If Russell Chadwick Beverly/Lowell Post 389/750 isn't the talk of American Legion baseball in the state of Ohio, maybe it should be.
The District 11 champion owns a 27-game winning streak going into state tournament play in Lancaster on July 30.
"Shhhhhh," you might say. "You'll jinx them."
Article Photos
JORDAN HOLLAND The Marietta Times
After getting a flip toss from shortstop Jake Ullman, left, Beverly/Lowell second baseman Jordan Satterfield, right, relays the throw to first to complete a double play against Cambridge Post 84 during District 11 American Legion baseball finals action at Fort Frye High Saturday. Cambridge’s Zach Roe (2) slides in and tries to break up the DP. B/L won 12-1.
Jinx them?
Aw, baloney.
Beverly/Lowell - which mercied Cambridge Post 84, 12-1, in Saturday's district title game at Fort Frye High - is fully aware of the streak, and besides it's too good a team to be jinxed. There's just way too much talent there for anybody to be superstitious.
"It's amazing," said Post 389/750 catcher Landon Kern of the streak. "No, it doesn't really come to mind until people mention it.
"It's an amazing thing to do, and I'm glad I'm a part of it."
Like any good team on a roll, Beverly/Lowell is still taking it one game at a time, or maybe it's one win at a time.
Funny, but things didn't start out so hunky dory for Beverly/Lowell. In fact, B/L was swept by visiting Pickerington Post 283, 7-1 and 5-3, in a season-opening twinbill on Memorial Day.
But since then...well, you can do the math.
Beverly/Lowell is currently 36-4 and winners of 36 of its last 38 games. It was 9-4 after visiting Troy on June 10. With the winning streak alone, it's won more games than it did all of last season when it went 21-15, including 0-2 at state.
"The amazing thing is we got beat by two travel teams from Michigan in Troy," said Beverly/Lowell skipper Todd Engle. "We've only been beat by one Legion team all year, and that was on opening day when Pickerington beat us twice."
With that in mind and if you go by its sterling overall mark, Post 389/750 could very well be one of the top dogs, or one of the teams to beat at the 2012 main event in Lancaster.
OK. OK. While Beverly/Lowell is 1-6 in its last three appearances at state, Engle and his coaching still staff have high expectations for the 2012 squad.
"We do, we do," Engle said. "We have some experience that's been here but for some of the younger kids, this is their first go-around. And you can see them circling around some of the veterans and asking them how are we supposed to do this."
Engle paused.
"I thought we were pressing a little bit towards the end of last year, but again it was inactivity that got us more than anything," he continued. "So, hopefully when we go over there this time...well, you've got to like my pitching staff. We think we can make some noise this year. I'm planning on it anyway."
Noise? Like in the way that the 2006 B/L team won state and advanced to the American Legion Great Lakes Regional at Braun Stadium in Evansville, Ind.?
Engle smiled.
"This team can be special," he said.
No question about that.
Fact is, any American Legion baseball team that wins 27 games in a row is already pretty special.
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Ron Johnston is the Marietta Times sports editor, and can be reached at 376-5441 or at rjohnston@mariettatimes.com
