Kenyon Legion Team Wins and Loses in District Tournament

The 3rd District Division II American Legion baseball tournament got underway Friday, and Kenyon played Saturday with runs hard to come by.

Kenyon Post 78 defeated Le Seuer-Henderson in their opener 3-2 behind a solid pitching performance from Ethan Benda. Benda went the distance and seemed to get stronger as the game moved along. He fanned three batters and walked two. He hit a batter and allowed seven hits while throwing 93 pitches, 63 for strikes, and was 17 of 30 in first-pitch strikes.

Le Seuer-Henderson scored their only runs in the second inning after back-to-back walks to start the inning.

That was followed by a ground ball leading to a fielder's choice, then a soft liner to second base and it appeared Benda might get out of the jam. However, DH Kallan Hudson stroked a single, plating two runs and Le Seuer-Henderson was on top 2-0.

Kenyon answered with a run in the top of the third without the aid of a hit.

With one out Blake Jacobson, was hit in the side of his batting helmet and went to first base. He stole second and went to third because the throw from the catcher sailed into the outfield.

Gavin Roosen hit a grounder to short and was thrown out, but Jacobson scored.

Kenyon's other two runs came in the fifth inning.

With one out, No. 9 hitter Matt Houglum had a quality at-bat, fighting off a few pitches and on the fifth, with an 0-2 count he collected a single. Jake Whipple followed with a single and Jacobson clubbed a two-run single.

It looked like Kenyon may get more because Roosen followed with a single and with one out there were runners at the corners but the next two batters were retired.

Kenyon             3 runs        8 hits            0 errors      6 lob    5 scoring position

L-H                   2 runs        7 hits            1 error        7 lob    5 scoring position

Game two Kenyon faced perennial Legion power Plato and lost 3-0.

Plato pitcher Peyton Sell threw a gem, allowing just two hits and six total base runners for Kenyon.

Matt Houglum took the loss, but head coach Mark Strandemo thought he handled a very good hitting Plato team well with just the three runs scored. Houglum threw 103 pitches, 59 for strikes, and was 18 of 28 in first-pitch strikes. Sell threw 94 pitches, 61 for strikes, and was 13 of 24 in first-pitch strikes.

Houglum struck out five and walked five while scattering seven hits. Sell tallied four strikeouts, walked two and allowed just two hits.

Plato scored a run in the fourth inning when the No. 9 hitter stroked a RBI single with two outs. He struck out looking in his previous at bat. There were three hits in the inning.

Plato added two runs in the fifth when they opened with back-to-back singles and had a sacrifice bunt get the two runners in scoring position.

Houglum loaded the bases with a walk and then walked in a run.  The other run scored on a fielder's choice.

Plato            3 runs     7 hits       0 errors       7 lob       3 scoring position

Kenyon        0 runs     2 hits       0 errors       2 lob       1 scoring position

Kenyon Post 78 played their first game Saturday in Norwood and then traveled 7 miles to Cologne.

Kenyon plays at 11AM today against Norwood in Cologne. If they win, they go to Cologne on Friday to resume their efforts to win the Legion Tournament.