Post 21 hopes dashed by Omaha Bulldogs

Brad Travarrow, Will Pittack and Dillon Plath were a deadly combination for Independence Post 21.
Travarrow, as the ninth place hitter, had what he called his greatest Aamerican Legion game by going 4-for-4 with an RBI and run scored.
 Leadoff hitter Plath went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBIs. And Pittack retired the final 10 batters in order in pitching a five-hitter.
It all added up to an 8-2 Omaha (Neb.) Ideal Image Bulldogs 8-4 Wood Bat Invitational victory Thursday night at Crysler Stadium. The loss ended Post 21’s hopes of capturing the National League South Division title and advancing to Saturday’s quarterfinals.
Earlier in the day, Post 21 bested Harrisonville Post 42 as James O’Dell pitched a five-inning one-hitter and struck out five.
As for Pittack he said, “I was getting good pitches to hit. “I’ll remember this game.” He had three singles and a double.
Omaha scored five runs after two were out in the fourth inning to overtake a 2-0 Post 21 lead and never looked back.
Plath’s two-run single highlighted the uprising.
“Chris had good stuff early and then lost his focus,” Post 21 manager Tom Bush said of Booth, who was the starter for Independence.
Will Nesbit replaced Booth and pitched well until allowing a run in the sixth and two more in the seventh.
Two double plays helped Booth and Post 21 take a 2-0 lead with two outs in the fourth inning. Then the next eight Omaha batters reached base.
Booth singled in O’Dell and Kyle Clifton’s sacrifice fly brought in Josh Felz, giving Post 21 a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning.
After that, Trevarrow retired 13 of the next 15 batters he faced.
“We are in a funk,” said Post 21 outfielder Will Sherman. “We aren’t hitting. We couldn’t get it done. We won earlier today but this team (Omaha) was a better team.”
Booth had two of Post 21’s hits.
Bush said Post 21 played hard.
“It’s frustrating,” Bush said. “We are up and down. We are a young team with six 16-year-olds.”
Jamie Hayes singled and doubled and Sherman, Nesbit and Dillon Amaya each singled twice in the 8-0 win over Harrisonville Post 42. Nesbit also had two RBIs.
“I just threw strikes, got ahead of hitters and was hitting my spots,” O’Dell said of the win. The only hit he allowed came in the fourth inning.
Post 21 (24-20) completes division play against Parkville Post 318 at 8 tonight at Hidden Valley Park No. 3.
“We have to go out with a win and get ready for the district tournament,” O’Dell said.