MORRIS J. EDWARDS POST 11, HERKIMER POST 0, five innings

ST. JOHNSVILLE, N.Y. — Wes Clark was perfect for three innings and Colin Lombardoni was close enough for two to complete a combined one-hit shutout for Morris J. Edwards Post 168 in an 11-0 victory over Herkimer Post 38 Wednesday that was shortened by American Legion’s 10-run rule.

Lombardoni struck out the first batter he faced before walking Justin Roorda to give Herkimer Post its first base-runners with one out in the fourth inning. Mark Mula followed with a crisp single through the left side of the infield for the only Herkimer Post hit of the day. Lombardoni ended the fourth inning with a strikeout then struck out the side in order in the fifth. Clark had fanned four batters while retiring all nine he faced in the first three innings.

Artie Zhushma allowed single runs in the first two innings and Morris J. Edwards Post led only 2-0 before tallying five runs in the fourth inning and four in the fifth to end the game. Zhushma lost command of his pitching arsenal in the fourth inning when he walked Zach Fleischer on four pitches leading off, hit Evan Springer with a 3-0 pitch then hit Tyler Hall to load the bases with nobody out.

Cody Marquissee relieved Zhushma and an error allowed the first run of the inning to cross the plate. Tyler Barhydt delivered another run with a sacrifice fly and Herkimer Post doubled up Jason Biron on the play for the second out of the inning. Following a walk, Lombardoni drove in a run with a single and Dane O’Neil doubled home two more to put Morris J. Edwards Post up 7-1.

Back-to-back hits by Hall and Biron got Morris J. Edwards Post going again in the fifth inning before Barhydt smacked a two-run single and Josh Nethaway homered into the weeds beyond the left field fence to push the margin past the 10-run threshold.

Nethaway had driven in the first run of the game with a single in the first inning. Springer singled in a run in the second.

Barhydt and Nethaway each had two hits for Morris J. Edwards Post. Hall, the team’s leadoff hitter, was hit twice by pitches, walked, singled and scored three runs in four trips to the plate.

Herkimer Post plays on the road again Thursday at Oneida Post 169.

Morris J. Edwards Post is off for graduation weekend and next plays Monday at home against Oneonta Post 259.

MORRIS J. EDWARDS POST 11, HERKIMER POST 0, five innings

Herkimer Post    000 00  —  0  1  2

Morris J. Edwards Post    110 54 — 11  9  0

Artie Zhushma, Cody Marquissee (4) and Steve Hartmann, Mike Bass (3). Wes Clark, Colin Lombardoni (4) and Zach Fleischer. W — Clark. L — Zhushma. 2B — Morris J. Edwards Post, Dane O’Neil. HR — Morris J. Edwards Post, Josh Nethaway. Records — Herkimer Post 1-9; Morris J. Edwards Post 11-3.

Compiled From Evening Times Staff Reports