Troy Legends first baseman Casey Kelley tags out Piqua baserunner Dez Warner at home Thursday at Hardman Field. Kelley would have the game-winning hit in Troy’s 5-4 victory.
Rob Kiser|Miami Valley Today
Piqua Post 184 catcher Aiden Ike tags Casey Kelley out as Kelley tries to get to the plae Thursday at Hardman Field.
Rob Kiser|Miami Valley Today
Troy Post 43 Legends batter Brayden Offenbacher gets out of the way of an inside pitch Thursday night.
Rob Kiser|Miami Valley Today
Piqua Post 184 pitcher Zavier Ludwig fires a strike Thursday night.
Rob Kiser|Miami Valley Today
Troy Post 43 Legends baserunner Owen Harlamert heads home with what would be the winning run as Legends coach Frosty Brown looks on.
Rob Kiser|Miami Valley Today
Rob Kiser|Miami Valley Today
Rob Kiser|Miami Valley Today
Rob Kiser|Miami Valley Today
Piqua Post 184 batter Landon Wills goes low to make contact Thursday night.
Rob Kiser|Miami Valley Today
Rob Kiser|Miami Valley Today
Rob Kiser|Miami Valley Today
PIQUA — Casey Kelley delivered the big hit for the Troy Post 43 American baseball team in Thursday’s regional tournament opener and pitcher Jacob Lucas finished things on the mound.
The Legends rallied for a 5-4 victory over Piqua Post 184 at Hardman Field.
Troy will play the winner of Friday’s Sidney Post 217 and Greenville Post 140 game at 3 p.m. Saturday.
Piqua will play the loser of that game at noon Saturday, with the loser bracket final at 6 p.m. Saturday.
The championship round will be played on Sunday at noon and 3 p.m., with Hardman Field being the site for all games.
Troy was trailing 4-3 in the home sixth inning Thursday night with Lucas on second and Owen Harlamert on first with two outs.
Kelley sent a drive to the centerfield fence to score both runners and make it 5-4.
Sam Ludlow followed with a single, but Kelley was thrown out at home on a tag by catcher Aiden Ike to end the rally.
Lucas started off the seventh with a strikeout, but Landon Wills reached first when the pitch went to the backstop.
Caleb Wurster reached when Wills was forced at second and moved to second on fielder’s choice and third on a wild pitch.
But, with two out Lucas got a strikeout to end the game.
Piqua had taken a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Dez Warner and Wills both walked.
Wurster had a double to score Warner.
Troy loaded the bases in the home first against Wills with no out, but he got out of the jam.
Legends pitcher Brayden Offenbacher got out of one-out bases loaded jam in the third to keep the score at 1-0.
Troy would then score two runs in the home third to take the lead.
After Jaxon Hill walked, Lucas reached on an error and Harlamert singled to load the bases.
Brayden Offenbacher had a RBI single and Gabe White followed with a fielder’s choice to make it 2-1.
Troy got another run in the fourth when Connor Price doubled and scored on Lucas’ double.
But, Piqua regained the lead in the fifth with three runs.
Zavier Ludwig was hit by a pitch and Warner walked.
With two outs, Zach Osborne singled to score Ludwig and Warner was able to score on an error in the outfield on the play.
After a walk to Ike, Osborne was able to score on an error to give Piqua the lead.
It stayed that way until Kelley’s game-winning hit in the sixth inning.
Price, Brayden Offenbacher, Gabe White and Lucas combined on a three-hitter, striking out 11, walking five and hitting two batters.
Wills and Ludwig combined on a nine-hitter, striking out eight, walking six and hitting two batters.
Sports Editor Rob Kiser can be reached at [email protected]
