From staff reports

sports@joplinglobe.com

MINOT, N.D. — The Pittsburg Post 64 American Legion baseball team scored early and late in staying alive on Friday in the Central Plains Regional.

Post 64, which scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning, pushed across two tallies in the seventh and one in the ninth to eliminate Minot Vistas 6-5.

Minot forced heroics out of Pittsburg by scoring three times with two outs in the ninth at Corbett Field.

Post 64’s Adam McCormick singled with one out and Tanner Smith walked. Michael Hayes forced McCormick at third base for the second out before Brett Marshall singled home Smith for the winning run.

Pittsburg (30-11) plays Minnesota Eastview (32-9) at 12:30 p.m. today in the losers’ bracket.

“We started out this game much more comfortable than in our first game (an 11-1, seven-inning loss to Dubuque, Iowa),” Post 64 manager Mike Watt said. “The energy in the dugout was much better.”

Host Minot, North Dakota champion in both 2006 and 2007, finished 37-23. Minot lost to Missouri champion Blue Springs Rod’s Sports Athletics 8-7 on Thursday night.

Pittsburg garnered 13 hits against Minot with McCormick, who hit a two-run homer in the first, getting three and as many runs batted in.

“Adam (McCormick), as in recent games, continued to hit the ball very well,” Mike Watt said.

Post 64 also got two hits apiece from Nathan Arnold, Austin Ross and Willie Watt.

“Both of our pitchers (right-handers Drew Beasley and Arnold) threw very well,” Mike Watt said. “They combined for 11 strikeouts (and allowed 11 hits).”

Starter Beasley, who worked 5 1/3 innings, allowed two runs, struck out five and permitted six hits.

Ryan Bollinger and Darin Back, who homered, had four hits apiece to pace Minot.