A doubleheader on the diamond in Missouri turned into a tale of two outcomes for New Haven Post 366 and St. Clair Post 347. The ninth‑district American Legion showdown featured a 15U squad from New Haven that seemed to have the upper hand early, only to watch the opposition rewrite the script in the later innings.
First game ends in walk‑off heartbreak
The opening game slipped away when a walk‑off hit sent New Haven home with a 4‑3 loss. The narrow margin left the squad searching for answers heading into the night’s second contest.
Second game sees St. Clair rally
St. Clair’s 15U side opened a 5‑0 lead, but the momentum shifted dramatically as the visitors answered with six unanswered runs. John Puff ignited the rally with a leadoff single, and Caleb Lottmann’s hit‑by‑pitch set the stage for a two‑out surge. Eli Kohlbusch delivered a two‑out, two‑RBI single that capped a four‑run top of the first inning. Owen Yochim later scored the final New Haven run on an error in the fifth, but the comeback was already complete.
Key moments and standout performances
Earlier in the second game, Cody Meyer’s single and Evan Presti’s RBI sacrifice fly tied the contest at 1‑1 in the third inning. Later, Brayden Hoener’s double and a Caleb Pohlmann RBI single knotted the score at 2‑2 after five innings. These moments highlighted the back‑and‑forth nature of a game that would ultimately tilt in St. Clair’s favor.
Looking ahead
Both programs will reconvene on July 2 at New Haven, where the 14U and 15U squads are slated to meet at 6 p.m. The rematch promises another chapter in a rivalry that has already delivered drama, resilience, and a glimpse of the talent on display in the Ninth District.