Sports

Clean sweep

• Albany’s American Legion Post 30 baseball team makes it 4-for-4 against its crosstown rivals, Post 512, this season, ending the four-game series with a close 8-6 win Monday night at Paul Eames Park.

Derek Barichello

ALBANY — Trailing by one run with the bases loaded on a full count in the bottom of the eighth inning, American Legion Post 30’s Ronnie Myers’ bloop double near the first base line in front of a charging Post 512 right fielder secured the win.

And just like that, his prayers were answered.

“I was praying, ‘Please drop, please drop,’ ” Myers, a Bainbridge native, said as Post 30 held Post 512 scoreless in the ninth for the 8-6 victory at Paul Eames Sports Complex on Monday. “Once I seen it fall, I was like, ‘Yes! Now I’ve got to get to second base.’ ”

For Post 30, it was the fourth win against Post 512 this season, earning the Albany team a season sweep of its city rivals.

But more importantly, Post 30 hopes its the end of their slump.

“It was nice to see us stay in it and come back,” Post 30 coach Don Norman said as his team improved to 12-7 on the season, 4-4 in the region.

“It reminded me of the kinds of ballgames we played earlier in the season when we were reeling off victories.”

While the come-from-behind victory rekindled winning ways for Post 30, a near win erased sour memories for the still winless Post 512 (0-5).

In the last meeting between the two Albany squads, Post 30 won, 15-6.

On Monday, it was Post 512 that led, 3-2, after five innings and, 6-5, heading into the bottom of the eighth. But a walk and subsequent hit batsman ahead of a Myers’ double proved costly.

“We played well except for some errors,” said Post 512 coach Jesse Barnes, who was also referring to three errors in the bottom of the seventh that led to three runs for Post 30. “It was just a few mistakes at the end that cost us from winning our first ballgame, but I think that helps our confidence knowing we are closer.”

As the regular season begins to wind down, Post 30 is looking ahead to Thursday night's rematch against Leesburg Post 182. In the previous meeting, Post 182 — which is undefeated on the season at 4-0 — won in a blowout.

However, Post 30 has three more meetings with them before the end of the season and knows Monday went a long way to putting it all back together.

“We know we have a really good team,” said Post 30 starter and Lee County High School player Adam Coffey, who finished with 11 strikeouts in seven innings of work. “We’d like to jump ahead more but sometimes that can’t happen. (Monday night) reminded us that we can put it together late in the game when we need it the most.”

For 512, it seems a 1-2-1 finish at a competitive tournament in Pensacola — which Barnes does not include in it's record — has done wonders.

“I think it just took awhile for us to come together,” said Post 512 leadoff hitter Rico Watts, who went 4-for-5 with two runs. “I know it’s the end of the summer but we’re starting to play well.”

One of 512's secrets is to stay loose.

At times, when Post 512 committed an error or hit into an out, players would make a joke or laugh it off.

“We have to have fun,” said Post 512 starter Brandon Lee, who threw a complete game and is on his way to Andrews College on a baseball scholarship. “Most of us are tired or mentally exhausted already from football practice, so when we come out to play baseball, we want to have fun.”