TAMPA - Post 152 (Jesuit) exploded for six third-inning runs and advanced to the second round of the American Legion Central Area Tournament on Thursday with a 12-5 win over Freedom.
Post 152 sent 10 men to the plate in the third, erasing a 2-0 Freedom lead. The Tigers got run-scoring singles from Sam Dyson, Kyle Wiser and Michael Martinez in the inning and capitalized on three Freedom errors.
Dyson led the way for the Tigers on the mound and at the plate. Both runs scored against the 6-foot-2, 185-pound righty were unearned, and Dyson fanned eight in four innings.
"Sam's been throwing a lot this summer (at showcases) and we wanted to keep him on a pretty tight pitch count," Tigers coach John Crumbley said. "I doubt he'll pitch at all the rest of the weekend."
Dyson collected three hits and drove in a pair of runs. Robby Kuzdale (two doubles) and Michael Fernandez also finished with three hits each, and Ryan Lockwood connected on a solo home run in the sixth.
Post 152 advances to this weekend's best-of-three series against the Terriers Baseball Club. Crumbley said Jeff Younger will get the start in the first game against the Terriers.
Plant's Ryan Boggs picked up the win and helped the Panthers advance to the second round with an 11-9 win against Riverview. Plant will play the Ravens Baseball Club on Saturday. Panthers coach Dennis Braun said Nick Debacker likely will be his starter in Game 1.
