It was an inauspicious start for the United South Central American Legion baseball team Friday in the district playoffs against Wabasso.

Post 263 is comprised of players from the Wabasso team that won the Class 1A state championship in June, and showed why it was able to take home the title with a 14-2 win over Post 210.

Johnny Pistulka, who started back-to-back games in the state tournament to help lead Wabasso to the crown, threw a one-hitter against United South Central.

“He threw a nice game,” said Post 210 coach Pat Frank. “He throws hard and he has a nice curveball.”

Frank said Pistulka was throwing in the 83-84 mph range and has a tendency to be wild.

That wildness flared up in the third inning when USC scored its only runs of the game. Pistulka walked three in the inning as Post 210 was able to grab two runs to make the game 7-2.

The USC pitching was not nearly as strong. Three pitchers combined to surrender 15 hits and 11 walks in five innings.

“Our pitching was not very productive,” Frank said. “You can’t give up that many hits and that many walks and expect to win a ball game.”

The loss set up an interesting matchup that took place Saturday. Post 210 faced Jackson, the team Frank coached prior to USC. The game was being played as this edition went to press.

Wabasso 14, USC 2, 5 innings

USC – 002 00 – 2 1 1

Wabasso – 524 03 – 14 15 2

WP – Johnny Pistulka 5 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 7 BB, 7 K

LP – Ned Kalis 1 1/3 IP, 5 H, 6 BB, 7 R, 7 ER, 0 K