Post 150 slugs way into showdown with Festus

STE. GENEVIEVE – Kellen Blum delivered the most emphatic swing on Thursday night as Ste. Genevieve Post 150 set up a marquee clash in the Senior Legion District 13 tournament.

Derek Morganthaler threw a complete game four-hitter with four strikeouts, Blum achieved three parts of a cycle and Post 150 notched an 11-1 victory in six innings over Rock Memorial Post 283.

Chad Donze drove in three runs, and Ste. Genevieve (19-6) won its 11th consecutive game to reach the winner’s bracket final against rival Festus Post 253 on Saturday afternoon.

Blum drilled a booming solo home run over the left-field wall in the bottom of the fifth off reliever Eric Streicher, and Post 150 added three tallies in the sixth to end it early.

Morganthaler navigated a sketchy opening frame by allowing just an unearned run, and proceeded to silence a Rock Memorial lineup that topped Potosi 10-8 earlier on Thursday.

Post 283 jumped ahead 1-0 on a bases-loaded walk to Cooper Thomas following a dropped throw on a fielder’s choice. Blum made a running catch in center field to limit the damage.

Morganthaler retired the first two batters in each of the next five innings, and was helped by a superb twisting catch by first baseman Keaton Boyer near the line in the fifth.

Ste. Genevieve capitalized on a leadoff by opposing starter Truman Ward in the second. Kellen Blum and Logan Gegg followed with singles, and Donze made it 2-1 with a sacrifice fly.

The offense continued to click with five hits and four insurance runs in the third inning. Morganthaler commenced that outburst with a leadoff double to right-center.

Tyler Blum notched the first of his three RBI with a single to left, and Boyer pushed him to third base with his own double to the right-center alley.

Rock Memorial attempted to cut down Tyler Blum at home on a bouncer to third, but a wide throw enabled him to slide safely across the dish for a 4-1 lead.

Donze punctuated the inning with a big two-run single, and Brian Selby’s ensuing hit ensured that Post 150 would bat around the order.

RBI triples from Kellen Blum and Tyler Blum followed a single by Zach Boyer in his first plate appearance, and Gegg collected his second RBI on a game-ending sacrifice fly.

Kellen Blum went 3-for-4 overall, and equaled both Tyler Blum and Donze with three RBI. Selby added a second single in the fifth for Post 150.

Tony Saggio finished 2-for-3 with a double while Thomas doubled and Ricky Wallace singled for Rock Memorial. Ward allowed six runs on seven hits over three innings.

Festus defeated De Soto 4-1 late Thursday as heavy rain pushed their contest back two days from its originally scheduled first pitch.

Ste. Genevieve and Festus split two meetings in the regular season.

Ste. Genevieve Senior Legion Post 150 runner Chad Donze (9) leads away from third base during a home game earlier this season.