Post 74 comes up just short

GLEN ALLEN — High expectations can be a drag.

Not for South Richmond Post 137 in the American Legion state baseball tournament at RF&P Park in Glen Allen.

The reigning champions maintained that status for another year with a 17-9 victory over Albemarle Post 74 Friday. South Richmond swept the tournament in four games and advanced to next week’s region gathering in Morgantown, W.Va. Post 137 is the defending region champion as well.

South Richmond finished third in the Legion World Series last year and has a bunch of returning players.

“It’s a great feeling,” shortstop Bradley Shaban said after the victory. “I knew we had a great team. I had no doubt we’d win states. Now, we’ll try to repeat in regionals.”

Post 137 won its first two games in the state tourney by the 10-run rule and sent Post 74 to the loser’s bracket Thursday with a 15-9 loss. Post 74 earned its rematch with South Richmond with an elimination-game victory over Norfolk Post 60.

The free-swinging, power offense struck again yesterday.

Joey Cujas, the tournament’s most valuable player, delivered three home runs, five RBI and scored three times. Shaban had a home run among three hits. Chris Ayers belted a 2-run home run, and Dustin Sollars collected four RBI. Greg Moon drove in two runs, and Tim Perry and Michael Pegram had an RBI apiece.

“The offense was electrifying, and the pitching’s been consistent,” Shaban said.

Post 137 led 6-0 through the top half of the fourth inning, but Post 74, which put up 21 and 15 runs in its first two games, unlimbered its bats. Albemarle scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth and sent Ryan Morrison, seeing his first action, to the dugout.

Post 74 tied the score in the fifth off reliever Hunter Ackerman. Jack Nobles, Sean Rutherford and Andrew Bradley drove in two runs each for Albemarle.

South Richmond regained control when Cujas hit his second home run in a three-run fifth, and his third in a five-run seventh. Post 74 had to beat 137 Friday to force a final game today.

“We came out trying to win the first game so we wouldn’t have to play [today],” Cujas said. “We hit the ball well. I was seeing the ball real well and getting some good pitches to hit. We were fired up. We wanted to defend the title from last year.

“[Winning the MVP] is very exciting. It’s a great honor.”

South Richmond led 16-6 after its half of the eighth inning and could have won by the 10-run rule again, but Post 74 scored three times in the bottom of the eighth.

Ackerman closed the door in the ninth then wound up on the bottom of the victory dog pile, which was capped by one of the young batboys jumping on top feet-first.

“These kids know how to play the game,” Post 137 coach Byron Ballard said. “They come from quality [high school] programs. It’s great for them to come together, like each other and jell.”