Post 5 Juniors get past Washington for Zone title

In this July 6, 2021 News Tribune photo, Jace Kesel of the Jefferson City Post 5 Juniors talks to teammate Max Buscher following an at-bat during a game against the Jefferson City Post 5 Freshman team at the American Legion Post 5 Sports Complex.
In this July 6, 2021 News Tribune photo, Jace Kesel of the Jefferson City Post 5 Juniors talks to teammate Max Buscher following an at-bat during a game against the Jefferson City Post 5 Freshman team at the American Legion Post 5 Sports Complex.

LOOSE CREEK, Mo. - The Jefferson City Post 5 Juniors had another strong pitching performance Sunday, while the offense collected 10 hits in a 6-4 win against Washington Post 218 to claim the Zone 1 Tournament championship at Loose Creek Community Club.

Max Buscher pitched six innings for Post 5, allowing two runs on nine hits with one walk and eight strikeouts.

Hunter Berendzen closed the game in the bottom of the seventh. He allowed two runs on three hits, but he never allowed the tying run to reach base, ending the contest with a strikeout.

Jefferson City scored first in the opening inning, as Holden Brand hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Luke Cavender.

In the second inning, Dalton Scheulen reached on a fielder's choice and courtesy runner Lane Wilson scored from third base, extending the Post 5 lead to 2-0.

Washington tied the score with two runs in the bottom of the third, but Jefferson City took the lead for good with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth. Nate Roark and Brand hit back-to-back RBI singles with two outs, scoring Jude Rader and Cavender to put Post 5 back in front 4-2.

Buscher drew a bases-loaded walk in the fifth inning, scoring Roark, and Patrick Baker scored on Roark's groundout in the seventh to make the score 6-2.

Anthony Broeker hit a two-run single in the bottom of the seventh to make it a two-run game. Broeker went 3-for-4 with two singles and a double to lead Washington, which finished the game with 12 hits.

Cavender and Berendzen each went 2-for-5 with two singles to lead Post 5. Roark and Brand each added a single and two RBI, while Jace Kesel was 2-for-4 with a single and a double.

The Post 5 Juniors (13-5-1) and Washington (18-4) will both advance to the Missouri American Legion AA State Tournament, which begins later this week in Washington.

A finalized bracket with first-round matchups has not yet been released.