In his 12 years coaching Williamsburg Post 39’s American Legion baseball team, Tom Richardson said he has never witnessed a comeback quite like the one his club pulled off Tuesday night.
Once trailing 12-2 and the focus slowly shifting to Thursday’s matchup against Poquoson Post 273, Post 39 overcame a 12-6 deficit in the ninth inning by scoring 10 runs during its final at bat to steal a 16-12 victory and keep their unbeaten season alive.
The victory was Post 39’s 20th in a row against District 3 opponents.
“It was nuts,” said Richardson of the comeback. “[Post 241] was pounding the ball against us and late in the game I was starting to plan for Thursday, thinking about resting arms and whatnot.”
Richardson believes the turning point came in the fifth inning when, despite his team trailing by 10 runs, William & Mary sophomore Matt Smith laid out for a ball at third base and made a terrific back-handed stop before firing to get the out at first from his knees.
“That fired the guys up a little bit I think,” Richardson said.
Post 39 (8-0) chipped away at the deficit with four runs in the top of the sixth inning before erupting for the decisive 10-run frame in the ninth.
Kent Klyman, who earlier in the game stranded the bases loaded twice, got another shot with the sacks full in the ninth and laced a double to the gap to drive in the go-ahead runs.
“I was just so proud of how the guys never gave up,” Richardson said. “We were so pumped up with the way it ended.”
The two teams combined to score 28 runs on 29 hits and burn through eight pitchers during the slugfest.
Many of Post 39’s biggest contributors — including Klyman, who went 2-4 at the plate with three RBI, and Smith, who finished 2-3 with one RBI and three runs scored — did not start the game, which, combined with the fact they were missing four starters, Richardson said spoke of his teams depth.
Collan Cryts and Jordan Hackney each drove in a pair of runs for Post 39 while Austin Carter, Tyler Klinedinst, Liam Lowery and Mike Anerton finished with one RBI apiece.
Williamsburg Post 39 16 Middlesex Post 241 12
Post 39- 200;004;00(10) – 16 12 4
Post 241- 400;710;000 – 12 17 4
WP: Smith
LP: Harris
Post 39 (8-0)- Klyman 2-4 (2B, run, 3 RBI), Hackney 2-3 (3 runs, 2 RBI), Cryts 1-1 (2 runs, 2 RBI), Smith 2-3 (2B, 3 runs, RBI)
Post 241- Walker 3-3 (2B, 2 RBI), Hinson 2-6 (2 RBI), Harris 3-5 (3 runs, RBI)
