Photos by Morgen Orr Richland's Chandler Knox fires a pitch in the third inning. In a game featuring five home runs and 22 runs, it was pitching that ultimately secured victory for Richland Post 6. Justin Strauss allowed just one run over the final three innings and then put the game out of reach with an eighth inning homer to give Richland the 12- 10 win over Lexington Post 7 on June 30 at Memorial Stadium.

Lexington's Jowan Gray smacked a lead off home run, setting the pace for the slugfest to follow. Post 7 scored three more runs before the inning's second out was recorded. That sent Richland starter Joseph Whitaker out of the game without an out to his credit. Tracey Asbill's two- run single and Chad Shirley's fielder's choice provided the runs for Lexington. Chandler Knox completed the inning for Post 6, striking out the final two batters on called third strikes.

Richland responded in the bottom of the first as Kyle Williamson led of the home half with a home run of his own, bashing the ball off of the scoreboard high above the left field fence. Gibbes then doubled home Kyle Strasburger and Kevin O'Quinn to make the score 4- 3 in favor of the visitors.

Photos by Morgen Orr Post 7's Jowan Gray slides safely back into first as Post 6's Chris Daniels tries to pick Gray off. The second inning saw Richland explode for five more runs. Williamson drove in his second run with a single to left. An O'Quinn walk and Gibbes fielder's choice drove in two more, and Kirk Sims singled to left field to bring home Strasburger and Gibbes for the final two second inning runs.

Lexington brought a run back in the fourth when D.J. Miller hit a long home run to center field, claiming the only run by either team in the third and fourth innings.

Shirley doubled to left center in the fifth, scoring Patrick Cassady and Christian Stutts, shrinking the Post 7 deficit to a single run. After earning two outs in the top of the sixth inning, a walk and a Stutts home run to center field gave Lexington the lead back, 9- 8.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Richland's Williamson took advantage of a strange base running opportunity to level the score at 9. After a double steal sent Williamson to third base, an errant throw by the catcher allowed a chance to score. Sliding headfirst, the Richland lead off hitter managed to find the plate under the tag. The next batter, Gibbes, singled home Strasburger to give Post 6 the lead, 10- 9.

Lexington starting pitcher Al Hentz pitches in the first inning. After Sims doubled to lead off the eighth, Strauss, by now in the game as the pitcher, sent a high flyball to left field, clearing the fence and providing a cushion for his own ninth inning pitching efforts.

Strauss's eighth inning homer was just the space Post 6 needed as two errors to open the ninth inning gave back a run after Jason Cochcroft's double scored Asbill. But Strauss forced a Shirley flyout to center, struck out D.J. Miller looking, and got pinch hitter Andrew Whittle to fly out to right field to end the exciting and high- scoring game.

Richland's Emmett Richardson backs off a bunt attempt in the second inning.