Huron catcher Brandon Carda dives to make the tag on Aberdeen's Christian Cox at home plate during an opening-round game at the Region American Legion Baseball Tournament on Wednesday in Watertown. Cox made it safely home on a straight steal of home. In the next photo, Huron pitcher Dustin Hinker delivers to the plate during Wednesday’s game. PHOTOS BY RICH REMMERS/WATERTOWN OPINION

The Huron Post 7 baseball team turned in one of its best performances of the season Wednesday during the opening round of the Region 1A American Legion Baseball Tournament in Watertown.

Unfortunately that didn’t translate into a victory, as top-seeded Aberdeen was able to escape with a 6-5 victory against Post 7.

“Our kids played their hearts out today,” Huron coach Josh Haeder said. “We played an error-free game and battled to the end.

“I’m really proud of the way we played against one of the top teams in the state,” he said. Everyone on the team was in the game, even the players in the dugout.”

Post 7 found itself in a hole early, as Aberdeen scored five of its runs during the first two at-bats.

Huron was able to cut into its deficit in the fifth inning using back-to-back singles by Taylor Feldhaus and John Gliko to lead off the at-bat. Both were able to score, along with Joey Swenson, who reached base after being hit by a pitch, to narrow Aberdeen’s lead to 5-3.

Post 7 slimmed the deficit to just a run in the top of the seventh inning. A lead-off season by Logan Korkow led to the run. He advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Swenson and was able to score on a single by Cody Schnetter.

Aberdeen answered with a run in its half of the seventh inning, which would turn out to be the game-winner.

After going scoreless through the eighth inning, Huron mounted its charge for the lead in the ninth.

With two outs, Dustin Hinker and Aaron Zwanziger drew back-to-back walks. Schnetter followed with a single to push Hinker across the plate, but the rally was ended a batter later leaving Post 7 one run shy of the Aberdeen total.

Zwanziger finished with three of Huron’s nine hits in the game, while Schnetter had a pair of hits.

Hinker handled the pitching duties for Post 7, turning in a complete-game effort.

“I have to give a lot of credit to Hinker,” Haeder said. “He threw over 100 pitches in eight innings.”

Aberdeen, which improved to 31-21, advances to face the winner of Wednesday’s second game between Watertown (31-10) and Brookings (23-13) at 4 p.m. today, provided the second game was able to be played with threatening skies on Wednesday.

Huron, which is now 9-19, will face the loser between Watertown and Brookings at 1 p.m. today in Watertown. The winner advances to play the loser of the 4 p.m. game at 7 p.m. today.

The top two teams in the tournament advance to the Class A State Legion Tournament.

For the complete article see the 07-22-2010 issue.

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