PONCA – After playing separately the past week, the Wayne Post 43 Junior and Senior American Legion baseball teams took to the road for a doubleheader.
Wayne visited Ponca as the Post 43 Juniors struck early and often to win 12-1 in five innings improving to 5-7 while the Wayne Seniors, now 16-1, held on for a 2-1 victory in 12 innings.
In the Juniors game, Wayne opened with a five-run first inning before scoring twice in the second and third innings to lead 9-0. Ponca got on the board with a run in the fourth as Wayne poured in three more runs during the fifth to win 12-1.
Brooks Kneifl doubled, tripled, drove in five runs and scored while Calvin Starzl singled twice and scored three times for Wayne. Toby Braun singled, drove in two runs and scored twice; James Dorcey doubled, drove in a run and scored; Jacob Anderson, Wyatt Heikes and Zach McManigal all singled and scored; Chase Leatherdale and Justin Sherman both scored as Max Miller and Cooper Zara both accounted for a RBI.
Kneifl picked up the complete game victory in five innings allowing one run off three hits while striking out 10 batters and walking one.
Juniors:
1 2 3 4 5 R H E
5 2 2 0 3 12 9 3 – Wayne
0 0 0 1 0 1 3 6 – Ponca
From the Seniors game, Trevor DeBoer drove in the go-ahead run with a RBI single in the top of the 12th.
DeBoer finished with a single, double and RBI while Blake Bartos singled three times for Wayne. Tyrus Eischeid singled and scored; Jacob Kneifl and Josh Lutt both singled as Reid Korth also scored.
Kneifl worked the opening seven and two-thirds allowing two hits while striking out 14 batters and walking one. DeBoer secured the victory in the final four and two-thirds allowing one hit while striking out another five batters.
The Wayne Post 43 Juniors and Seniors will next close out their home schedule entertaining Crofton on Thursday, July 23 at 5:30/8 p.m. from Hank Overin field.