The Flora Jr. Legion played their first game in a week-and-a-half on Tuesday when they traveled to Carlyle.
After shaking the rust off from the long break, the Post 14 squad scored 8 runs in the fourth inning and six runs in the fifth inning to put the game away and come away victorious with a 16-3 win.
The top of the first saw three Flora batters get hit by pitches.
Clint Quinn led off and after ducking out of two early pitches, grounded out to third to begin the game.
Fellow North Clay Cardinals Colton Bailey and Bryan Harrington were both hit by pitches to give Flora runners on first and second.
A wild pitch allowed both runners to move up one base and a groundout by Pierson Boose scored Bailey for the games first run.
Austin Lewis became the third Post 14 batter hit by a pitch in the first inning and moved to second on a wild pitch.
The inning ended when Flora right-fielder Bryton Krutsinger flied out to left field.
It took nine pitches for Bailey, the Flora starter Tuesday night, to retire Carlyle in order in the bottom of the first inning.
Carlyle hit the fourth Flora batter in the top of the second and Post 14 was able to load the bases, but were unable to push a run across the plate.
Bailey shut down Carlyle on just 13 pitches in his second and final inning of work Tuesday night.
Flora scored their second run of the game in the top of the third inning, but stranded the bases loaded to make eight runners left on base through the first two-and-a-half innings of play.
Harrington took over on the mound for Post 14 in the top of the third inning and shut down the Carlyle offense on seven pitches.
He did allow a single, but the Carlyle baserunner was gunned down by Lewis trying to steal second.
Post 14 found their groove at the plate in the top of the fourth inning by pounding out eight runs on four hits.
Bailey and Harrington drew walks to lead off the top of the fourth inning.
Boose followed by doubling to right center to drive home both Bailey and Harrington. He scored two batters later when Clay Henson reached on an error by the Carlyle second baseman.
After a single by Brent Taylor, his younger brother Christian came to the plate and stroked a two-run single to left center field.
Shane Acree grounded out to third for the innings second out, but Post 14 wasn’t done scoring.
Quinn doubled and drove home Christian Taylor from second to put Flora up 8-0.
Bailey drew his second walk of the inning as Flora had batted around.
Harrington blooped a single into left field to drive home Quinn and Bailey.
A walk to Boose gave Flora runners on the corners when Lewis grounded out to third to end the inning, but Flora led 10-0.
Harrington came back out after a long break on and struggled against Carlyle.
Carlyle was able to find holes in the Post 14 defense for three runs in their half of the fourth inning.
Harrington pitched one-third of an inning, before Post 14 went to the southpaw Dylan McKnelly out of the bullpen.
McKnelly came into the game with the bases loaded and induced a short fly ball to right field which dropped in.
Flora right fielder Henson was on the ball as he came up with a strong throw to the plate to nail the Carlyle runner trying to score for the second out of the inning.
McKnelly then induced a fly ball to left field to end the inning and keep the damage at a minimum.
Henson then led off the top of the fifth inning for Flora with a single and after McKnelly and Christian Taylor drew walks, Flora had the bases loaded.
Shane Acree doubled into left-center field to drive home a pair of runs and put Flora up 12-3.
After a strike out by Quinn, Bailey singled and moved Acree to third.
Harrington was hit by a pitch to load the bases. It made the fifth time in the game a Post 14 batter was hit by a pitch.
A ground ball by Preston Price forced Acree out at the plate, but Flora received a gift when Lewis drew a bases loaded walk to extend their lead back to double digits, 14-3.
Carlyle was called for a balk to score Harrington from third and moved Price and Lewis up a base.
Henson made Carlyle pay by driving a double into the gap to score Price and Lewis as Flora now led 16-3.
McKnelly struck out to end the inning, but Post 14 had a comfortable lead as they tried to short-game Carlyle in five innings.
Carlyle drew a lead off walk off McKnelly, but it was quickly erased.
A groundball to Sean Acree started a 4-6-3 double play.
McKnelly then finished the game with a strike out to give Post 14 the win.
Flora travels to Effingham to play in the Firecracker Fourth of July Tournament over the weekend.
