Post 180 Wins Pitchers' Duel in Extra Inning

When Coach Frank Werman asked his starting pitcher how he felt ahead of Vienna Post 180's game against Fairfax Post 177, Mark Gunst replied with a confident "I'm good to go, Coach." 

Maintaining an efficient pitch count that totaled 94 over nine innings, Gunst held Post 177 scoreless through four innings, giving up one run on five hits and two walks while striking out seven in Post 180's 10-inning, 2-1 win Thursday at Oakton High.

"He had a great rhythm tonight. His fastball, curveball, everything was working for him. Everything he threw, he was right on it. He had great control," Werman said. "I think part of his performance was that he really wanted the ball tonight. ... He felt really good before the game."

First baseman Henry Brandmark — on a four-game hitting streak in which he has gone 9 for 17 to raise his batting average to a second-best .388 behind Jack Anzilotti (.396) — hit a leadoff home run to start Post 180 ahead. Brandmark leads Post 180 in slugging percentage at .612.

But Brandmark's shot would be Post 180's last until the 10th, as Fairfax's Matt Spaulding shut down their offense with a five-hit performance over 7 1/3 innings, notching seven strikeouts of his own. Patrick Baker closed the game for Post 177.

Post 177 tied the game in the fifth inning on an RBI double from Kody Sherlund to score Nick Priftis, who reached on a single.

Despite allowing base runners in each inning of regulation after the fifth, Post 180's tight defense continued to prevent Post 177 from taking advantage.

"The way I pitch, I just try to get bad contacts and that completely puts all the pressure on the defense. They played absolutely fantastic behind me," Gunst said. "They saved the game. Our success is based on them. I just throw the ball across the plate."

With Post 180's middle infield in some way involved in 15 of Post 177's 30 outs Thursday, Werman found it fitting second baseman Brandon Chandler would make a game-saving play in the ninth when he leaped to catch a line drive and tossed the ball to shortstop Justin Padgett to put out the runner at second base who strayed too far from the bag.

"Chandler was key in a lot of things. That line drive to Chandler in the ninth, that was the game for them," Werman said. "And Padgett was amazing. He's just so athletic."

Though the momentum had shifted in Post 180's favor after the play, they fell short of rallying in the bottom of the ninth. Brandmark took the mound in the 10th, leaving Gunst with a no decision after a one-run gem. Brandmark then retired the side in order.

"[Mark's] only got one win and he's pitched some great games," Werman said. "We just can't seem to get him any runs. But [Post 177] played really well. The pitcher had us off-balance the whole night."

Left fielder Dennis Cooney drew a walk to start the bottom of the inning. Chandler moved Cooney to second on a sacrifice bunt and Billy McLaughlin — who pushed his hit streak to four games with a single in the eighth — hit a hard ground ball to shortstop, which was bobbled, allowing Cooney to round third and score the game-winning run.

As Post 180 stands in first place with 10 games left in the regular season, Werman feels confident in this year's squad.

"Tonight's lineup, this is the lineup for the year. These are probably our nine for the last 10 games of the year," Werman said. "I really like this team. There are a couple places I wish we were a little better, but I think overall I really like what we have." 

Post 180 will travel to Hayfield High for a doubleheader 7 p.m. Saturday against Alexandria 129. In their last meeting, also a doubleheader, Post 180 defeated Post 129 in both games, including a .

Note: Shortstop Justin Padgett has tallied a hit in 12 of the 13 games in which he has appeared. He boasts a batting average of .353. See season statistics for the Vienna Post 180 roster on the Team Werman website.

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