Before Alex Dickneite could even toe the rubber Wednesday night at American Legion Post 5 Sports Complex, his offense provided him the run support he needed to clinch a series opening win for the Seniors.
Post 5 capitalized as the "visiting" team to Columbia Post 202 in its home ballpark by jumping out to a five-run lead in the first inning. The Seniors eventually won Game 1 of the best-of-three district series tournament, 13-1.
The game would have been deemed a forfeit with a 12-1 score after eight complete innings. But, according to Post 5 manager Dane Hughes, the teams and the umpires weren't sure if the spread rule (10-run lead after 7 innings) applied to postseason play. They assumed it did not.
The Seniors had already scored one run in the ninth before game officials verified the spread rule did, in fact, apply to the postseason. The umpires asked the Columbia coaching staff if the game could be forfeited past the run-rule limit, despite them not recording the final two outs or receiving their final plate appearances in the final frame. They complied, ending Game 1.
The Seniors' offense revved up for five runs in the first and eighth innings, while plating additional runs in the fifth, sixth and ninth.
"It was important to get on the board early and string all that together with two outs really set the tone of the game," Hughes said.
Alex Barton, a recent Helias graduate, singled up the middle to start the two-out rally in the opening half of the game. After a pitch hit Hayden Strobel, Adam Grunden plated Barton with a single over the head of the shortstop. Todd Buschjost became the second victim of a hit by pitch in the inning to load the bases for Zach Hudspeth. The Fatima catcher muscled up for a two-run single, expanding the early lead to four. Sam Bowles, who is committed to play at Missouri S&T, hit a single and Hudspeth scored on a throwing error after advancing to third on the play.
Dickneite, a recent Fatima graduate and Westminister commit, finally trotted to the mound for the first time with a comfortable 5-0 lead.
The right-handed hurler tossed a three-hit, one-run gem on the mound. He threw 71 pitches and notched four strikeouts over six innings for the win.
Dickneite didn't show complacency on the mound with the lead by attacking the zone and showing command of his fastball.
"I had my fastball going today that had a lot of run on it," Dickneite said. "I didn't have the speed I would have liked, but the running made up for that a little bit. My curveball was effective.
"These guys have been like that for me all year. With them scoring runs, I can go out there and worry about my game and not have to worry about it being a close game or anything."
One mistake would cost Dickneite in the second inning. After he surrendered a man on base with a hit by pitch, Branden Smith connected on a 0-2 fastball for a run-scoring double. The 0-2 pitch was too fine for Dickneite's liking.
"They had the bottom of the lineup in there and I just kind of grooved the first two in there and he didn't even touch them," Dickneite said. "I figured I could just hum one more in there and he got ahold it. I got to learn to watch those 0-2 pitches, but I think I'll be all right."
Grunden, a Jefferson City High graduate, led the way at the plate with a 3-for-5 effort with four RBI. The Longview Community College signee padded the score in the eighth inning with a bases clearing 3-run double that sailed over the left fielders' head.
"For a couple of those innings, we didn't score and it maybe seemed like our focus wasn't there at the plate," Hughes said. "As we go later in the game, you could definitely tell it picked back up at the plate. Guys were focused and had a lot better at bats, which was good to have the bats rolling into tomorrow."
Cody Stegemann, a Lincoln player, was a presence in the two-hole with a 4-for-6 performance with an RBI double that scored Bowles in the sixth inning.
Austin Sachse, a current Longview player, pitched a hitless final two innings with two punchouts for Post 5.
The two teams return to Post 5 Sports Complex for a 6 p.m. game today. The Seniors will send Jason Rackers to the hill to try and salvage a district sweep. The winner of the series will make the trip to Washington for the Zone Tournament later this month.