Post 346 to host Best of the Midwest this weekend

Jun. 13—The annual home highlight of the American Legion baseball season in Terre Haute begins at 11 a.m. Thursday, when Wayne Newton Post 346 plays Madison at Bob Warn Field in the first game of the John Hayes Best of the Midwest Invitational.

Post 346 manager David Will hopes the home field — for that particular game — is not the only common bond between his team and Indiana State's recent NCAA regional champions.

"In some ways, we'll reflect ISU's baseball program this past spring," Will said recently. "They relied on quality pitching and staunch defense backing them up. I anticipate that being our mantra this summer."

The Terre Haute team finished 25-8-1 last season and reached the state championship game (losing, ironically enough, on a no-hitter by future Sycamore Jacob Pruitt, pitching for Muncie Post 19).

Seven players return from that team, including 2022 high school graduates Logan Nicoson and Tyler Will (Terre Haute North), Tucker Helton (Terre Haute South) and Coy Edwards (Northview). Also back are Ross Olsen and Ty Stultz of South and Bryson Carpenter — an ISU signee — of North.

Newcomers from Vigo County are Cam Judson of North, Gunnar Langer of South and Ben Kearns and Kaleb Marrs of West Vigo. Four other players join the team as a result of Sullivan Post 39 not being able to field a team this year: Isaak Osborne of Sullivan and Jax Cox, Riley Huckaby and Linden Jenkins of Shakamak.

Rusty Gonser and Nathan Will are assistant coaches.

Post 346's pitching depth includes Will, Edwards, Stultz, Judson, Langer, Kearns, Marrs, Cox and possibly Jenkins, and catching isn't a problem either with Huckaby, Judson and Olsen all very capable behind the plate.

So far the local team is 2-3 following a tournament last weekend at Ballwin, Mo., and the Shakamak players were unavailable for those games. Post 346 had a full roster for the first time for Tuesday night's game at Crawfordsville.

"Our most significant challenge this season will be replacing our high-powered offense that put up almost eight runs per game one year ago and replacing four players that hit .400 or greater and contributed almost 40% of our RBI production," Will said.

This weekend's tournament includes 12 teams from five states and will be a significant test. Will mentioned Lancaster, Ohio (7-1), Washington, Mo., and Danville, Ill. (8-0) as significant threats, while other Indiana teams besides Madison are traditional powers Kokomo and Lafayette and tournament newcomers Lake County and Danville.

Yes, there are two Danvilles in the tournament. Also two Post 11s, Lancaster and Lafayette.

"It will be some of the best 19U baseball in this area," Will predicted. "Terre Haute is known for having a great legion baseball tradition and quality teams gravitate to our community for great baseball competition."

Pool play continues until early Saturday morning. Two consolation games will be played among the bottom four seeds, and the single-elimination championship bracket involving the top eight seeds begins at 3 p.m. Saturday.

John Hayes Best of the Midwest Invitational

Thursday

11 a.m. — Wayne Newton Post 346 vs. Madison Post 9 at ISU

Noon — Kokomo Post 6 vs. Lafayette Post 11 at Terre Haute North

1:30 p.m. — Crawfordsville Post 72 vs. Washington (Mo.) Post 218 at ISU

2:30 p.m. — Kokomo vs. Nashville, Tenn., Flyers at Terre Haute North

4 p.m. — Danville, Ind., Post 118 vs. Lake County Post 100 at ISU

5 p.m. — Elsberry, Mo., Post 226 vs. Flyers at Terre Haute North

6 p.m. — Crawfordsville vs. Danville, Ill., Post 210 at West Vigo

7:30 p.m. — Post 346 vs. Danville, Ind., at Terre Haute North

Friday

11 a.m. — Kokomo vs Elsberry at ISU

Noon — Madison vs. Danville, Ind., at Terre Haute North'

1:30 p.m. — Danville, Ill., vs. Lancaster, Ohio, Post 11 at ISU

2:30 p.m. — Madison vs. Lake County at Terre Haute North

4 p.m. — Lafayette vs. Flyers at ISU

5 p.m. — Washington vs. Lancaster at Terre Haute North

6:30 p.m. — Elsberry vs. Lafayette at West Vigo

7:30 p.m. — Post 346 vs. Lake County at Terre Haute North

Saturday

9 a.m. — Crawfordsville vs. Lancaster at Terre Haute North

9 a.m. — Washington vs. Danville, Ill., at West Vigo

12:30 p.m. — Consolation game, Seed 9 vs. Seed 12 at Terre Haute North

12:30 p.m. — Consolation game, Seed 10 vs. Seed 11 at West Vigo

Championship bracket

3 p.m. — Seed 1 vs. Seed 8 at Terre Haute North

3 p.m. — Seed 4 vs. Seed 5 at West Vigo

5:30 p.m. — Seed 3 vs. Seed 6 at Terre Haute North

5:30 p.m. — Seed 2 vs. Seed 7 at West Vigo

Sunday

9:30 a.m. — Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2

Noon — Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4

2:30 p.m. — Championship

— If Post 346 is in the championship bracket, its game will be at Terre Haute North