Unbeaten records: American Legion baseball teams finish summer season on top

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This summer, baseball players from Russellville competing in American Legion games representing Post 64 in varsity and junior varsity action made the most of it. Both squads finished the season – which ran from mid-June until July 21 – with undefeated records using solid pitching, sure-handed defense and powerful hitting to get the job done.

The uncertainty of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and some rainy days made scheduling a challenge, but both squads were able to get valuable game experience against real competition after having their school seasons cut short in the spring.

Post 64 varsity finished things up with a home win over the Post 229 Jets 1 team from Madison in a seven-inning game by an 8-3 final score July 21. The victory improved the Post 64 varsity record to 5-0 under Coach Brian Pace.

Cole Barnett started things off with a first-inning home run, and multiple Post 64 batters followed with hits throughout the contest.

Four Post 64 pitchers saw action on the mound against Post 229: Casen Heaps got the start, and he was followed by Emitt Green, Brayden Heaps and Logan White.

The win July 21 came a day after Post 64 varsity took down Huntsville Post 237 by an 18-17 final score in Russellville. Post 64 had 16 hits in that slugfest, with Nick Smith and Canyon Pace leading the way.

Smith cleared the outfield fence with two home runs on his way to a 3-for-4 day, and Pace went 4-for-5 at the plate.

Post 64 junior varsity also had big-time success this summer. Coaches Landon Ezzell and Austin Kitterman saw their team finish with a 3-0 record.

The JV team picked up wins over the Huntsville Hooks by a 23-0 score, the Post 229 Madison Mavericks by a 15-3 total and the Post 229 Madison Missiles by 9-6.