A Matter Of Endurance

GOIN’ POSTAL EARNS
CITY TITLE
ByMARKPINSON
mplnson@highlandstoday.com

SEBRING — Playing its fourth game of the day, the boundless energy and enthusiasm of the Goin’ Postal players gave way to dogged determination and sheer exhaustion.
In the end the effort was worth it, as
Goin’ Postal defeated Hoffner’s Lawn
Care 12-9 on Saturday to win the
Dixie Boys (ages 13-14) city baseball
championship.

The. five-team, double-elimination event began on Friday with four games and wrapped up on Saturday as Goin’ Postal and Hoffner’s squared off for the second time of the day to determine the city champion.  Hoffner’s, which beat Goin’ Postal 4-2 earlier in the day, took the lead in the bottom of the first inning of the title game at a sweltering Max Long Recreational Complex.  Matt Grubb reached first base on a one-out error, moved to second on an infield single by Cody Hoffner and scored on a fielder’s choice by Michael Polatty for a 1-0 lead.
Goin Postal tied the score in the top of the second inning as Caleb McGee singled, stole second, moved to third base on a wild pitch and raced home on a ground out by Shawn Lester.

The Postmen took the lead for good in the top of the third.
Cameron Wiley led off with a single off of Dewey Sebring and McGee followed with a double down the left- field line.
Shawn Lester followed with a slow bouncer to first base that scored Wiley and the speedy McGee.
Tony DeJongh then reached on an error and scored on a two-out base hit to make it 4-1.
Goin’ Postal added to its lead in the top of the fifth on a bases-loaded walk to Garrett Lewis by right-handed reliever David Blanco and Josh Tomlinson scored on a wild pitch to make it 6-1.

Hoffner’s, which pounded out eight hits, scored in the bottom of the frame on back-to-back doubles by Grubb and Hoffner to cut the lead to 6-2.
Goin’ Postal, which banged out nine hits, plated three runs in the top of the sixth inning to take a seemingly safe 9- 2 lead.

Hoffner’s refused to fold and put together a five-run rally against right- hander Josh Chavis to pull within 9-7, with one inning remaining.
Goin’ Postal plated three insurance runs in the seventh, including a sacrifice fly by Chavis, to go up 12-7. Hoffner’s rallied to score two runs to close the gap, but the rubber-armed Chavis, who struck out five and walked four, struck out the last hope for Hoffner’s to sew up the game and the city championship.