond, no less.

Cell phone in hand and the Area I commissioner on speed dial, Sherrer asked his players if they wanted to participate in the postseason. If they didn't, he'd gladly make the call and forfeit the team's spot.

Two spoke up and said they wanted to play.

Not truly convinced, Sherrer instructed his team to clean up the field and return to the dugout when they were done. They met among themselves, talked and informed Sherrer they wanted to play.

Two days later, third-seeded Wayne County (13-9 overall) played host to sixth-seeded Ahoskie in quarterfinal-round play of the Area I East playoffs. Sherrer's club squeezed out consecutive, come-from-behind victories.

"We didn't play well," Sherrer said.

Tanner Wells filed his first pitching decision of the season in the opener. Kolby Harris notched the save and earned a complete-game victory in the nightcap to propel Post 11 into the semifinals against -- you guessed it -- Wilson.

The best-of-three series starts tonight at historic Fleming Stadium. Game time is 7 p.m.

Post 11 wants redemption -- a chance to wash out that sour taste from last Thursday. Six errors and five walks led to 10 unearned runs.

Wayne County manufactured a meager seven hits, including a team-high three by Harris, during the seven-inning affair. However, Post 11 logged nine strikeouts as a team and stranded 11 runners -- seven in scoring position.

Jonathan Peacock accounted for the team's lone run -- a bases-loaded RBI walk in the first inning.