TROY — Troy Post 43 Legends, opened the 2022 season with a doubleheader split with Beavercreek Sox. Troy won the opener 14-4 and lost 5-0 in the nightcap.

In the opener, Casey Kelly and Tucker Miller were both 3-for-4 with three RBIs.

Owen Harlamert was 2-for-2 with 2two RBIs.

Ethan Dirkson was the winning pitcher and Wes Nidzgorski picked up a save.

In the seond game, Beavercreek’s Austin Scarberry threw a three-hitter.

“That is a very impressive pitcher and he simply threw hard, threw strikes and had nice breaking ball,” Frosty Brown, in his 49th year coaching Troy Post 43, said. “That’s the kind of pitcher, you see at this level, and we have to learn to adjust to.” Troy’s Nick May, was impressive and threw 3 and two-third scoreless innings in the nightcap. He got better each inning. The team will host Greenville Thunder Wednesday and then host Richmond Post 331 Thursday, night.

“I like our schedule,” Brown said. “We will again be playing in the Hillsboro Wood Bat Tourney, the Lancaster Post 11 Classic, the NABF World Series as well the Grady Invitational in Xenia, and trip to Tiffin University.

“We’ll still play weekday games during the week and play in tournaments on the weekends. We lost a lot of players off of our 42-11 team last summer. We also have quality returnees, from our National Amateur Baseball Federation World Series runner-up team last summer. They experienced winning four tournaments besides the NABF and were second in three others.”

Post 43 returns a strong staff.

“Last year, we threw 208 scoreless innings,” Brown said. “So those returnees know how to win.Pitching is the key to every team’s eventual success. Levi Polen, Garrett Lemaster, Tucker Miller, and Wes Nidzgorski head up a relatively inexperienced staff with solid potential.

“Lefty Ethan Dirksen, Dalton Dawes, Gabe Nichols, Nick May and sophomore Jaxson Hill should get plenty of work.”

The Post 43 catching duties will handled by, returnee Jacob Kramer (senior), and highly touted Owen Harlamert.

“Kramer really came into his own last summer, and he caught in some big games, under a lot of pressure,” Brown said.

Post 43 has an infield with two experienced infielders.

“Garrett LeMaster is fresh off of his firstyear at LaRoche University,” Brown said. “He is versatile, with a good bat and is a key reliever for us.”

At shortstp, is sophomore Tucker Miller,

“Tucker is the only player to ever be named to the NABF All World Series team,” Brown said. “He is a talent, with great baseball instincts and it easy to forget how young he really is.”

Jaxson Hill, and junior Chandler Grimes will see plenty of action at second. Seniors Gabe Nichols and versatile Nathan Woolley, along with junior first baseman, Casey Kelly make up the rest of the infield.

“Woolley, hit over .400 and Kelley, hit over .350 for their high school teams,” Brown said. “We have speed in the outfield led by three-year performer, Gavin Martin, fresh from his freshman season at Edison State. Aaron Bostic, is also a speedster who’ll patrol left field and Woolley is the front runner in right field although Levi Polen and Dalton Dawes, will see plenty of action in the outfield as well. All 5 have very good speed.”

Brown is hoping for a good year.

“I’ve been coaching a long time and rebuilding is part of the job particularly after such a memorable year in 2021,” Brown said. “These young men are more than capable of doing just that. My challenge is to create game plans that fit our pitching schemes and help the hitters adjust to a more advanced level of baseball.

“Opponents have multiple pitchers who are at the top of their local high school team’s pitching staff. So the challenge is to handle seeing good pitchers every time they step on the field and to limit our mistakes defensively. I have a super coaching staff. Brandon Wilson (assistant Bluffton University) Darius Boeke (Bluffton University) and Chase Brown (assistant Cedarville University) give our kids a college perspective.

“Chris Lane has been instrumental in helping our catchers become better defenders. Andy and Jack Mohler, are excellent hitting coaches that I trust to help our kids develop the “linear hitting” technique. ‘At this time in my 52-year career, I need these fellows.“