Post 1 gains, loses series lead on same day

FLORENCE — Post 1 fans have seen some big comebacks this season at American Legion Field.

And save a controversial ninth inning on Thursday, they might have seen another one.

After battling back from 7-0 and 15-9 deficits, Post 1 trailed 17-15 entering the bottom of the ninth.

With two on and no outs, an error by Conway pitcher Jeff Caskey allowed two runs to score, appearing to tie the game. But one of the runners was ruled out on an appeal, and Conway held on for a wild 17-16 win to tie the best-of-five series at 2-2.

And that was after Post 1 claimed a 14-inning, 10-7 win earlier in the day in the completion of a game suspended because of rain Wednesday night.
Game 5 will be at 7 tonight at Legion Field.

Conway got out to a big lead behind Sport Rabon and two Post 1 errors. In the first inning, Rabon hit a three-run homer to dead centerfield, and Jarrott Hooks followed three batters later with an RBI single to put Conway up 4-0.

Post 111 added three more runs in the second. Rabon had an RBI single as did Jeremy Knab. Conway scored another unearned run to go up 7-0. Out of the seven runs, just four were earned.

Post 1 rallied in the bottom half of the inning. Patrick Mincey had an RBI double, Justin Green and RBI single and Austin Morrell had the big hit in a two-out, two-run single to bring Florence back within 7-4. Morrell drove in three runs for Post 1, as did Mincey.

Robert Skinner and Morrell closed the gap even further in the fourth inning. The Post 1 duo hit back-to-back, two-out homers to cut Conway’s lead to 7-6.

But a disastrous fifth inning all but sealed the game in Conway’s favor. Matt Long walked three and hit a batter and Ryne Hardwick’s two-run single helped Post 111 score six runs en route to a 13-6 lead.

Post 1 got two runs back in the fifth inning on Tyler Boyd’s home run, but could not do any more damage, leaving the bases loaded.

Conway added runs in consecutive innings on another Rabon homer and a Bobby Watford RBI single to take a 15-9 lead heading into the eighth. Rabon finished 4-for-5 with two homers and six RBI.

But as they’ve done all season, Florence wasn’t about to go down quietly.

With one out, two walks and a hits batsman loaded the bases for Post 1. Boyd’s single drove in two, and two batters later, Mincey’s double drove in two more. After a strikeout, it looked as if Conway reliever Jeff Caskey was going to get out of the inning when Green grounded to second.

But Conway’s first errors of the game opened the door for Florence, as the ball went through Hooks’ legs into right field, scoring Spencer Jordan and the throw home sailed over the catcher, scoring Mincey and tying the game at 15-15.

It looked as if Rabon untied the game in the ninth with his third homer, but the ball bounced off the top of the fence for a double. Rabon was gunned down at third a play later.

But with one out, a grounder between the pitcher and first base ended with no outs as Post 1 pitcher John Taylor could not get to the bag in time. The play proved costly as Corbin Brown singled home two runs two batters later as Conway took a 17-15 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.

Post 1 took a 2-1 series lead earlier in the day. In a game suspended Wednesday night in the 12th inning because of rain, Florence scored five runs in the top of the 14th inning en route to a 10-7 win.

Florence had a runner in scoring position in each of the first two innings of play, but could not bring them home. That changed in the 14th, however, as Spencer Jordan brought home Boyd from second with one out on an RBI single. Boyd scored after the throw home bounced in front of home plate and over Hardwick’s head.

Green followed three batters later with another RBI single and Skinner followed that with an RBI double. Morrell hit a hot grounder to third base next at bat and the ball bounced past Conway third baseman Cannon Jordan as two more Post 1 runners scored to make it 10-5.

Conway came back with two runs in the bottom half of the inning on an RBI single from Brown and an RBI fielder’s choice by Cannon Jordan.

But Spencer Jordan got out of the jam, picking up the win for Post 1. Hooks took the loss for Conway.