Lennox Junior Legion goes 2-1

The Lennox Junior Legion Post 174 baseball team posted a 2-1 record at the Clark Tournament June 12-14, earning victories over Watertown and Clark Area before falling to Vermillion. 

The Junior Legion opened the tournament with a 10-6 victory over Watertown on Friday, erupting for five runs in the first inning and never surrendering the lead.

Lennox wasted little time getting on the scoreboard as Charley Bittner and Cade Aasheim opened the game with back-to-back doubles. Grayden Veurink reached on an error that brought home two runs before Cole Dressen added an RBI single. Lance Aasheim later singled home another run and a steal of home capped the five-run frame.

Watertown trimmed the lead to 5-3 in the third inning, but Post 174 responded with five more runs in the fifth. Veurink led off with a single and eventually scored, while Madix Oltmanns delivered an RBI single. Isaac Vietor added a sacrifice fly and Lennox took advantage of several Watertown errors to stretch the lead to 10-3.

Watertown scored three times in the bottom of the fifth, but Lennox closed out the victory.

Bittner finished with two hits, including a double, while Veurink collected two hits and scored three runs. Lance Aasheim and Ashton Hermanson each added two hits. Oltmanns drove in a run and scored twice.

Handling pitching duties were Bode Sweeter, Grayden Veurink, and Max Allie. Sweeter recorded three strikes, Veurink four and Allie one. 

The offense stayed hot in the second game as the Junior Legion rolled to a 13-1 victory over Clark Area.

Lennox scored three runs in the opening inning as Bittner, Cade Aasheim and Veurink all recorded hits. A passed ball allowed another run to score, giving the Junior Legion a 3-0 advantage.

The lead grew to 6-0 in the second inning. Bittner singled, and Cade Aasheim reached on an error before Veurink delivered a two-run single. Dressen later drove in another run with a fielder’s choice.

The Junior Post 174 put the game away with a seven-run third inning. Andrew Stensaas drove in a run with a single, Cade Aasheim added a two-run single and Dressen highlighted the rally with a bases-clearing double to center field that plated three runs.

Veurink pitched three innings to earn the win, allowing just one run while striking out three.

At the plate, Veurink finished with three hits and four RBIs. Cade Aasheim had three hits and three RBIs, while Bittner collected three hits and scored three runs. Dressen drove in four runs, including three on his third-inning double.

On Sunday, Post 174 dropped a 10-2 decision to Vermillion Junior Legion Post 1.

Lennox grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when Bittner singled and later scored on a Veurink base hit. The Juniors tied the game at 2-2 in the second inning when Bittner singled home Ashton Hermanson.

Vermillion answered with a four-run second inning to take control and added four more runs over the fourth inning to pull away.

Bittner led the Lennox offense with two hits and an RBI. Veurink added a hit and RBI, while Oltmanns and Hermanson each recorded singles.

Cole Dressen and Isaac Vietor were on the mound. Vietor recorded three strikeouts.