WAYNE – Post 43 American Legion baseball teams welcomed in Ponca during a make-up game from the start of the season in mid-June.
From Hank Overin Field, the Monday night legion doubleheader saw the Wayne Post 43 Juniors secure their second straight win thanks to a 5-1 victory improving to 4-6 while the Wayne Post 43 Seniors topped Ponca 9-1 to now sit 11-0 on the year.
In the Juniors game, Wayne struck first with a run in the home half of the second before adding two more runs in the fifth. Post 43 outscored Ponca 2-1 in the sixth and held on for the 5-1 win.
Brooks Kneifl doubled and drove in two runs while Cooper Zara singled, doubled and scored for Wayne. Justin Sherman singled and drove in two runs; James Dorcey singled twice; Aiden Liston added a RBI and run scored as Calvin Starzl, Wyatt Heikes and Max Miller all scored.
Dorcey picked up the win in six and a third innings allowing one run off three hits while striking out six batters and walking two. Heikes came in for the final two outs in six pitches.
Juniors:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 3 1 – Ponca
0 1 0 0 2 2 X 5 6 3 – Wayne
During the Seniors game, Jacob Kneifl singled twice and scored while Tyrus Eischeid singled twice for Wayne. Brock Hopkins doubled; Reid Korth singled and scored; Trevor DeBoer scored twice as Blake Bartos, Hagan Miller, Gunnar Jorgensen, James Dorcey and Josh Lutt all scored.
Hopkins picked up the win in four innings allowing one hit while striking out two batters and walking three. Miller worked the final inning striking out two batters.
The Wayne Post 43 Seniors will next visit Hooper-Scribner for a senior-only contest at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 15 before competing in the Springfield Tournament this weekend. Wayne will face Waverly now on Friday, July 17 at 8 p.m.; Mt. Michael at 10:30 a.m. Saturday as well as the host Springfield at 10:30 a.m. and Ashland at 1 p.m. Sunday. Admission will be charged and fans are being encouraged to bring lawn chairs.
The Wayne Post 43 Juniors will be off until Tuesday, July 21 visiting Yankton at 2 p.m.