USC suffers first-round playoff loss

Published Saturday, July 19, 2008

The United South Central American Legion baseball team had trouble connecting with much of anything Thursday night against Welcome-Sherburn in a 9-3 loss in the first round of the sub-district C playoffs.

Post 210 had only one hit on the night, but scored three runs in the fifth inning to cut the lead to 6-3 before Welcome-Sherburn struck for three more runs over the last two innings.

“We were a skeleton crew going over there,” USC coach Pat Frank said. “We ran into a good pitch and didn’t hit the ball.”

Jake Bonsack had the lone hit, which came in the fifth, and it was an infield single.

Welcome-Sherburn pitcher Jon Traetow struck out 13 hitters, but walked seven.

Post 210 starter Ned Kalis got hit hard, but was nearly a mirror image of Traetow. Kalis threw 6 2/3 inning, struck out 10, but also walked 10. He allowed only four hits.

“Nobody stung the ball,” Frank said.

Traetow added a solo blast for his squad as it picked up a win in the opening round of the playoffs.

USC played with only nine players because many on the team traveled to a football camp in South Dakota that occurred on the same day.

Welcome-Sherburn 9, USC 3

W-S - 020 041 2 - 9 5 1

Wells - 000 030 0 - 3 1 3

Ned Kalis - 6 2/3 IP, 4 H, 9 R, 7 ER, 10 BB, 10 K

Jon Traetow - 7 IP, 1 H, 3 ER, 3 R, 7 BB, 13 K