TORONTO - For fans of offensive firepower, Thursday's doubleheader between Richmond Post 740 and Toronto Post 86 at the Knight Baseball Complex was a dream come true.
The teams combined for 19 runs and 22 hits in Richmond's 11-8 win in Game 1, only to pound out 32 hits and score 29 runs in Game 2 as Post 740 completed the sweep with a 17-12 win.
"Those were marathons," said Richmond head coach Sam Davis. "We hit the ball well at times. The first game I thought we looked real good early, but lost focus, and that's what happens when you're playing a good team that can hit the ball.
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OUT AT SECOND — Richmond’s Phil Hilt tags out Toronto’s John Marriner as he attempts to steal second while Chad Wickham backs up the play Thursday in Toronto. Richmond catcher Sammy Orr made the throw.
-- Fred Younce
"Both teams have played a lot of games in a row so we're both scrambling for pitchers today. I'm real happy with our guys. I thought they did a great job. We had to get all the innings out of them we could, and I'm real happy with all of them."
Toronto was down 10-1 after 4 innings in Game 1 before putting up a five spot in the bottom of the fifth to pull within 10-8 entering the seventh before Richmond as able to secure the three-run win.
"I think this will help us a lot," said Toronto head coach Steve Sninchak of his team's effort. "They had some good pitchers who threw today and I thought we stepped up and hit the ball and showed a lot of heart in not giving up."
Winning pitcher Mark Smyth helped his own cause with a two-run home run, a single and four runs scored. Nolan Marcus had three singles and three RBIs. Ty Yocum had two doubles, a single and an RBI, with Alec Jones adding a single and two RBIs and Phil Hilt pushing across two runs as well.
Seth Cox had a solo home run, a double and three RBIs for Toronto. Austin Lucas, Spenser Sninchak and Tyler Owens each had two singles with Sninchak knocking in two runs while Lucas and Owens each drove in one.
In Game 2, Toronto found itself down 10-0 after two innings before powering back into the game. The boys from the Gem City were as close as 12-9 before being outscored 5-3 in the seventh.
"We showed a lot of heart to stay in the games and come back," said Sninchak. "In the second game we gave up 10 and battled back. I thought they battled well. We're shooting ourselves in the feet right now.
"We're putting ourselves in the whole and we just can't get over the hump yet of playing a good full game of baseball."
Jones had a double, two singles and five RBIs in Game 2 with Hilt adding a double and four RBIs. Smyth three singles and drove in three runs. Leadoff man Chad Wickham hit four singles and scored three times.
For Toronto, Brad Melville had two doubles and four RBIs, with Sninchak adding two singles and driving in two runs. Toronto's lead-off man, John Romey, had four singles and three runs of his own to go with three RBIs.
"It kind of reminded me of the loser's bracket on the third or fourth day of the district tournament where you have to outscore guys," said Davis. "We did the best we could, kept plugging and were lucky enough to get out with two wins."
Toronto is in action today at home against Wayne County in a nine-inning game set to start at 7 p.m. Richmond hosts a doubleheader against Coshocton Saturday starting at noon.
Game 1
Richmond 11, Toronto 8
Post 740 204 310 1 - 11 11 4
Post 86 000 152 0 - 8 11 2
POST 740: Smyth (WP, 7K, 2BB), Wickham (SV, 7th, 1K, 0BB) and Orr. Pasek s; Wickham r; Orr s, 2r; Smyth hr, s, 2rbi, 4r; Yocum 2d, s, rbi, 3r; Jones s, 2rbi, r; Hilt 2rbi; Marcus 3s, 3rbi, r.
POST 86: McIntosh (0K, 3BB), Melville (3rd, 1K, 3BB), Wilson (4th, 2K, 4BB) and King. Romey r; Lucas 2s, rbi, 2r; Sninchak 2s, 2rbi, r; Melville s, rbi; Owens 2s, rbi, r; Cox hr, d, 3rbi, r; King s, 2r; Marriner s.
Game 2
Richmond 17, Toronto 12
Post 740 550 020 5 - 17 15 2
Post 86 002 520 3 - 12 17 0
POST 740: Fry (W, 5K, 2BB), Hilt (4th, 1K, 3BB), Horan (5th, 0K, 1BB) and Donovan, Orr. Wickham 4s, 3r; Orr d, s, 3r; Smyth 3s, 3rbi, 3r; Yocum 3r; Jones d, 2s, 5rbi, 3r; Hilt d, 4rbi; Williams d, 2rbi; Horan s, rbi.
POST 86: Stewart (0K, 1BB), Antinone (2nd, 0K, 2BB), Allen (2nd, 1K, 0BB), Wilson (3rd, 0K, 4BB) and King. Romey 4s, 3rbi, 3r; Owens 2d, rbi, 3r; Sninchak 2d, 3rbi, 2r; Melville 2d, s, 4rbi; Cox 3s, rbi; King d, s, r; Goddard 2r; Lucas s.
