Trending
CHERRYVILLE, N.C. -- Entering Fraley Field on Friday with one win and one loss in the American Legion Southeast Regional Tournament, Wheeling Post 1 needed to run the gauntlet without any slip-ups in the double-elimination competition. But a rough first inning against Jacksonville Post 316 sent Post 1 to a 10-3 defeat, and out of the Regional Tourney to cap their 2026 summer season that included an Area 1 championship and third-straight West Virginia state championship before their appearance in the Regional.
Post 316 came out with hot bats Friday, scoring seven runs in the bottom of the first inning. A sacrifice fly, RBI single and RBI double all orbited around the biggest swing of the game, a grand slam off the bat of Braden McKee that helped Jacksonville build a big lead very early on.
Andrew Murdock hit a three-run home-run over the right field fence in the top of the fifth to put Post 1 on the board, but Post 316 erased Wheeling's progress against the deficit with three runs of their own in the sixth inning.
Kayden Knapp took the loss for Wheeling, starting the game and exiting with two outs in the first inning. Brady Ernest pitched five innings in relief for Post 1, striking out three. Murdock recorded the final out of the sixth inning with a strikeout.
Ernest, Braxton Billick, Dom Fato, Aleks Zanieski and Chris Upton all tallied hits for Wheeling, with Upton's knock being a double. Wheeling Post 1 and Jacksonville Post 316 came up with a nearly identical hit total, Post 1's six to Post 316's seven, but Jacksonville was able to string their hits together for a powerful opening frame. Jacksonville also drew six walks. Post 1 drew three walks.
The Southeast Regional Tournament should wrap up on Sunday, Aug. 9 with the championship game. The winner will advance to the American Legion World Series later this month. Post 1's time at Regionals ends after Wheeling logged a close loss to Garner Post 232 on Wednesday and a shutout win over Dorado Post 45 on Thursday. The Southeast Region included American Legion champions from West Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Ohio and South Carolina.