Highland Legion enters final stretch of 2023 season looking for momentum

As the Highland Post 439 Senior Legion baseball team enters the final week of regular season play, they are looking to build a bit of momentum ahead of the Fifth Division playoffs, which begin Thursday, July 13.

The season has been a mixed bag for Post 439 and that was evident again last week as Highland dropped a 4-1 road decision at home against West Frankfort on Thursday, June 29, and then rebounded with an 8-2 win at home Sunday, July 2, over South Central.

Despite the up and down nature of the season, Highland skipper Todd Kunz is feeling upbeat as his club heads into its last four regular season games with a steady 8-8 mark.

“My first season last year with the Senior Legion was a fairly weak season and getting back to .500 now (this season), hopefully we can have a strong finish and finish over .500,” Kunz said.

Against West Frankfort, Highland pitcher Owen Holzinger got touched for a run in the top of the third and Post 439 stayed behind 1-0 until the seventh inning.

In the top of seventh, West Frankfort broke loose and put the game away thanks to a three-run rally which made it 4-0.

“I left Owen in there just a little too long probably,” Kunz said. “We were unable to score any runs and they (West Frankfort) played a really solid game.”

Highland managed six hits as Tyson Kunz led the offense going 2-for-3 on the evening.

Holzinger walked three and struck out two while giving up seven hits in taking the loss.

Next up for Post 439 was another home game at Glik Park against South Central of Kinmundy, Illinois.

Highland broke out the big bats against South Central, exploding for 13 hits en route to a six-run victory.

Post 439 jumped on top in the bottom of the third thanks to a three-run surge. Nathan Terhaar singled in a run and then Joey Kunz ripped a two-run single to make it 3-0.

In the bottom of the fourth, Highland added four more runs as Isaiah Gruenenfelder, Justin Terhaaar and Joey Kunz came through with RBI singles, pushing the lead to 7-0.

In the top of the fifth, the Storm Chasers got two runs back, cutting the gap to 7-2.

Eric Potthast dropped in an RBI-single in the bottom of the seventh to give Post 439 its final tally.

Colton Bultema was lights out on the mound for Highland, pitching eight innings in the nine-inning affair, while striking out 11 and walking three to get the win. Nathan Terhaar pitched a scoreless ninth inning to close it out.

Justin Terhaar led the bat brigade going 3-for-5 with an RBI and Joey Kunz was 3-for-5 with three RBI. Potthast and Bultema each went 2-for-3 at the plate.

“We poured it on offensively. It was a good outing and we got our record back to 8-8,” Todd Kunz said.

Next up

Now Highland looks toward playing four games in the next four days with the hope of entering the Fifth Division playoffs next week on a good roll.

“Hopefully, we can at least get two or three of those four games and get over .500 and go into the playoffs and hopefully we can do well (there),” Kunz said.