SIDNEY — After COVID-19 caused the season to be wiped out last year, American Legion baseball is back at Custenborder Field at twice the strength this year.
Sidney Post 217 is operating two senior squads. Daulton Mosbarger, who coached Post 217’s senior team in 2018 and 2019, is leading the “White” team while Post 217 alum and Fort Recovery graduate Jackson Hobbs is coaching the “Red” team.
Post 217 baseball committee chairman Bill Lonsbury said the idea two field two senior teams came after the organization’s recruiting process. After determining there were enough high school-age players with varsity playing experience, Post 217 decided to field two squads.
“It’s been a challenge, but fun,” Lonsbury said. “… We have a number of 16- and 17-year-olds and a spattering of kids that are a little too old to play for the junior team. After talking to the coaches, they thought they were good enough to play with the older kids.”
Mosbarger’s White squad is made mostly of upperclassmen and has some Post 217 veterans, including Darren Hoying (Fort Loramie). The Red squad is made mostly of younger players. Players from 10 area high schools make up the program’s rosters.
The teams are a little more than halfway through their regular-season schedules. Each have several more games scheduled over the next couple of weeks, and both will play in the Region 2 tournament later this month for a berth in the Ohio Legion’s state tournament.
Piqua Post 184, Greenville Post 140 and Van Wert Post 178 will also compete in the Region 2 tournament, which is scheduled to be held July 17-21 at Greenville’s Sater Park.
The White squad is scheduled to host Greenville on Wednesday and Piqua on July 15. The Red squad has home contests scheduled for July 6 against Piqua, July 7 against Troy Legends and July 12 against Greenville.
With the season having been canceled last year, Lonsbury said Sidney Post 217’s baseball committee donated $50,000 to 13 local organizations.
