Just enough runs

NASHUA – The Exeter Post 32 baseball team gave up the fewest runs during the regular season of any of the eight teams in the American Legion senior tournament.

On Saturday, Post 32 needed that defense to step up for nine innings against Lebanon Post 22 and it did.

Exeter scored three runs in the bottom of the first and made it hold up in a 3-2 win over Lebanon in a first-round game at Holman Stadium. The win sends Exeter (15-4) to Sunday’s night game, where it will face Sweeney Post 2 at 7 p.m.

James Mundy got the win for Exeter, but was forced to leave after throwing two pitches in the top of the sixth with elbow tightness. Mundy allowed one run on three hits and seven walks in his five innings, striking out five, while Cody Morissette pitched the final four innings to get the save.

“We didn’t give up many hits, but we walked too many people,” Exeter coach Dana Barbin said. “I’ve told them, make them earn it. Make the kid hit the ball.

“There are so many little plays. The game is in the balance and they had a lot of runners on. They like to play some small ball, and sometimes that works.”

It didn’t work against Exeter, as Lebanon (13-6) ran into five outs on the bases, including three runners that were caught stealing by Post 32 catcher John Arend.

“I didn’t have my best stuff, but I had Arend behind the plate and the nice plays in the outfield helped me out,” Mundy said. “It was a huge momentum changer for us.”

Morissette, Henrik Barbin and Christian Devine each drove in a run in the first inning, as Exeter sent eight batters to the plate against Lebanon starter Andrew Houde.

Houde suffered the loss, going eight innings and allowing three earned runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out four. He was able to work out of a couple of jams later in the game, including in the second, when Exeter had runners at second and third with one out and the middle of its lineup coming up.

“We had one out, man on second and third, with three and four (batters) up, and they brought the infield in,” Barbin said. “If we could have put a bat on the ball … but we can’t.”

Lebanon had chances of its own thanks to 10 total walks by Exeter pitching. Post 22 had runners in every inning except the sixth and the ninth, but couldn’t capitalize.

In the second, Lebanon put runners at second and third with no one out, but Mundy bounced back to get two strikeouts and a flyout. In the third, Cam Broughton was thrown out trying to steal second just before a double by Houde, who was thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a triple.

Post 22 made it a one-run game in the seventh after Morissette walked the first two batters of the inning. With one out, Caleb Broughton singled in Ben Robinson to make it 3-2, but Morissette got Cam Broughton and Houde to popup to get out of trouble.

“I see him, and he’s really young, and he’s throwing 82, going into his sophomore year,” Mundy said of his teammate. “I’m really excited to see how he pans out. At the pace he’s at, he’s going to be something special.”

Exeter moves on in the winner’s bracket, where it will face Sweeney Post 2 at 7 p.m. on Sunday while Lebanon returns to face Dover Post 8 at 12 p.m. The loser of that game will be eliminated.