In their American Legion regular season closer, Mechanicsville pitcher Sam Hartness turned in an exceptionally strong all-around performance and the Post 175 bats did the rest in a 16-6 seven inning rout of visiting Post 244 on Thursday night.

Hartness finished the game with seven strikeouts and gave up two walks, while going 5-for-5 from the plate. “I went out there and just tried to keep my team in the game,” he said.

On offense, it was Mechanicsville’s Nick Frame who led the way. Frame finished the night by going 4-for-5 from the plate, getting a steal, a pair of runs, drove in six RBI and came up inches short on a fifth inning grand slam.

Though Hartness went six and two-thirds innings for the victors, he ironically started the game as if he wouldn’t last six batters.

Glen Allen’s Austin Grandstaff led things off with a single to center. A bunt from Adam Toombs resulted in a bad throw to first from Hartness, putting Grandstaff at third.

Next up, 244’s Erick Herrmann took Hartness’ first pitch and sent it to centerfield for a single that drove home Grandstaff for a 1-0 Glen Allen lead.

When Hartness walked David Noack bases were loaded with no outs.

“It was a little rough,” said Post 176 head coach Eddie Gates. “He’ll miss a few pitches but he battle back and that’s what I like about him.”

The Mechanicsville pitcher got McLane Grow to pop out to first but Marc Rosen sent a shot to center that drove in Toombs for a 2-0 lead.

Hartness finally got out of the top of the first when Cyrus Baird’s grounded to short. 175’s Chase Worthington scooped up the ball, tossed to Aaron Adkins, who turned the double play to Jordan Walton at first.

“First inning’s always the toughest for pitchers,” Hartness said. “You just have to get in there and get acclimated and just get into the flow of the game.”

In the bottom of the first, Frame reached on a single that bounced over first and later stole second. Frame then scored on a single to right by Walton.

In the top of the second, Hartness came to life on the mound and took down the order. “I felt like I got in there and got into a little rhythm there for a couple of innings,” he said. “Just grind it out for a win.”

The strong pitching gave the 175 bats a chance to explode and go through the lineup in the bottom of the inning.

With one out, Hartness singled up the middle then reached second when BoBo Pack grounded out.

Hartness came home on a double to left by Bryson Kemler then Kemler himself scored when Frame sent a liner past short to give 175 the lead 3-2.

A single to left by Josh Perks put two runners on but they didn’t stay there long. Next up Walton (4-for-5, 4 RBI) came to the plate and sent a shot over the left center wall for a 6-2 lead.

But Glen Allen was not ready to throw in the towel. In the top of the third Toombs reached on a single to right and in his attempt to steal third the throw went wide allowing him to score.

Post 244 then tied the game in the top of the fourth.

Pierce Colley pulled Glen Allen within one, 6-5, when he scored off a wide throw to second. Grandstaff then knotted the game at six when he was drove in by a single to right by Toombs.

The comeback infuriated Mechanicsville coach Eddie Gates. On the night before, Mechanicsville had a chance to finish the season in a tie for first but watched a 9-0 lead turn into a 13-12 loss at Post 284-P.

Therefore when Glen Allen tied the game he called time and called all of the infielders to the mound.

“I had a few choice words for them to wake up,” Gates said. “This is not a game we wanted to lose because it could mean a position as far as home field in the playoffs. And I’d rather play here than on the road. They woke up and I’m glad they did.”

Post 244 did not score again.

In the bottom of the fourth Mechanicsville broke things open with five runs.

Worthington scored on a single to right by Hartness then a single over short by Connerley drove in Adkins. A walk of Kemler loaded the bases and brought Frame to the plate.

Frame drove a shot to deep center and would have had a grand slam but Glen Allen’s Herrman climbed the wall and pulled the ball back. But the shot drove in Hartness for a 9-6 lead.

Connerley made it 10-6 on a wild pitch and Kemler pushed the lead to 11-6 off a single from Walton.

In the bottom of the fifth and leading 12-6, Frame nearly cleared the bags a second time. With bases loaded, he sent a shot over the head of the right fielder to drive in Hartness, Connerley and Kemler for a 15-6 lead. Frame nearly reached third but a moment’s indecisiveness between bags allowed 244 to get the ball in and tag him out.

In the top of the sixth, Hartness appeared to be at his strongest on the mound. He struck out the first two batters but after walking Sam Dodson he asked to be pulled from the game. 

“I was finding my rhythm again, kind of got a second wind,” Hartness said. “I was starting to feel good. Then this blister (on throwing finger) popped on me and I couldn’t finish it out.”

Perks came to the mound in strong relief despite the fact that he was pitching for the first time in two and one half years.

Post 175’s Beau Flinchum created the final margin in the bottom of the sixth when he was drove in by a Kemler sacrifice to left.

Mechanicsville will begin play as the No. 4 seed in the district playoffs on Saturday at 7 p.m. against Post 361. With a win in the double elimination tournament, Mechanicsville will take on the winner of No. 1 seed Colonial Heights Post 284P and Midlothian Post 186 on Sunday.  A loss by Mechanicsville will match them up against the loser of that game.

Post 244 ............ 202 200 0— 6 10 3
Post 175 ............150 541 x— 16 20 2
Noack, Baird (3), N. Toombs (4), Rosen
(5) and Colley; Hartness, Perks (6) and
Powers. W: Hartness. L: Baird
Highlights: Austin Grandstaff (244) 2
for 3, 2 runs; Adam Toombs (244) 2 for 4,
2 runs; Erick Herrman (244) 2 for 4, run;
Nick Frame (175) 3 for 5, double, 5 RBI, 2
runs; Jordan Walton (175) 3 for 5, HR,
double, 4 RBI, run; Aaron Adkins (175) 2
for 4, run; Sam Hartness (175) 5 for 5, 4
runs, 5® IP, 7 K’s; Will Connerley (175) 2
for 2, double, 2 RBI; Bryson Kimler (175) 1
for 2, double, 2 RBI, 3 runs
Records: Glen Allen Post 244 n/r; Mechanicsville
Post 175 15-7