WOODLAND — A ninth-inning unearned run spoiled a brilliant one-hit pitching effort by Yolo Post 77’s Reinert Toft as visiting Lodi won a 1-0 American Legion contest on Sunday night at Clark Field.
Despite getting outhit 8-2, Lodi scored without benefit of a safety when a hit batter, two walks and an error led to the game-winner.
Toft, who pitched out of the bullpen for Davis High this spring, threw a seven-inning, one-hit gem, striking out eight and walking three before Mike Chavarria came on in relief.
Lodi starter Grant Hennecke, whose four strikeouts came in the first three innings, allowed only two runners to third as his medley of off-speed offerings kept Post 77 off balance.
Center fielder Josh Cosio went 2-for-4 for the locals and Kevin Rorke added two hits in four trips. Both are former Blue Devil standouts.
The contest was played before almost 150 fans, on hand for a pre-game tribute to former Post 77 player Scott Heinig, who died in April.
With family and friends in attendance, a sign with Heinig’s No. 20 jersey featuring a vow, “Forever on Our Team,” was repositioned in the bleachers behind home plate. New road uniforms (contributed by the Heinig family baseball fund) and memorial patches for the players’ sleeves, among other remembrances, were unveiled.
Lodi, who split a doubleheader with Yolo at Tony Zupo Field down south on Saturday, is now 11-10 on the year. Post 77 fell to 16-8-1.
Fair Oaks travels to Clark Field for a 7 p.m. matchup on Tuesday.
— Reach Bruce Gallaudet at [email protected] or (530) 747-8047.