BY LOGAN LEE
Commercial-News
DANVILLE —
If Monday night’s doubleheader against Toledo Post 764 is any indication, then the American Legion Post 210 Speakers should be in for a good season.
The Speakers outscored their opponents 15-0 in 12 total innings of baseball to open up their season at 2-0. And while the 15 total runs is a good number to have, it was the pitching performances that showed what the Speakers are capable of.
“”What you really like to see is the pitching,” Speakers coach Adam Decker said.
Cash Kiser and Casey Fletcher were called upon for the doubleheader on the mound and neither disappointed. Kiser threw all six of the innings in the first game, giving up four hits and striking out nine. He also walked none in the 10-0 contest.
Fletcher would throw all seven innings of the second game on a total of only 62 pitches. He would only give up two hits while walking two and striking out eight. Fletcher didn’t allow a base runner after the second inning.
“Both guys stayed around the plate,” Decker said. “What Casey did was remarkable and he keeps the defense in it.”
Decker believes that pitching is going to be the strongest part of his team this season.
“This is the deepest pitching rotation I think I have ever had,” Decker said. “I’ve told the guys that if you don’t have it that I will move on because I have so many arms.”
The pitching isn’t the only thing that this year’s Speakers have. They combined to have 15 hits on the night to go along with the same number of runs.
“This maybe the most talented team I’ve ever played with,” Tyler Burton said.
Burton is one of five regular players that returned from last year’s squad. Burton finished up his freshman year playing baseball at Oakton Community College, where he played in about half of his team’s games at first base and in the outfield. Burton expects a lot of good things from this team.
“We have a lot of talent and a lot of pitching,” Burton said. “Just about everyone but me is a pitcher.”
Another key factor to the team’s success this season will be the success that a lot of them had during their high school seasons.
The Speakers have seven players who played for on Danville High School’s sectional runner-up squad and two players that played on Salt Fork’s team, which advanced to the state super-sectionals.
“The Danville guys proved to be good offensively,” Decker said. “After the high school season, (DHS coach Gary) Gritton said they’re winners. They come out to beat people.”
Even with the team being so young, Decker is already seeing a lot of positive things and some leaders emerging.
“We’re young but we’re a good young,” Decker said. “A lot of them could play on the junior team but they’re capable of playing at a higher level. We’re expecting big things.”
The Speakers were led by Cody Burton, who finished the night with four hits and an RBI while scoring three runs.
The Speakers will host Douglas-Moultrie today at 6:30 p.m. at Garfield Park.
