By AARON SNYDER — For The Independent
Ashland — The original plan was to win it with pitching.
But when starting pitcher Corey Miller left in the second inning with elbow tightness, the Ashland Post 76 bats needed to respond.
The Sixers (16-4-1) pounded out 16 hits and put together four three-run innings en route to a 12-6 victory over Portsmouth Post 23 in the Pat Bays Memorial Tournament championship game on Sunday at Central Park.
Portsmouth Post 23 had defeated the Sixers in the first game of the tournament.
“We thought with Corey, we would have the answer,” said Sixers assistant coach Greg Martin.
Post 76 faced an early 3-0 deficit after Miller hit two batters and gave up two runs in the first and then surrendered a solo home run against opposing pitcher Josh Myers in the second.
Miller’s exit ensued, and Daniel Damron supplied three innings of work.
Damron did just enough to earn a victory while the bats did the rest.
Tyler Thackston jumpstarted the Sixers’ offense by ripping the first of his three hits and scoring the first of his three total runs in the second inning.
Josh Wilson and Navarone Alleshouse each provided RBI singles in the three-run second.
Thackston sparked another three-run inning in the fourth, when he led off the frame with a double to left field. The left-handed batter struck again when he smacked a two-run home run over the fence in right center. He went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and reached base in all four plate appearances.
“Thackston is just one of those guys that when he hits he’s going to go,” Martin said. “When he stays back and hits it, even his outs are hard outs.”
Eric Craft drilled a 2-2 pitch from Myers to the left-center field gap for a two-run double in the fourth to give Post 76 a 6-5 lead. The Sixers led from that point forward.
“Eric is starting to hit the ball the other way really well,” Martin said of Craft, who also lined a single to right field. “He was pull, pull, pull. The last couple of games he got in a funk, and he’s starting to push it to the right side and he’s just seeing the ball well again.”
Alleshouse relieved Damron and allowed just one more Portsmouth run — a home run to straight away center field by Aaron Oesch.
Robbie Easterling slapped an exclamation point on the Sixers’ victory with a two-run double to right field in the sixth. Easterling went 3-for-4 with three RBIs.
Post 76 now has three full days to prepare for Cliff Webb Memorial Tournament this weekend, beginning on Thursday at Central Park.
According to Martin, the Pat Bays’ tournament win gives the Sixers extra confidence.
“It’s a big momentum boost,” Martin said.
Head coach Paul B. Lewis was out of town and will return with the team this weekend. As for Miller, Martin said he needs a short time off but will return soon.
PORTS. POST 23 212 001 0 — 6 9 3
ASHLAND POST 76 030 333 X — 12 16 2
Myers, Morrissetts (5), Leach (6) and Oesch; Miller, Damron (2), Alleshouse (5) and Adams. W—Damron. L—Myers. 2B—Leach 2 (P), Hopper (P), Craft (A), Thackston (A), Easterling (A), Wilson (A). HR—Oesch (P), Myers (P), Thackston (A).
