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Title defense: Beverly/Lowell heads to Lancaster for state tourney

By Jordan Holland 5 min read

BEVERLY -- As the final days of July tick off the calendar, Beverly/Lowell Post 389/750 prepares for the American Legion state baseball tournament.

It's become an annual tradition.

This year, Beverly/Lowell heads to Beavers Field in Lancaster as the defending state champion. The Todd Engle-coached club will take on Sidney Post 217 at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the first round.

"We play Sidney right off the bat," Engle said. "They've played some really good teams, too. They're solid. Lancaster, we played them three times and they got us all three times. So, we're familiar with some of the teams we're playing. That's why we play the schedule we play."

Lancaster Post 11 plays Findlay Post 3 and Cambridge/Belle Valley Post 84/641 will take on Utica Post 92 in play-in games. Cambridge/Belle Valley lost to Beverly/Lowell in the Region 4 tournament final.

The other first-round game pits Yeager/Benson Post 199 against Napoleon Post 300. Yeager/Benson is the team Beverly/Lowell beat in the state final a year ago.

"I don't think we would be considered the favorite," Engle said. "The Yeager team is probably the odds-on favorite. They have a bunch of older kids. They're pretty well-coached. Somebody told me they have some kids on their team that are going to Marietta College."

It's a stacked field, but Engle's group feels like it matches up well.

"I don't think we'll be intimidated by any of them, but we will have to play pretty good baseball," he said. "The schedule we play sets us up for tournaments like this. This was probably the toughest schedule we've ever played. The district tournament, because we know those teams so well, there's a little more pressure to win. At state, it's kind of just relax and go play."

Beverly/Lowell enters the tournament with a 28-9 record. After beating Marietta Post 64 in the opening round of the Region 4 tournament, Post 389/750 lost to St. Clairsville Post 159 and had to battle its way back through the loser's bracket. Beverly/Lowell won its next five games to claim the district title.

Under Engle, Beverly/Lowell has won four state titles. In order to repeat, Post 389/750 will need another big weekend from its pitching staff.

Witten Schaad (4-0 record, 1.29 earned-run average), JR Curry (5-0, 2.79 ERA), Grady Hesson (4-2, 1.63 ERA), Jenner Burge (4-1, 1.64 ERA), Jacob Laswell (3-0, 1.66 ERA) and Easton Walker (3-1, 2.91 ERA) are a combined 23-4 on the bump. Schaad and Hesson lead the team with 48 strikeouts apiece.

JR Curry, Beverly/Lowell's probable starter against Sidney, is 5-0 with a 2.79 ERA.

"The strength of our team is not just our pitching, but our pitching depth," Engle said. "However, we're going to have to play a little better offensively to win and keep advancing."

Beverly/Lowell's bats turned it up a notch at the end of the Region 4 tourney, combining for 18 runs in two wins against Cambridge/Belle Valley.

Three-hole hitter Kainan Bradford leads the team with a .456 batting average, five home runs and 33 runs-batted-in. Two-hole hitter Walker is hitting .434 with two long-balls and 28 RBIs. Leadoff man Cameron Sidwell has scored a team-high 41 runs. He also leads the squad with 25 stolen bases in 27 attempts.

Jack McCurdy typically bats lower in the order, but is batting .413 with 34 runs scored and 22 stolen bases in 23 attempts.

"We'd like to move him up, but with Easton and Kainan batting 2-3, we don't want to go lefty-lefty-lefty," Engle explained.

"Dominic (Fry) is another one who's getting hot at the right time. We work on situational stuff every night in practice. In BP, we work on hitting the ball backside, moving runners, bunting, that type of stuff. The further in the tournament you go, you're going to have to execute against some really good pitching. If we move the baseball and convert the opportunities we get offensively, and if we pitch it the way we have been pitching it, I think we'll be in every ballgame we play."

Engle also shouted out "B/L nation," the team's fanbase which has provided epic support for the Boys of Summer.

"Our crowd is absolutely incredible," Engle said. "There's so many times where we lean on their energy, and they bring energy by being such a big, boisterous crowd. When we go to Cambridge or Zanesville, places like that, and we get there early, you start watching the park fill up, and it's our people. It's incredible, and our kids really look forward to that. It's something I never envisioned when I started 23 years ago."

Contact Jordan Holland at jholland@mariettatimes.com.

Beverly/Lowell Stats Leaders

PITCHING

Witten Schaad 4-0, 1.29 ERA, 48 Ks/32.2 IPs

JR Curry 5-0, 2.79 ERA, 41 Ks/32.2 IPs

Grady Hesson 4-2, 1.63 ERA, 48 Ks/30 IPs

Jenner Burge 4-1, 1.64 ERA, 30 Ks/25.2 IPs

Jacob Laswell 3-0, 1.66 ERA, 31 SOs/25.1 IPs

Easton Walker 3-1, 2.91 ERA, 29 Ks/21/2 IPs

HITTING

Kainan Bradford .456, 5 HRs, 33 RBIs, 38 Rs

Easton Walker .434, 2 HRs, 28 RBIs, 35 Rs

Jack McCurdy .413, 34 Rs, 22/23 SBs

Dominic Fry .349, 23 RBIs, 21 Rs

Cameron Sidwell .333, 41 Rs, 25/27 SBs

Grady Hesson .308, 16 RBIs, 30 Rs

Starting at /week.