Day Ten - Northbrook, Illinois

After twelve games in 9 days, we had seen comebacks, big innings, and huge rallies with two outs. Those were nothing compared to what we would see in game 13 of our trip. Post 34 rallied to win 16-15 in eight innings over St. Charles Post 342 and advance to the championship game against Northbrook. Northbrook won two games on Sunday to make it to the championship game. In game 14 of our trip, the final game, Post 34 would once again defeat Northbrook by a score of 13-10.

Game 13: Post 34 - 16 St. Charles - 15 (eight innings)

Post 34 found itself in a huge hole before getting the opportunity to come to the plate. After the top of the first, Post 34 trailed 10-0. Garrett Stallings would hit his third home run of the tournament in the bottom of the first, scoring Tanner Ashcraft who had reached on a fielder's choice.
In the second inning, Trey Burkhalter came on in relief of starter Brad Phillips. Burkhalter held St. Charles scoreless through the fifth inning to allow Post 34 to get back into the game. Post 34 would score five runs in the bottom of the inning. Stallings doubled and Brandon Tubbs singled in the inning to bring the score to 10-7.
Post 34 would add a run in the third when Cameron Sanders singled in Jordan Cooley who had reached on a walk. There would be no scoring for either team until the sixth when St. Charles added five in the top half of the inning to push their lead to 15-8.
In the bottom of the sixth, Post 34 would once again make a comeback. Hits by Stallings, Austin Alexander, Austin Dickerson, and Jordan Cooley along with walks to Ashcraft, Tubbs, and Jacob Bush would bring Post 34 within two runs with two outs. On a pitch that bounced away from the St. Charles catcher, Cooley scored and Bush also scored as the throw from the catcher to the pitcher at the plate got away and went toward the St. Charles dugout. With the score now tied, both teams went three up, three down in the seventh.
Alexander came on to pitch the seventh and eighth innings for Post 34. Alexander faced 7 batters over the two innings with the only runner to reach base was via an error.
In the bottom of the eighth with one out, Bush would hit the first pitch well over the right centerfield wall to give Post 34 the walk off 16-15 win.
Hitters with multiple hits:
Jacob Bush (2-3, single & home run)
Garrett Stallings (3-5, single, double, & home run)
Brandon Tubbs (3-4, 3 singles)


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