From staff reports
sports@joplinglobe.com
SEDALIA, Mo. —
There’s been a whole lot of sitting and a relatively small amount of American Legion baseball being played at the Missouri AAA state tournament.
Just one game, because of rain and wet grounds, has been played at Liberty Park.
Blue Springs Post 499/Fike posted a 12-8 win against Washington Post 218 late Thursday night.
The Carthage Merchants (31-10) and defending champion Festus Post 253 (24-3) are scheduled to play at 2 p.m. today to finish the first round in the four-team, double-elimination event.
Festus also won a regional in 2009 and was 1-2 in the Legion World Series at Fargo, N.D. Festus, in addition to drawing players from Festus High School, has players from MSHSAA Class 2 champion Crystal City and St. Pius X.
Carthage, 0-2 in 2008 at Washington, is making its second state appearance in three years.
Blue Springs Post 499/Fike received a two-run double in the eighth inning from Sam Morman that boosted it ahead 10-8. Morman, who finished with four hits and three RBI, also nailed down the win on the mound.
Blue Springs Post 499/Fike, which also got three hits and three RBI from Josh Smetana, boosted its record to 50-6. Washington fell to 26-6.
Blue Springs Post 499/Fike will be the host team for the Central Plains Regional.
