ACH Legion starts summer season

COULEE CITY — The Almira/Coulee-Hartline American Legion summer baseball team split a doubleheader over the weekend against Gonzaga Prep AA1. The team now sits at a record of 1-2 to start the season.

“I think one of the lessons is just to be patient,” said ACH Legion head coach Mike Correia. “We have a number of players, especially in the small school here, that play basketball, football and baseball, so all of them are taking part in the various camps or tournaments, or league play for whatever sport, so that wears on them a little bit.”

In the first game, Gonzaga Prep scored six runs in the first inning, followed by three in the second. ACH Legion put up a run in the top of the fourth, which was met by another two runs from Gonzaga Prep, making the score 1-11 at the top of the fifth.

 ACH Legion put up two runs in the fifth inning and in the sixth inning, Max Grindy doubled to score three. Grayson Beal, Josh Booker and Kaysen Pryor each singled, scoring one run. A dropped third strike scored, bringing the team to seven runs and putting the team back in the game. Gonzaga Prep would score one in the bottom of the sixth with ACH Legion following up with two runs in the seventh and a run in the eighth to win the game 13-12.

“We were on the verge of being (10-runned) and all of a sudden we got some life,” said Correia. “We got a few hits here and there and got a couple big hits and then kind of strung that (sixth) inning together.”

The second game started closer with ACH Legion putting up three runs from Maddoc Finch, Tanner Orestad and Pryor in the top of the first and Gonzaga following up with four. Finch then made a single down the left field line to tie the game at 4-4 in the top of the third.

The game would go back and forth throughout the remaining innings as Gonzaga Prep put up another two runs in the bottom of the third and both teams scored one run in the fifth. In the sixth, ACH scored two and Gonzaga Prep responded with another four. ACH would put up two more runs in the top of the seventh before falling 9-11 to their opponent.

“Just couldn’t complete a second comeback,” said the coach.

Correia said the team time is the most important factor for them early in the season as they work on incorporating some new players onto the team. ACH is also working on getting the team healthy again after some early-season injuries.

One of the injuries occurred Friday when Caden Correia, the starting shortstop and one of the main pitchers for ACH Legion, broke his ankle. He is not expected to return to the team this summer, Correia said.

Other players on the team with injuries are still allowed to play but are limited in what they are able to do, said Correia.

“We’ve gone from a pretty solid eleven guys to kind of a weak ten now as far as health-wise,” he said.

The coach said that the team is still able to play their brand of baseball despite the injuries on the team. They go into each game with the mindset to never give up and play their hardest, the coach said.

As ACH Legion moves forward, Correia said they will work on cleaning up the little things that can help them get ahead in games.

“That’s why you play,” he said. “You make mistakes, you learn from it and move on.”

The ACH American Legion baseball team’s next game will be at a tournament in Walla Walla this weekend, with the first game starting at 10 a.m.

    ACH Legion second baseman Caden Correia throws the ball back to first for an out during a game last summer. The summer season has started with multiple injuries on the team, including Correia, who broke his ankle. He is not expected to return this season.
  

    The ACH Legion baseball team assists with a flag raising event earlier this summer. Coach Mike Correia said it's important that the players stay involved in events with the American Legion, so they remember what they stand for.