Lima Legion bows out of state tourney

ATHENS — It was all going so well for the Lima Post 96 baseball team. After dropping the first game of the American Legion state tournament Monday, Lima was set to get on the winning path Tuesday.

But Post 96 made an early exit from the state tourney, dropping a 6-5 decision to Wickliffe. Lima held a 5-3 lead entering the ninth inning.

Scott Goedde took the loss, coming on in the ninth to close out the game.

“I thought for sure we had it,” Lima coach Dave Koverman said. “Scott Goedde did the job for us all year, our closer, but he just couldn’t hold it (Tuesday).”

Wickliffe scored one run in the second, third and fifth innings, countered by a pair from Post 96 in the bottom of the fifth.

Post 96 took the lead with three in the eighth. Tyler Deitering scored Zach Sterling on a squeeze play and Garrett Black plated two more runners with a two-out single. Black had three hits on the day.

Kevin Korkate opened the game on the mound, throwing six innings with eight hits, six walks, four strikeouts and three runs.

Post 96 finishes the season 27-16 after winning the District 2 tournament crown and two other tournaments.

“Everyone knew this was a team we should have beat,” Koverman said. “When you get to state, anything can happen. We just couldn’t put it together.”