In a Tuesday night matchup between the American Legion’s top two teams, Mechanicsville pitcher Michael Thomas pitched a complete game and his teammates scored just enough runs to give Post 175 a come-from-behind 6-5 win over Lakeside Post 125 at Atlee High School.

  The win avenged an earlier 12-3 road loss to Lakeside and put the Mechanicsville team solidly in first place, guaranteeing them no less than a tie for the regular season title. Post 175 was 16-2 after the win and 125 dropped to 14-4.

  “Michael told me before the game he planned to go the distance,” said Post 175 coach Eddie Gates. “I went out and talked with him in the seventh after 125 put the potential tying run on base. He told me that he was fine and wanted to finish, so I let him go.”

  Thomas’ nine innings was a workman like effort as he gave up five runs on nine hits. He struck out four, walked two and hit a batter. Casey Fox was Thomas’ biggest problem as the 125 shortstop hit two homers and drove in three runs. But when it came to crunch time in the top of the ninth inning, Thomas struck out Fox to end the game.

  “It was a big win for us, a real big win,” Thomas said. “Fox swings a big bat for them, and even though he touched me for two homers, he had three at bats where he made outs. This win puts us in the driver’s seat. If we just keep playing like we are capable, we should be alright.”

  Thomas didn’t have all of his pitches working for him against Post 125.

  “I don’t know where my curve ball was,” he said. “I tried throwing it early and couldn’t get it to work. I had to rely on my fastball and our defense. Our defense made play-after-play. They did a great job getting outs when we needed to make a play.”

  After Post 125 took a 1-0 lead on a Fox homer in the top of the first, Post 175 answered with a two-run shot by Jordan Boze in the bottom of the inning.

  “I was just trying to put a good swing on the ball,” Boze said. “It was in the first inning, and I was just trying to get on base and move Will [Connerley] up. He had singled in front of me, and I was just trying to put him in scoring position.”

  Boze answered the call again for Post 175 in the third inning with a single to drive in a run and put Mechanicsville on top 4-2.

  Post 125 then rallied for three runs in the fifth to take a 5-4 lead with a two-run homer by Fox being the big blow.

  “Every time they’d score and take the lead, we’d rally,” Gates noted. “We got hits when we needed them and that won the game for us.”

  Post 175 scored the winning runs in the bottom of the sixth with a two-out rally.

  Jack Edwards doubled to right and scored the tying run when Thomas was safe on a throwing error and wound up at second. Brandon Angus followed with a triple to right-center to score Thomas with what turned out to be the winning run.
 
P125…........................ 101 030 000 — 5 8 1
P175…........................ 202 002 00x — 6 12 2
Mullen, Costas (3) and Dyer; Thomas
and Connerley. L — Costas Highlights: Mac Hudgins (125) 2 for 5, 2B; Porter Reinhart (125) 2 for 5, RBI; Casey Fox (125) 2 for 5, 2 HR, 3 RBIs; Brandon Angus (175) 2 for 5, 3B, 2 RBIs; Will Connerley (175) 2 for 4, run;
Jordan Boze (175) 2 for 4, HR, 3 RBIs; Jack Edwards (175) 2 for 4, 2 2B.
Records: Lakeside Post 125 14-4;
Mechanicsville Post 175 16-2